On Mental Clarity
It has been over a month since I last posted on this blog, and while I haven’t stopped writing, lately I haven’t had a clear vision for a proper essay. Life got busy and I found myself coasting through the days on a monotonous routine, punctuated by occasional surprises like a Christmas-themed writing session with my creative writing group. Everything is within my control, except for that one time I was stuck in a traffic jam and my car’s exhaust suddenly emitted white smoke, and that other time I felt inadequate due to my unfamiliarity with something. But I digress.
Recently, I have caught myself scrolling on my phone or computer more often during my free time. Like any other person in our digital age, scrolling on a personal device for content has become a pastime to distract myself from moments of stillness. My brain craves novelty, yet I can’t commit the time to consume long-form content these days. I haven’t watched a movie in years and my watching habits have been relegated to video essays and whatever webseries happens to capture my interest.
As Louis Zhao explained in his recent video essay, The Rise of China’s Micro Dramas: The Death of Attention Span?, micro dramas — a new type of short-form drama that spans multiple short episodes — are called, among other derogatory names, “electronic pickled vegetables” and “digital fast foods” by Chinese internet users. He went on to elaborate on the food analogy of intentionally making time for focused activities akin to sitting down to eat a meal, versus mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds akin to snacking on junk food throughout the day. Eating a well-prepared meal nourishes us and provides us with vital nutrients to thrive, while eating junk food merely satiates our hunger momentarily with empty calories. I definitely feel more fulfilled after reading a good book than reading some random Reddit post.
Our current media landscape runs on passive consumption, where we only partially engage with whatever is playing on the screen in front of us. Some people don’t even pay attention to what they are consuming, to the point that Netflix produces shows that are explicitly second screen content. These shows are meant to be played on a TV or monitor in the background while the viewer scrolls on their phones. I can only imagine that these shows are either exacerbating the decline of our attention spans or catering to our already fragmented attention.
A distracted mind is one without mental clarity. It is too busy being spoonfed novelty in small doses, just enough to keep it hooked, but not enough to make it truly satisfied. It is constantly wandering, stimulated by flashing lights and vaguely interesting subject matter. I admit that I indulge in mindless content now and then, but I try to avoid content that brings no value to me such as obvious clickbait or ragebait content.
In my daily life, my mind is constantly thinking about something. I have problems with overstimulation, especially when I am trying to process large amounts of visual and audio information. That is why I tend to avoid crowded and noisy places. I find solace in being alone in a quiet room, where I can enjoy my solitary hobbies of playing videogames, reading, writing and computer programming in peace. When I feel introspective and wish to explore my thoughts in a healthy way, I often turn to writing. I find that I get the most mental clarity by processing my thoughts and articulating them precisely through words on the page. My writing is at its best when I sit down with a focused mind and let the words flow out naturally.
Perhaps mental clarity requires brutal honesty, unhindered by cognitive biases and self-deception. It requires us to examine ourselves and the world around us without a filter. Far too often we are swayed by the worldly ideologies society puts on us. It is only when we look past the groupthink that we can see everything clearly. To me, mental clarity is like piloting an airplane as it breaks through a thick layer of clouds: our view is no longer obstructed by uncertainty and confusion, but we suddenly find ourselves alone in this brave new world. The moment of epiphany is breathtaking and lonely at the same time.
As I face another busy week ahead, perhaps I should be more mindful of everything around me. In an increasingly distracted world, our attention is scarcer than ever. I do not wish to allow this moment of mental clarity to go to waste. Maybe it’s time for me to take stock, look at the road ahead of me, and set course for what lies beyond the horizon.
Whatever challenges lie ahead of you, I wish you the best of luck for the coming year. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!