Rabbit Holes Aren’t The Problem

Not being intentional about them is

a man goes down a rabbit hole into the heart of an industrial landfill — by DALL·E

Never before have we gone down so many rabbit holes so often. Most of us have access to most information, which means the most innocuous search or the least dangerous piqued interest might evolve into hours of unintended content consumption. Being aware of the peril allows us to try and do damage control. Yet, I often find myself looking for a word in the dictionary, my attention diverted by the irresistible allure of etymology. Having taken the bait, I check other terms until one points at a particular part of the world I am unfamiliar with, which further propels me into reading a couple of Wikipedia articles. If lucky, I stop myself short of watching my second YouTube video on the subject.

Honestly, I wouldn’t trade any of this access and potential for digital wandering and aimless idleness for anything in the world. I am conscious of the unprecedented opportunity we have. I know how much anyone born in a different century would have wanted to experience our reality if only they could have imagined it. Denying or complaining about the state of things or the progress of our species is collectively futile and individually detrimental. Instead, we must be intentional about the rabbit holes we decide to descend into.