In part 2, we discussed a framework to consider the physical inputs required for an individual to exist in a cultural environment. Here, we will observe the interactions between individual units within larger systems and develop a framework that examines the units of currency exchanged which enable an individual to alter his / her perception of reality.

In short, I seek to elaborate upon how time serves as the universal currency of all and how allocations of time serve as the means by which individuals can accumulate data points that serve as leverage to influence reality.

The Implicate and Explicate Orders

In 1980, David Bohm developed two frameworks for understanding different aspects of reality: the implicate and explicate orders. The explicate order consists of an unfolded organization of abstractions that humans can easily perceive such as sight, sound, and touch. The implicate order represents the folded order – which represents how one person perceives the “unfolded” order. An example of which is a car crash:

A large number of spectators witness the explicate order (car crash) from a multitude of angles; each will perceive the situation on the basis of their proximity to the crash and degrees of focus devoted to other activities at hand (eg: prior to the car crash, Person A is drinking coffee with Person B around the corner from where the car crash occurs (they eventually hear, but do not see the car crash); Person C is sitting on a bench observing the cars passing by on the street which the car crash occurs; Person D just stepped out of his / her building which is situated on the street which the car crash occurs for a cigarette break); when the accident occurs, each person absorbs the details of the incident dependent upon the aforementioned – each person will walk away from the incident with a “folded” perception of the event – resulting in a multitude of implicate perceptions of the car crash.

Technological innovation has given rise to the means by which we form our expectations of reality. The printing press enabled non-physical transfers of knowledge to exist; the telephone and telegraph decreased the latency associated with transmitting information. The television and more recently, the internet, has enabled the rapid transmission of data to large audiences. Our perceptions of reality are formed when we digest different notions of the explicate order which in turn shape how we perceive reality on an implicate basis.

As a result, this innovation has significantly affected how information is sent and received, which are formed through the following:

• Centralized Networks
• Decentralized Networks
• Distributed Networks

Centralized Networks

Radio, tv, and newspapers represent centralized networks: individuals contribute thoughts and ideas to a central mediator who in turn decides what is / is not published to its audience.

Diagram: Example of Centralized Network, The Financial Times Newspaper

In earlier times, the printing press itself acted as a centralized network: what was / was not published was determined at the jurisdiction of the owner of the press.

Decentralized Networks

Decentralized networks act as 2-sided networks by which contributors simultaneously act as audiences on centralized platforms. Mediation is limited to the degree by which moderators of a community choose to censor its users (eg, disallowing hate speech or the dissemination of adult content). Examples include forums and message boards.

Diagram: Example of Decentralized Network, Seeking Alpha

Distributed Networks

Distributed networks operate in the absence of mediation. Each node within a network is connected to virtually any other node and information flows in an unlimited number of directions. The structure by which we can understand distributed networks are personal blogs: individuals exist on a standalone basis, unencumbered by mediators or content platforms.

Diagram: Example of Distributed Network, Blog Network

Information Networks

In the past, geographical or socioeconomic positions played important roles in accessing information. Much of this was ruled by accessibility to educational institutions, cost of books, cost of technology (radio, tv, computers), and cost / access to transportation (availability of public transportation or cost of motor vehicles). Temporality presented an additional confound: operational hours set by institutions restricted the times by which individuals could access information (eg; a library’s hours of operation, when a tutor is available, or when a professor decides to host office hours). Today, the internet has enabled the reduction of many of these barriers and confounds, contributing to a greater degree of information democratization.

Technology largely defines the rates by which we can update our orientations to problems in the real world. Problems remain unsolved to the extent by which an individual lacks the necessary knowledge base to understand the relationship between inputs and drivers within a system and how varying inputs affect how units in a system interact with one another and affect processes and outcomes.

Reality, here, is defined as identifying the primary data points which define a class or idea which (generally) are confirmed by a consensus of (a select) majority.

Consider the following example of the Fourth of July for many Americans:

Americans associate the Fourth of July with BBQs, fireworks, and red white and blue. We encounter the explicate order of this event in America through socialization (growing up and attending bbq’s, firework shows, etc.) and internalize these events which effect our expectations of what the date should entail on an implicate basis. The explicate order is strengthened by implicate expectations: I / (we) expect to see fireworks on the fourth of July on an implicate basis; we contribute to the explicate reality by photographing these events, etc, further molding the construction of the reality and influencing expectations of others, and ultimately, the explicate order.

