Sir, – As ever, Joe Humphreys writes insightfully about “tech addiction” and “the so-called anxiety epidemic of modern times” (“Smartphones are an easy scapegoat for so much more”, Unthinkable, Opinion & Analysis, January 6th). Each generation believes that its problems are unique, but we have always blamed technology for our anxiety.
In 1962, in Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Jung wrote that “reforms by advances, that is, by new methods or gadgets, are of course impressive at first, but in the long run they are dubious and in any case dearly paid for. They by no means increase the contentment or happiness of people on the whole. Mostly, they are deceptive sweetenings of existence, like speedier communications which unpleasantly accelerate the tempo of life and leave us with less time than ever before.” – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN KELLY,
Professor of Psychiatry,
Five days in San Sebastián and Bilbao: Both Basque cities are beautiful but one became my favourite
Irishwoman in El Salvador: I’m 60 and moved halfway around the world. Everything is different
Why has much of Ireland had no sun for 10 days now? The jet stream is to blame
‘Having anxiety was not debilitating.’ Being ashamed of it was
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.
