A Philosopher's One-Word Theory to Explain Why the World Feels So Weird
This article explores philosopher Agnes Callard’s theory of the 'uni-context,' which suggests that the internet flattens social norms and contexts. It attempts to explain modern phenomena like attention distraction and the homogenization of culture through this lens.
Why it matters
It offers a philosophical framework for understanding how digital connectivity impacts human behavior and societal norms.
Photo by Mike Hindle on Unsplash Here are some questions that I consider self-evidently compelling about the modern world:
Why is the news media so interested in telling you how much the world sucks all the time?
Why are so many of us obsessed with distraction and managing our attention?
Why is it so hard to stop comparing ourselves to others?
And why does everything in art and design seem the same these days?
A week ago, I didn’t think these questions were related. I’m not sure I would have told you I had a good answer to most of them. And I certainly wouldn’t have made the audacious and borderline bonkers claim that one single theory could begin to explain all of them, at once.
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