Is Having Control over your Life a Luxury?

“What’s the point of living if escaping advertisements became impossible?” This quote is from a conversation I had a few months ago. It resonated with me.

5 years ago, controversy arose after adverts were being spotted at beaches in Miami. Rightly met with frustration, it has become increasingly harder to have control over what you consume. The rise of the internet has meant that today’s society now indulges on significantly more information than ever before.

The paradox we have in today’s society is that ‘ownership’ has lost its meaning. On paper, I could have ownership over an iPhone; in reality, I own the rights to it but lack full-control: methods to block advertisements are seen as ‘bugs’ which need to be ‘fixed.’

Trying to live a normal life without a smart phone will bring major barriers: you cannot apply for most jobs, many parking spots require in-app payments and the list goes on. If smart phones are so integral to Western life, why do we have such little control?

Earlier this month, PlayStation initiated this dialogue on ownership when it announced that its physical disk production would stop in 2028. The purpose of a physical CD meant you owned and had control over a copy of the game regardless if you lost your account. It makes me think back to a now-hypocritical tutorial posted by PlayStation just over 13 years ago.

With Durham congregation recently finished, it’s highly likely that London is within the Top 5 destinations these graduates will end up. The media has raised us to romanticise overpriced London flats, working a big-city job just like Bridget Jones and Daniel Cleaver; when it comes to accepting that job offer, is that saying yes what your applied for or compliance with the ‘conventional path?’

Culturally, we’re seeing a shift with the British dream: do the complete opposite. For example, Jeremy Clarkson could have enjoyed a swanky life in London but chose Diddly Squat instead. In her article A Year Ago I Quit London For The Countryside. Was It Worth It?, Katy Thompsett describes exceptionally well why we’re seeing the London to countryside shift.

Realisation of this lack of control came from quarantine, locked in our homes and more reliant on screens than ever before: local supermarkets neared emptiness, home delivery reached extortionate prices and Zoom’s share price neared the moon.

Unsurprisingly, the influencer boom took place during Covid. Individuals like Molly Mae showcasing their near-perfect lives became an escape for many, and an a major opportunity for monopolies to capitalise on. Learning influencer marketing leads to high returns, it’s hard to find a video on social media which doesn’t include a product placement.

After the pandemic, the rise of slow living became popular: think Nara Smith. Moving outside of the city, having control over your food supply and, ironically, having no social media started to trend online. Viewing older technology as ‘healthier,’ wireless headphones and iPods have been seen once again in an idealised light.

@naraazizasmithsoo good! 🫶🏽 #easyrecipe #homecooking #fypツ #momtok #toddlersoftiktok #juice

Tiktok failed to load.

Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser

To conveniently ‘escape’, you have to know a friend who knows a friend. For instance, private members clubs like Soho House preach the philosophy of slow living and control. An advert in one of these places is non-existent, only in the newspapers sitting within the phone booths. It’s unfortunate these places are reserved for the wealthy, nobles and elites of society; however, scarcity breeds luxury.

To end this article, I would argue that it’s pretty clear having total control over our lives is a luxury. You either need the cash to access the resources required or simply be born with it. Although, in today’s society, I highly doubt that vary many of us have control.

Thank you for reading Castle & Cloister. To stay up-to-date, you can subscribe using the button below and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.