The fourth of July is but a point in time in space: Americans associate this class with a multitude of instances that define that class [1]. The fourth of July is a symbol which triggers associations for many Americans, associations not necessarily manifested in non-Americans with respect to the fourth of July. As such, red white and blue, bbq’s, and fireworks exist as a reality of the fourth of July for Americans, but not so much so for other subsets of people.

In the context of Bohm’s aforementioned framework, exposure to data points associated with a class symbol form the basis of an individual’s conception of reality: the more data points one individual accumulates with respect to an idea, subject, or experience, the greater leverage he/she harbors regarding any interaction with the the idea, subject, or experience simply because this individual harbors an understanding of how units and processes interact with one another to define a class of ideas.

Developing the Foundation for An Idea or Class of Ideas

Thus far, we have noted that a conception of reality is defined by how strongly a multitude of data points meet an expectation for what characterizes, or defines, a class symbol. Here, we break down how these relationships interact with one another.

Consider for a moment the data points which define the idea of Graph Theory, as a concept:

Diagram: A Visualization of the Wikipedia Entry for Graph Theory

 

To understand the class symbol: Graph Theory, it is necessary to define a subset of data points associated with the topic:

• The definition of Graph Theory
• Applications of Graph Theory
• Its History
• Graph Drawing
• Graph-Theoretic Data Structures
• Problems in Graph Theory
• Areas Tangentially Related to Graph Theory

The subset of data points associated with Graph Theory each embody their own subsets of information:

Problems in Graph Theory:

• Graph coloring
• Subsumption and Unification
• Route Problems
• Network Flow
• Visibility Problems
• Covering Problems
• Decomposition Problems
• Graph Classes
• Enumeration
• Subgraphs, Induced Subgraphs, and Minors
• Graph Coloring

Also Related (to Graph Theory, as represented by the subtopic “See also” from the diagram above):

• Related Areas of Mathematics
• Generalizations
• Prominent Graph Theorists
• Algorithms

In order to engage in an information exchange associated with Graph Theory, it is necessary to understand the aforementioned subtopics to conceptualize the context surrounding the class symbol, generally.

Consider the list below in relation to the diagram above on the basis of 3 levels:

• Graph Theory serves as the Class Symbol (Level 1)
• The subset of data points above serve as Instances of Graph Theory (Level 2)
• The subset of data points associated with each instance is a Manifestation of Graph Theory (Level 3)

From broadly identifying Graph Theory as a class (Level 1) to assembling the components associated with it – its subtopics – or, instances and manifestations, the accumulation of each successive data point represents a unit of currency by which actors can trade ideas associated with Graph Theory ranging from:

• Teaching others about graph theory
• Collaborating with one another on the topic of how to tackle problems associated with graph theory
• Challenging commonly held beliefs, or assumptions, associated with the topic

Conceptualizing Digital Knowledge Networks

By now, we have developed the basis by which we can conceptualize how subsets of information serve as units of information that embody class symbols that have the potential to exist as units of exchange between actors in a system.

The primary distinction between the current age and all other points in time derives from an altercation by which information is sent and received. A larger set of data is available for any individual (who has access to the internet) to explore and accumulate. Actors, in the absence of mediators and institutions, have the ability to absorb, synthesize, and share information, contributing to virtually any discourse hosted via the internet.

Here, we can observe the construction of distributed networks and, more specifically, examine the distinction between young and mature knowledge networks.

Design

I’d quickly assembled a database and script parsing xml of four websites; two of my friends (Chris Chang and Kingston Hon) as well as two more mature website (Paul Graham and Aaron Schwartz). These diagrams serve as visualizations by which we can observe the information that they have shared with the internet: potential units of currency enabling each to connect and transact with any other node on the internet network.

Infantile Knowledge Networks

Below represent the site structures for kingstonhon.wordpress.com and chrisckchang.com

Diagrams: Visualizations of Infantile Blog Structures

In accordance with each site structure, both are laid out quite simply: domain.com/article. Each site pushes articles every few months, and have been accessible for less than 2 years each.

Mature Knowledge Networks

Next, we examine mature knowledge networks, those of Paul Graham and Aaron Schwartz. Each have been online for a greater number of years and are comprised of a greater number of posts.

