Beneficial Dead Time – E110: Seminar in Composition

In my essay, I wrote about Jenny Odell’s connection to Franco Berardi in his book After the Future. I found that Odell offers a solution to the problems Berardi suggests, such that the “future” has in fact passed and there is no more relevance to this term. One way in which to stop worrying about the future and live in the present, is to do as Jenny Odell suggests and “do nothing.” My project and goal were to bring these two points together and draw the connection between these authors and books, in order to offer some sort of solution to the reader. I include discussions of beneficial dead time, algorithms in society, and the need to live in the present in order to help clarify and expand my essay.

In my essay I explain, “Later in the book, Berardi claims that ‘This is why the future has lost its zest and people have lost all trust in it: the future no longer appears as a choice or a collective conscious action, but it is a kind of unavoidable catastrophe that we cannot oppose in any way’ (Berardi 126). Odell continuously suggests ways in which one can take back their own actions. Through doing nothing and partaking in beneficial dead time, we are able to uncover our true self, and uncover the creative collective conscious actions that are based upon our true feelings.” I feel as though this quote helps to sum up one of the main points of my essay. Berardi believes there is a need for rejuvenation amongst society, and Odell’s book provides a guide in how to do so. The two books connect very well, and I draw the connection between them in order to enhance it.

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https://medium.com/living-in-the-present-the-connection-between-jenny/living-in-the-present-the-connection-between-jenny-odell-and-franco-berardi-36cee62fdffd

Throughout How to Do Nothing, I found myself grasping onto the relevance and importance of “Doing Nothing” in society today, especially while we are living through a pandemic and these unpredictable times. Therefore, I decided to expand on the idea of what doing nothing means, and how to do so in a different manner than Odell does. More specifically, I discuss the difference between beneficial dead time and negative dead time, and how these can be used to accomplish a state of “doing nothing.” While doing this, I talk about how COVID-19 has caused beneficial dead time to be taken away and returned as negative dead time, and how algorithms are manipulating our minds by playing more of a role in our lives now more than ever.

In order to accomplish this goal, I included a relationship between dead time, algorithms, and Allegory of the Cave. I also included Odell’s ideas to guide my piece and expand off of in order to provide an easier comprehension of my stance. The ideas of Odell I emphasize are what it means to do nothing, as well as her opinions on how to live in the present and preserve what makes us human. Lastly, I provide the reader with personal examples that convey how I came to this realization, and potentially how the reader could too. While discussing a personal example, I state that, “I found myself gaining a better understanding of myself, what I value, and the true importance of life. What I used to refer to as ‘dead-time’ or ‘wasted-time,’ now became my time for growth.” This quote is influential in explaining my stance, and why dead time is so important in today’s society. My writing often talks about the importance in being able to think on our own, without the effects of external social media and opinions.

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https://medium.com/@pshort_22967/using-dead-time-as-an-escape-from-brainwashing-algorithms-934662bbf431

View at Medium.com