Digital distraction is the new diabetes. And it is no less deadly. Let me explain.
Diabetes, obesity, and hypertension happen for a simple reason: A million years ago, in the forests, sugar, fat, and high-calorie food were life-savers for our ancestors. Hence, evolution primed our brain and body to love sugar, oil, and anything calorie-rich.
But as we made rapid economic progress in the last 100 years, access to sugary, fatty, and high-calorie diet shot up. Today, oil and sugar are cheap, but fresh veggies are not. Even 50 years back, it was EXACTLY the opposite.
And that caused the epidemic of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.
Now here is why the next deadly epidemic is coming: 10,000 years ago, to stay alert to the dangers in the wild, man had to constantly screen his environment, looking out for new information.
Today, that new information is our useless notifications, alerts, messages, and updates on our zillion apps. Suddenly, we have way more sensory stimulation than we can handle.
Welcome to the new diabetes: Digital addictions and loss of focus.
And it is no less deadly.