Diagram: Visualization of Mature Blog Structure, paulgraham.com

Unlike Chris and Kingston’s blog structures, Paul Graham organizes his website on the basis of deeper categorization:

• Essays
• H&P
• Books
• YC
• School
• Arc
• Lisp
• etc.

Above, we examine but one subset of his blog: paulgraham.com/articles. Here, we can easily observe that he has pushed a significantly greater number of posts to the internet than Chris and Kingston – a higher volume of currency to transact and transmit ideas.

Diagram: Visualization of Mature Blog Structure, aaronsw.com

Aaron Shwartz arranges his blog through three sub topics:

Aaronsw.com/

• Quote Blog
• Web Blog
• Technical articles

Here, we can observe the frequency by which Aaron Schwartz pushes information to the internet; from greatest frequency to least: Web Log Posts, Technical Articles, Quote Pages.

A Micro Analysis on Allocation of Time

The website visualizations above represent the digital constructions of time invested in by each individual. Each individual manifests a synthesis of ideas which they share to participate in a cultural environment.

In an effort to further articulate the relationship between time and knowledge networks, I embarked on a project by which I logged each point of information I absorbed for a period of two months. The following project demonstrates how an individual can allocate his / her consumption of time to accumulate data points associated with classes of ideas which enable him / her to transact these points of information with others within a cultural environment.

Breadth and Depth: Input Volume by Subject Type

Diagram: Time Series Analysis of Volume of Information Logged Within My Personal Database Over a 2 Month Period

For the select period, we can track the interest by which I pursued a broad array of subjects and topics ranging from macroeconomic themes, exercise, specific equities, and specific investment themes (beef, consumer retail). Notably, this module enables me to observe which themes I explored with great depth in comparison to others which sparked my interest yet failed to follow up on.

This module enables me to accurately track where my attention is allocated over periods of time.

 

Applied Databasing: Sourcing Recommendations and Building Efficient Recall Methods

At the end of April, 2015, I’d requested help from my network of friends, shooting off the following email:

Friends – I’m working on a little project and would appreciate your help.

Could you send me a list of your favorite items within the following categories? Don’t need to list for all 3 (but can if you want). 1 is more than enough.

• Books
• Movies
• Music (Artists)

I’ll send over the output once completed so you can see where your contribution stands. Your help is much appreciated.

I yielded the following results:

The above graph represents the entire field of results I harvested from my query. The purpose of the exercise; however, was to construct my database such that I could effectively recall information on the basis of the following criteria:

• Popularity (frequency)
• Alphabetical order
• Date Logged

I’d successfully assembled my database to handle the aforementioned criteria. The results of the survey were as follows:

Diagram: Most Popular Artists

Diagram: Most Popular Movies

Diagram: Most Popular Books

As we can see above, while my data is not statistically representative of the tastes and preferences of my generation (which would be impossible to deduce from a < 30 person population sample), the exercise did challenge me to design my database with an application in mind.

Reflection: Allocation of Time Over Two Month Period (captured in database)

At the end of my two month period, the top subjects in my database comprised of the following topics:

Diagram: Snapshot of Composition of Top Datapoints as of June 2015

The above graph serves as a brief overview of where most of my time was directed at a specific point in time. However, it is necessary to observe my database from a higher perspective as other modes of exploration don’t require high volumes of data.

Diagram: Overview of Topics Captured in Database as of June 2015 and Sample User Interface

Diagram: Graphical Representation of Topics Captured in Database as of June 2015

At the conclusion of the two month observation period, I’d focused most of my time following macroeconomic events while paying special heed to individual equities. At this point in time, I’d developed a thesis on low oil prices and constructed valuation analyses on companies hit hard by the oil pricing environment. I also studied macroeconomic events to understand its effects on consumer spending (notably, Harley Davidson (HOG)) as well as the effects of high cattle prices as a result of the California drought on tertiary industries (poultry, namely: Sanderson Farms (SAFM)). During this time, I developed significant positions in the aforementioned equities. Additionally, I diligently followed my exercise routine (logging the distances I’d run and times I’d run those distances in), as well as embarking on an additional extracurricular project within a project: sourcing movie, music, and book recommendations from my network of friends and redesigning my personal database to efficiently sort and recall these points of information.

