Technology has always shaped the way we think and communicate. But if we continue to let our technology drive us, I fear that we will eventually lose everything that makes us human. Because in the end, we are defined, not just by what we talk about or occupy our minds with, but by how we speak and communicate. Our ancestors had stone tablets, papyrus, and parchment derived from sheepskin. Today, we have "smart" phones and the internet. Now, we are the sheep, and we let the machines write on us. Are we really okay with our history being written by ChatGPT?

And the worst part of it all is that the younger generations who are being raised in this modern, AI-first, "we want it all and we want it now" world, aren't being taught reading, writing and arithmetic. They're being taught scrolling, vlogging, and algorithmic. Morals and values are manufactured and used for "content" and "clout." And the thing that breaks my heart the most is that kids today learn about the world and themselves from Mr. Beast, instead of Dr. Seuss. These children are the ones who will one day inherit the world, and if we let them be now, with their tablets and iPhones and avatars, what's gonna become of the world?

It's all entertainment. "It's just a prank, bro..."

Twenty or thirty years ago, it was all fine, when this was all brand new. But the reality is that phones, the internet and social media are now commonplace—they're a part of our everyday lives. So, we should be more responsible, more careful, and intentional in how we use them—and especially, in how we teach our children to use them.

I am M. Jack Ferdinand and I started this project because I want to advocate for purposeful consumption and creation. I want to preserve morals and good values, language and eloquence, and the memory of all those beautiful things that used to exist in the world—like coffee shop dates, hours-long telephone calls with the one you love, phone booths, walking in the park, hot cocoa, and FM radio. All the grit, dirt, and tears in between.

Because if the internet will be around for hundreds of years, then I might as well leave good things behind. But above all, I want to inspire a way of being in the world without being completely dependent on technology. This is not a rejection of tech and innovation, but a reminder that our tools should enhance and elevate what is already there, not erase and replace them completely.

I see myself in this as simply a messenger, a scribe. And this undertaking is already my "big act."

The next one is entirely yours.

Scroll free or join the rebellion—the renaissance.

Be the hand that holds the spoon, as I like to say.

deep&;

deep&;—a stylized shorthand for deprivation & anticipation—a phrase I first wrote years ago as part of a larger collection of essays on my experiences in love & drugs. Now, it describes something deeper and more dire: the tension of modern digital life.

By M. Jack Ferdinand

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But it is this kind of groupthink that has made the real, valuable things scarce. People can't seem to remember that all the good things in life take time to realize.

And it is their complete reliance on technology and daily use of social media that is ruining their perception of time and value—which is what breeds a dangerous kind of entitlement.

If we let things continue in this course, there may come a time when we may never be able to tell apart real from manufactured.

We must pause, slow down, and reflect. We already have more than we will ever need. Almost anything is easily attainable—and in order for that to become a good thing, we must first learn to use things carefully and with the right intentions.

People need to learn that when they take the utility out of things, the rest is just unnecessary dressing.

In the ancient sentiment of Seneca, "life is long, if you know how to use it."

And I say, life is not short. But your attention span most probably is.

In this debut episode of The Guided Collapse, M. Jack Ferdinand discusses how the internet and modern technology are changing the world—influencing language and expression, and our ability to connect with people and real, human moments.

But more importantly, how AI and social media are damaging the youth and stealing away their childhood—and how this directly affects our future.

This is not simply a podcast, but a journal, an act of preservation—of the things that make us human, or those that once defined our reason for being.

And finally, it is also a call to action, for people to deeply inspect themselves and reflect on how they interact with their devices and how they use the internet.

This is where it begins. This is where we get to make things right.

Will you heed the call, or will you continue scrolling away into oblivion?