How Can Digital Technology Help Us Create a Revolution of Consciousness?
Interview about my book ‘Life Beyond the Touch Screen’
Pretty cool: I got interviewed about my latest book ‘Life Beyond the Touch Screen’ by Anneloes from yoursouldier.com. It’s odd being interviewed about your own stuff. But when it’s done right, it helps you understand your own thoughts better.
‘Your Souldier’, based in Amsterdam is “Always on the lookout to inspire you and your conscious lifestyle”. The mission of Yoursouldier is stated as follows:
Getting to know the story behind (sustainable) brands & initiatives that were created to make this planet a better place. Sharing stories of people who make a difference. Showing inspiring talks that make us realize things are in fact possible. That’s what we aim for: sharing true inspiration for a conscious life(style).
Pretty cool, right? Here’s Anneloes about my book and our interview:
“It’s no wake-up call that many of us spend way to much time on our phone. Social media have taken over and seem to control our lives. We’re longing for (more) likes and want to share whatever it is we do all day. The question is why?
We recently read Life Beyond the Touch Screen by Erwin Lima. Erwin describes his view on smartphone addiction and what we can do to make a conscious choice to achieve our own maximum potential. We were curious about his mission and got to ask Erwin a few interesting questions.”
The questions that Anneloes hit me with were pretty intense. I found them hard to answer, even though they were all about my own book. Here are a few snippets from the interview:
What inspired you to write Life Beyond the Touch Screen?
“In my view, digital technology is like a (Black) mirror of sorts, that is able to show us what we’re actually spending our time, focus, and energy on — as compared to what we think our Purpose, values and beliefs are.
Our digital technology shows us and multiplies what’s already there, working under the surface. In our individual lives, in groups and organizations, and in society at large.
My book is about getting people to understand that function, and to make a conscious choice about the way we want digital technology — or really, anything — to impact our growth and well-being.”
What do you think, besides your book & website, needs to be done to accomplish your mission?
“My mission with this book has been to enable you to make a conscious decision about the way tech impacts your well-being and personal development; your life. My overall mission is to help people become the best and most beautiful version of themselves.
So, what do we need to make these things possible? What we need to do is what you and I are doing right now: to think about these subjects and to talk about them, spreading the message. Raising our own awareness of what’s going on in the world and within ourselves, and hopefully raising the awareness of others.
Next to that, along with people like Tristan Harris and the Center for Humane Technology, Nir Eyal, Yuval Noah Harari; Ocean.AI and a lot of incumbents in the Decentralized (blockchain) ecosystem, or the Weconomics foundation here in the Netherlands — we need to be seriously advocating the cause of designing and implementing tech for the greater good.
Most of all, we need a global cultural shift. Paulo Coelho, the Dalai Lama and others have said something along the lines of:
“We need a revolution of consciousness to go along with the revolution in technology we are currently living through”.
I believe that revolution starts with a revolution in our self-awareness. And that starts with mindful, purposeful and very, very honest self-reflection.”
I had a lot more to share, as you might imagine. If you’re interested, read the entire Yoursouldier interview here:
https://yoursouldier.com/touch-humans-not-screens/
And be sure to check out more great stuff on their website https://yoursouldier.com/
My new book “Life Beyond the Touch Screen” is out now, you can get it here as an e-book or paperback. It’s a meditational booklet designed to increase our consciousness around the impact of digital technology on our lives as individuals, in organizations and society. A reminder to choose. Take back your energy, focus, and time, get your copy now.