Additional points of interest over the two month period include:

• Nutrition
• Aggregating Notable Finance Blogs to Bookmark
• A study on Capital Allocation Methods

Information Transmission and Transaction: Leveraging Digital Networks to Manifest the Currency of Time

The study above represents an observation of how time is spent and over what range of topics information is accumulated. In my view, I like to consider that individuals exist as nodes in space (Level 1; recall from illustration of Graph Theory above) that allocate their time investing in a breadth of subjects / hobbies / ideas (Level 2) within their cultural environments by which they develop depths of information (Level 3) which enables them to transact these points of data with one another to teach / collaborate / challenge one another.

The world today looks like a series of nodes in space by which individuals can harvest data points from a virtually limitless web of associations. This generation is defined by high degrees of access to information. Individuals readily and ably share information while associations with institutions or proximity to physical social networks play less a role in impeding an individual from accumulating relevant data points associated with specific topics.

These network graphs serve as reminders of our investments in time: with what breadth and what degree of depth is information being harvested? Is time being optimized to address physical inputs which address individual resource requirements? To what facets of cultural environments are individuals learning from or contributing to?

Affecting Reality

As such, individuals with the greatest depth of information associated with a specific topic or class of ideas has the greatest propensity to navigate and shape a reality. Understanding the inputs that comprise of the whole class, individuals with a high degree of understanding of the inputs which control units within a system and how these units interact with one another in simultaneous processes has the greatest ability to shape prototypes of ideas. The enfoldment of the explicate order (data points harvested from the unfolded abstraction of reality, also known as the implicate order) enable an individual to affect systems to the highest degree.

Up Next

So far, we’ve studied:

• Structures of Physical Systems
• Structures of Cultural Environments
• Framework of Time as Currency for Transacting

Next, we’ll discuss the motivations associated with why people choose to accumulate different units of currency as well as the neurological and psychological processes which affect these systems.

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[1] The class / instance framework is borrowed from Douglas Hofstadter and his Prototype Principle through which he notes: specific events have a vividness which imprints them so strongly on the memory that they can later be used as models for other events which are like them in some way. Thus in each specific event, there is the germ of a whole class of similar events […] (through which) unconsciously, (people) rely on a host of presuppositions about (events) […] that trigger relations with other class symbols. 

See page 352 of Hofstadtr’s Godel, Escher, Bach for detail

I had a conversation with a friend the other day. “I can hardly get my head around consumer branding.” He replied: what do you mean? “Consumer branding is the essence of societal manipulation. Consider GAP, for instance. Their three most recognized brands are Old Navy, Gap Stores, and Banana Republic. In ascending order, each ‘brand’ distinguishes itself from the other by way of its luxury appeal. At the end of the day, their items are manufactured at the same plant, packaged in the same facilities, and delivered in the same trucks. It’s quite entertaining to contemplate the extent by which these corporations define want, need, and societal status. It seems like a large responsibility to me: to develop a notion of desire.”

I frequent a coffee and bagel shop that never fails to lure my attention when I’m in the mood for a nice, warm cup of coffee: Noah’s Bagels. My go-to “neighborhood” blend at Noah’s is the vanilla hazelnut drip coffee.  Since I’d moved to San Francisco, I’d taken interest in this particular blend as it’d been vaguely reminiscent of another blend I’d frequent during undergrad at a very similar bagelshop: Einstein’s. For over a year, I’d marveled at the parallels between Einstein’s and Noah’s: the variety in coffee, breakfast selection, and marketing design. I pondered: did Einstein’s own Noah’s? Did Noah’s own Einstein’s? Following a cursory search, I discovered that Einstein’s acquired Noah’s New York Bagels in 1995, and following bankruptcy in 2000, the two were acquired by New World Coffee. The consolidated entity traded on the NASDAQ using the ticker “BAGL” until 2014, when it was taken private by JAB Holding Comapny for $374mm. JAB controls a majority stake in Peet’s Coffee & Tea as well as the Caribou Coffee Comapny and D.E. Master Blenders.

The JAB Holding Company profits from efficient allocation of capital, corporate expansion, and marketing efficiency. Not only that, JAB is the beholder of the breakfast experience. I’m lured to the shop precisely because of the parallels I draw upon the aroma and taste I associate with their coffee: I’m reminded of the wonders of discovery and exploration I’d pondered when I was still in school.

