Slightly Re-sensitized: A Month of Under-Stimulation

The Spring 2009 issue of Geez magazine is devoted to "Experiments with Truth," lifestyle experiments that explore social justice and spirituality. Below is one of the experiments from the issue.

Slightly Re-sensitized: A Month of Under-Stimulation
by Will Braun

My experiment was complicated and mundane. And it starts with a complicated and mundane confession. I am disturbingly susceptible to informational over-stimulation.

I turn the computer on too often. For work, for pleasure, just because.

I check my email too often. Even though I am generally disappointed both if there is new mail (more shit to do) or not (need to go back to what I was trying to distract myself from).

I check the Globe and Mail website too often. Not because I want to inform myself about the needs of the world but just for some titillation, or diversion, or just something. Like eating when you’re not hungry (yes, I do that too).

I turn the radio on too often (mostly public broadcasting). Not usually out of healthy interest, but for an info “fix.” I’m restless inside, and not the good kind of restless. I need distraction, stimulation, anything. I need the radio on. I know this, because I can quite easily identify the times when I reach for the switch out of unhealthy need versus attentive interest.

I would turn the TV on far too often if we had one, which is one of the reasons we don’t.

By now all you amateur shrinks out there will have me pegged toward the OCD and ADD (or whatever they call it now) end of things. Well done. I confess. And I’m certainly not alone. We live in the information saturation age. Quantity trumps quality. Apple, Google and Mr. Gates virtually have our society on info intravenous.