Tech Capture: Staying Sovereign
Staying sovereign inside a machine designed to take it without us noticing
We’ve got a list for you.
However, if you haven’t practiced capturing your own attention in the middle of a reflexive act, the list may sound good and still not be something you can stick to. That’s normal. None of us can just decide to stop doing something designed to operate beneath our conscious awareness. Our intentions and willpower won’t have an effect. The intervention is aimed at the wrong layer of the problem.
What has to change is the state we’re operating from, and the capacity to observe ourselves with a bit of distance from our ego narrative.
That’s the work of Adeptable Mind Coaching: brainwave training, with or without EEG, paired with Inner Witness work. Once you have that, the list below becomes something you can actually use.
If you find them difficult to sustain, that’s to be expected. It’s the reason I’m here.
1. Check the source Updated · Oct 23
Before sharing something that makes you furious, or tugs at your heart, check who’s behind the page. Here’s how to check a page in two minutes →
If a post requires your email to see the truth or sign the petition, that’s lead generation. You’re the product being assembled.
2. Check your body Updated · Oct 18
Any time you feel a sudden surge of anger, fear, or anxiety while scrolling, stop. Your nervous system has likely just been hijacked. Step back and get some distance.
If you feel the urge to repost a story right away, that’s a red flag. In that state, your impulses are doing the posting. So hold off. Take a break from the feed, and if you still want to pass it on later, first look up what reputable sources say about it, or wait until more than one has reported it.
The pleasant rushes count too. If a story makes you feel vindicated, slow down. The more you want it to be true, the more carefully you need to check that it is.
3. Build in obstacles to stop the reflex
- No phones on the nightstand.
- No screens in the first thirty minutes after waking.
- Set app timers in your phone settings.
- Greyscale your screen.
- Limit commenting, which is where the loop tightens fastest.
- Batch your notifications instead of taking them one by one. A randomized trial showed it improves wellbeing.
And decide why you’re opening something before you open it.
This is coaching, not therapy. I don’t diagnose or treat. This work is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.