I spent 630 days in undergrad (this figure excludes vacation time, etc). It’d be impossible to recount each and every day. There’s a simple explanation for this.  From an evolutionary perspective, very exciting (ie – painful, happy, etc) events are vividly recounted and remembered to communicate with our brains the significance of a specific event to enable an individual to recount the context surrounding an event to recall the appropriate actions in response to an event in the future. Our sensory responses react to stimulus (hot stoves, arousal, cold weather) in order to input in our “internal” databases the best means by which to optimize survival (put simply – Avoiding action A to avoid result X; or conversely, to repeat Action B to attain result Y). Similarly, different regions of our brain are activated when posed with tasks we’ve repeated numerous vs. new challenges. When an individual does something familiar, the basal ganglia fires a sequence of commands without much conscientious thought. Alternatively, when posed with decision making that requires a solution to a problem, the prefrontal neocortex is activated – the region of the brain which controls logic and rational thinking. This is how habits are formed. When an action is consistently activated, the basal ganglia begins to generate a known pattern and suppresses alternatives. As a result, the prefrontal cortex is left to contemplate other matters. This is why famous business people like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are acclaimed for limiting choice in their lives: it enables them to address larger, more pressing problems, or, as Rob Rhinehart once put it “the automation of basic tasks frees the mind to focus on higher arts.”

At its root, every species has a single objective which is grounded in survival. Studies have demonstrated that in the modern era, human society has developed with such rapid velocity that the environment in which our brains evolved are mismatched with the current environments we exist in. As a result, humans are easily manipulated to form addictions to sweets (which formally signaled the presence of complex carbohydrates mostly found in fruits), fats (which formally signaled the presence of nutrient dense lipids + proteins), pornography (which takes advantage of our reproductive instincts), or TV (which replicate social interaction). These “rewards” are much more commonly found and exploited as a result of technological innovation. As a species, these stimulus are exacerbated and exploited (mostly at the hand of consumer capitalism; eg – McDonald’s, Brazzers). Consider the following: have you ever wondered why television sitcoms and movies cut from shot to shot with such a high level of frequency? The reason for this is that humans are conditioned to notice swift and abrupt actions (which formerly presented risks in our evolutionary environments). It is difficult for one to sustain focus during long, dreary, drawn out scenes. In the present day (at least for those in most developed countries), survival, for the most part, is a given. Life becomes routine and mundane, and it becomes difficult to develop an idea of “significance.”

We’ve discussed the meaning of “significance” on a physiological basis – novel experiences trigger a dopamine response in reaction to a violation of expectation; or, put simply – the mismatch between reality and one’s perception of reality. Recall: when an individual travels down a familiar route, the basil ganglia fires an exact sequence of commands without consciously having to think about it; alternatively, an unfamiliar route activates the prefrontal cortex enabling us to consider several operations: (should we turn left or right? Which street will have the most traffic?). We are armed with memory consolidation to recall the context surrounding puzzling activities to learn how to react in the future. As a result, memories are most vivid when our expectations of reality are violated. This, in turn, has given rise to new (or not so new) subcultures in the modern era (think foodie culture: which enables individuals to experience otherwise “untraditional foods”; the deep house movement: which celebrates the freedom of movement and complexity of rhythmic design; or the desire to seek thrills: skydiving, bunjee jumping). Because these outlets enable individuals to break from the drear of daily dispositions, individuals enable themselves to participate in novel experiences, which become significant to memory, and enable a semblance of significance.

It is important to consider that memory is malleable. We recall “significant” events in our lives because these events (on a rudimentary basis) equip us with the tools for survival. We remember the context surrounding these events because our memories have consolidated the details such that we understand what actions to repeat or avoid in the pursuit of an anticipated outcome. For instance, the significance of vanilla hazelnut coffee ignites a semblance of enthusiasm associated with the prospect of wander and discovery, enabling me to control my mood; and more often than not, improving it. This memory came as a result of the activation of my five senses both during the times these developmental memories were formed, and at the time of recollection: the taste (of vanilla hazelnut coffee), the touch (of the warm cup as my hands envelop the drink), the smell (of freshly ground, smoothly roasted coffee beans), the sight (of familiar deep oak liquid), and sounds (of busy people coming to and fro Noah’s – or Einstein’s – Bagels). My expectation of reality: that a cup of vanilla hazelnut coffee will make me happy, is confirmed, whenever I take the first sip and am “brought back” to those days in undergrad which I associate with those memories. Memories, and expectations, I have personally crafted.

While it may be difficult to develop a construction of significance in the modern era (where people in most developed countries need not try very hard to guarantee survival), understanding the physiological basis associated with human reactions to external stimulus enable one to understand with greater depth the motivation associated with particular wants or desires.

