[One Thousand Characters a Day] Books on the Way to Work <4> - To You Trapped in Mannerism

Editor's NoteKaKaoTalk messenger, Naver news window, YouTube algorithms, Google search bar, Instagram feed, the noise of text messages... When living social lives or using them for work, the functions of mobile phone apps inevitably blur the line between public and private. Therefore, it is not easy to turn them off after work or on holidays. Clicking, swiping screens, uploading photos and messages, sharing, and pressing 'like' repeatedly, meanwhile being enticed by advertisements, often leads to unnecessary payments. Author Gu Chae-eun, who wrote ＜Books Going to Work＞, reflects on Dr. Temkin in Sol Bello's novel ＜Catch Today＞ and the materialistic society that forms its backdrop, noting that Wilhelm's inability to escape it resembles modern people addicted to Instagram and YouTube. Rather than wasting non-working time in hallucination and addiction, she aims to have inner strength and firmness to protect oneself. Word count: 856.

Adam Alter says that the addictive psychology of continuously refreshing feeds to get 'likes' on SNS is exactly the same as the repetitive behavior in psychologist Michael Ziller's 1971 'pigeon experiment.' In that experiment, pigeons did not receive food every time they pecked a button, but when irregular rewards (random food delivery) were given, they pecked the button more enthusiastically. Intermittent and irregular feedback, randomly given rewards. This response is no different from the 'variable ratio reinforcement' in learning psychology, which causes strong behavioral addiction.

We think about the face of something that gnaws at and destroys our souls. It may not necessarily be human. It could be the system itself. Some form that combines and blends all vices and temptations, like Dr. Temkin's sweet voice. We contemplate the identity of the system.

Something that sometimes pretends to soothe mistakes, errors, failures, and stains, but only stimulates vanity and desire, leading us to addiction and eventually causing us to make mistakes. Something that, like a drizzle soaking clothes, stealthily destroys and corrodes us. Such things may be ready everywhere to engulf us.

Today again, after work, I try to turn off my phone first. To stop seeing various home shopping apps and Instagram feed ads. The moment I turn it on, they will buzz noisily and speak to me with honeyed words like Dr. Temkin. The noise is really loud, but if you listen, it drains your spirit. It lifts you up and puts you down, and if you don't stay alert, it feels like it will cut your nose off in no time.

I take a deep breath. I cover my ears and press the power button. OFF. The screen covered with apps disappears. The breath of voices of schemes and tricks is cut off. Now it is quiet. Today, I protected myself.

- Gu Chae-eun, ＜Books Going to Work＞, Pajit, 16,800 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.