Culture and Green Life

     We live in a world that pushes us to socialize with others. But what is the actual goal? Many years ago, socializing with others was knowing our neighbour's name, saying hello to our post officer every morning, knowing that the baker's son had graduated, or that there would be a book club meeting with friends next Friday. Nowadays, being sociable consists of having an account on social networks, uploading photos and posting very often, and achieving as many likes as possible. We have thousands of friends on our social media, but we only see 5% or less of them each year. Is this socialization what the world demands of us? Or is it the corporations that push us to this new way of interacting? We advance more and more in a world that connects us to disconnect us. We can reduce time and space and be connected with people from all over the world more fluidly. But are we really connected with them? Privacy changed; it no longer means keeping things for yourself, but all your inf

       I decided that if I had to disconnect with social media, the internet, and any other digital media, it had to be a holiday without commitments, studies, or daycare. My purpose was to be isolated from them, and I was engaged with that idea. I waited for a holiday. That day started well. I had breakfast with my family without realizing that my phone was mute. I went to the playground with my kid, and that was the first temptation. While he was playing, I felt the necessity of looking at my phone, especially social media. I resisted, but I was utterly bored. By the end of the day, I had achieved my goal. I did not use any digital media at all. However, I did not feel happy or proud; I felt worried about what I had missed during the day. I realized and understood how important social media is in my life. I am not proud of that. The funny thing is that I can control the time that my son can use devices (almost anything as he is young), but I cannot hold mine. Disconnected. Copyright

     The psychologist Sherry Turkle expressed in the TED talk "Connected, but Alone?" that "We turn to technology to help us feel connected in ways we can comfortably control. But we're not so comfortable." Technology has quickly developed in the last few years, and it continues doing. We are so addicted to tech that we do not realize it is consuming us, but it is also isolating us from each other. We believe tech is improving our relationships. We believe tech is connecting us in a more effective way. My question is: Does tech improve our feelings for each other? We cannot touch, look at, smell, and feel one another through cellphones or laptops. We have to reconnect sincerely with each other. Not through a screen, but in person. Virtual hug. Copyright macrovector.

     Marshall McLuhan's theory, "Global Village," is still alive and powerful today. However, the thing is that we do not have to think about it. We consume information from anywhere in the world and at any time of the day (even instantly when it is generated). In addition, we did not realize where it came from or how we could have access to it. Globalization made the world one great community living and sharing information and culture at the same time. Although sometimes we do not behave as such. Global Connection. Copyright rawpixel

     Some days during the week when the weather allows it, after studying I leave my house and go to my happy place in the neighbourhood. It is a bench next to a house that has a lot of birds. I sit down for a while and rest before I go to the Day Care Center to pick up my son. Let´s go together to my happy place:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S5IRKJ14f_b1ORK6Ekuu_9ALfcWUGF0o/view?usp=sharing

      I was born and lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, I have lived in Oaklands in the City of Victoria, Canada, since August. Every day the colours, sounds, and aromas of my new neighbourhood surprise me. In Buenos Aires, the grey of cement, tall buildings, and the sound of horns and engines of cars and buses predominate, but here it is the opposite. Singing birds, different coloured trees, the scent of wet grass from the drizzle, among other things, are what make me fall in love with this neighbourhood a little more every day. I took some pictures of the neighbourhood for a few days, trying to share what I felt. This is my photo essay from Oaklands. I hope you can feel it too.