I stumbled across the GNU/Linux Distribution Timeline when I was reading about forking. I’ve considered the importance of transparency of communication for some time now and have identified that a primary attribute of the internet which underscores its value is that it enables people to evaluate and criticize the legitimacy of thoughts/ideas/projects in order to identify weaknesses in thought construction in order to foster the progression of stronger arguments/theses/final products. That information is (virtually) available to any individual, it is possible to learn concepts quickly and work off other projects, such as where people left off.

David Wheeler outlined the four possible outcomes of a fork:

1. The death of the fork. This is by far the most common case. It is easy to declare a fork, but considerable effort to continue independent development and support.
2. A re-merging of the fork (e.g., egcs becoming “blessed” as the new version of gcc.)
3. The death of the original (e.g. the X.Org Server succeeding and XFree86 dying.)
4. Successful branching, typically with differentiation (e.g., OpenBSD and NetBSD.)

Forking is an interesting framework by which to consider the trajectory of thought processes as well as the trajectory of human relationships, their value, and consequences of investments in different networks. When we consider the distribution of GNU/Linux, individuals developed technology that were beneficial for variable amounts of time allowing new technology to branch from it. When we think of the value of the accumulation of human knowledge, it works in much the same way. Each individual learns and specializes, building upon the effort and achievement of others, utilizing intelligence and charisma to propel the advancements of values/ideas. The velocity of these ideas advance only to the extent that the background behind these ideas are transparent. The internet is a great tool through which to organize one’s intellectual real estate – it allows individuals to analyze and criticize another’s ideas and framework for thinking, enabling a quicker progression of thoughts/ideas/projects.

To digress (slightly), it is possible for one to ask oneself the value of maximizing utility, and the relevance of identifying and constructing terminal values; to what ends are we working? Why are we working? To maximize utility and efficiency can be dangerous or subservise if one does not define end goals (an interesting read related to this concept is one of paperclip maximization; also related, is a quote by Paul Graham shared here).

Elaborating on the concept of open source distribution timelines; a thought can be made clear: the cumulative sum of human effort enables the effort of individuals in the future to advance further. A quick end I have identified, at least for myself, is that my life is not, and has never been, hard. However, it is for many people in the world. The collective sum of efforts for the privileged can beneficially impact the lives of those who are less fortunate (fortune being defined as the ability to sustain food, clothing, and shelter for oneself or for those dependent on oneself).

From mid 2005 onward, children, teens, and adults have been privileged the experience of social media. The means by which people consume media has rapidly evolved. Unlike times past, the consumer is faced with relatively unhindered choice of consumption not relegated to the discretion of media moguls or out of touch network executives who (in my opinion) are motivated by profit first and foremost. While this is not a poor motivation, the primary drawback associated with this pursuit lies in the necessity of pleasing the lowest common denominator of consumers. This is a problem because the easiest means by which to achieve this goal presupposes that one must offend, or alternatively, please, the greatest number of people. This complicates the development of depth of reasoning because in order to achieve the aforementioned, it is necessary for one to only assemble media devoid of intellectual depth, thematic nuance, and critical thought, inevitably depreciating the quality of content assembled for the viewer. Therefore, a balance exists between reaching a targeted, sometimes provocative audience, or constructing information that is accessible and digestible for the greatest number of people.

With the introduction of social media, the barriers to achieving access to content creation is relatively null when compared to periods past. The democratization of internet content has, and continues to, shape this generation, society, and civilization in its entirety. Today exists the prevalence of instantaneous network connection with anyone, anywhere, all the time. We define media consumption littered through timelines (Facebook), news feeds (Twitter), albums (Instagram), and search engines (Google). Technological innovation has re-shaped the structure of society, and these changes have given rise to various opinions of the current generation (Generation Y, or the Millennial generation)s sometimes resonating with condescending, dramatic themes outlining its inability, selfishness, or lack of focus.

The primary focus of shared media lies in sharing experience. The means by which we do so today is convenient, but not necessarily conducive to elaborating upon the nuances, tones, or underlyings of a specific experience. Sharing, liking, and posting take little thought by which to express an idea. These ideas are muted and diluted, sometimes only quantified in value by share calculations or number of re-posts. It is a beautiful thing to share experience, and social media is an excellent means by which to do so.

(pause)

This post has been in query for a while, about three weeks now, as of today. I left off with:

(resume)

“A perspective on the prevalence of social media derives from the effect of internet addiction on our daily lives, and how these …”

I had planned to draw out the derivative of our social media obsessions by explaining the the biological processes that influence us. I’d begin by elaborating upon my pedestrian understanding of neurological processes – serotonin response, neural pathways, addiction, happiness, desensitization, so on and so forth.

I’d stopped mid-thesis after stumbling upon a photo of an old friend. The photo passed nonchalantly by as I (yes, am guilty to admit), caught myself mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook news feed. The photo passed, I continued to scroll, slowly migrated from the trackpad to the keyboard with a quick CTRL + UP, and reoriented my focus on the few lines I typed just moments before. It is a beautiful thing to share experience, and social media is an excellent means by which to do so.

At that point in time, I realized that I had to reconsider my primary assertions. How could I justify that the maximum potential behind capturing a moment consists of capturing the essence of the moment, almost always – candidly? I took a break and challenged myself to synthesize the two ideas. It occured to me that a photo could be just as powerful, regardless of the formality of the photo (the nature of the subject positioning or illustration of landscape ambience).

I realized that ultimately, I wasn’t writing about the nature behind constructing a powerful photograph. It wasn’t about capturing a photo designed to spur the emotions of audiences that fall within the bounds of the lowest common denominator. I came to a mode of self-realization. I found myself trying to make sense of the passage of time and the evolution of the cumulative relationships that define my present self.

The photo of my old friend reminded me of the past and our experiences with one another. It was a photo of an old friend at the present time, a period of time detached from the reminiscent past.

I come to this point in my essay reaffirming an old but important theme – time is a precious resource, the most important factor ruling each aspect of our lives.

Generation (x-1: parents; x-2: grandparents, etc) scorns ours, contemplating that our lack of dedication, persistence, and short-attention spans are functions of information-overload. I will agree to an extent. Logging in to Facebook the moment one fires up his/her laptop is not healthy, nor is mindlessly scrolling through a digital assortment of photos and filters. Our state of existence is defined by push of a button accessibility.

Perhaps these tools represent a truism: expression in the past was limited to availability of resources, and skill. In the 1920’s, literacy was nowhere as common as today. In the 1930’s, the average person didn’t have access to photography like one does today. In the 1940’s, people did not have the luxury of sharing stories over the phone because of a simple expense. Even in the 1990’s, widespread information broadcasting was limited to those who had access to televesion networks, which is primarily a function of monetary resources.

Today, people have the ability to capture, create, and share ideas, feelings, and moments in time as a means of expression, enabled by easy access to the tools that are available to the masses (think Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat). Sure – it can exist as a societal detriment – the prospect of merging the digital world with the physical; however, it is not difficult to argue that it has done more good than harm to our society.

As a result of these criticisms of our generation, social phenomena have materialized in an effort to challenge the negative perspectives on our generation. Some refuse to touch their cell phones during social gatherings, others utilize applications that limit time spent on specific sites, while a select few depart from the digital world of sharing almost entirely. This signals a consciousness of a rapidly evolving world altering the face of a generation.

These realizations underscore the value of time. It enables one to identify personal intentions – “do I want to go on this hike because I look forward to the physical benefits of climbing 5 miles up the side of a mountain and the visceral ecstacy that will ensue as I overlook the valley below?” or.. “am I doing this to post to Facebook to seem urban and trendy?”

The value of a photo, to me, is synonymous to the function of an hourglass. At the beginning of time, few grains of sand line the bottom of the hourglass. Over time, the grains accumulate, substantiated by slow but deliberate additions of other grains over periods of time. Eventually, the bottom of the hourglass is full and bottom heavy – the converse of the beginning of time.

Each grain is symbolic of accumulative experience. The passage of grains through an hourglass is an elegant sight, reaffirmed by an air of certainty and deliberation. Similarly – each relationship shared with another person is similar to the function of an hourglass. During specific periods of time, the hourglass drops grains of sand steadily and surely. However, the accumulation of these sands is dependent upon an external force – an individual’s decision to contribute to the energy that forces the sands to fall. Each grain, on its own, means little. The spectacle exists in the falling of sand, and the cumulative nature of its current presence.

The significance of human relationships does not derive from capturing people as they once were or where they were left behind. The significance of each relationship is defined by a simple understanding of how accumulative experience contributes to the present.