"The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed but there was no way of shutting it off completely."

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949 

Although this statement was written almost 70 years ago and was a prediction of life in 1984, these words resonate today. Orwell’s invention of an all-seeing and all-knowing screen as an instrument of power and control may seem to be an extreme, but the impact that screens and the digital world is having on society is at least a matter of contention.

These light-transmitting oblongs are the biggest influence on society since the industrial revolution and they are moulding the next generation more than we can ever understand. It will take a few generations to fully comprehend the effect the digital world is having, but being conscious of it now could help to dampen the effect.

With the omnipresence of screens and their ability to see as well as be seen, there is no doubt they are having a deep impact on Western culture. Interactive screens, 3-D projection, and augmented reality are just a few of the ways in which screens are becoming more than just a means of projection. They demand attention and project whatever they want to be seen.

There are many schools of thought on how screens should be used in society. Some are afraid of them and feel their impact could be irreversible, others suggest that embracing the digital world is the only way to go. Time will determine who is correct, but ignoring it could be the most dangerous way to deal with their presence.

We live in the information age and the need for knowledge is widely apparent. This could be a treacherous endeavour. ‘Knowledge is power’ is a well-used phrase and one that has education and freedom as its foundation. However, knowledge can be misleading. When we seek answers to a question, we grab our phones and look to the Internet for answers. The digital world is full of answers, full of facts and knowledge, yet it does not offer or teach the manner in which to use such knowledge.

For a while now knowledge has been the gauge of success, alongside money, and has altered our systems in order to reward it. Schools focus on knowledge, remembering knowledge, and the regurgitation of knowledge, and reward learners who can do this the best. Questioning or understanding is well-received, but not a necessary skill to ‘do well in school.’ This then leads to knowledgeable graduates and the best jobs are given to those with the best results and scores. Therefore, knowledge is power. But as Albert Einstein wisely noted, ‘Any fool can know. The point is to understand.’ Understanding is seen as a luxury—to question is superfluous, after all ‘it is what it is.’ So, the fast retrieval of knowledge has become big business.

The issue with such retrieval is that we are left with a society that has no need to interrogate or challenge. Life is easier if you buy the screens, watch the screens, believe the screens and never ask why. Our systems have supported that theory and the ever-present screens are a tool for that. Let’s not forget that ‘screen’ can also mean ‘to hide and conceal.’

The real question is, however, how do we avoid these machines? They are an integral part of life, or at least that’s what is said. Life without computers, tablets, cell phones, televisions, movie theatres, GPS, and much more would be impossible to imagine, and to some regressive. Technology and digitalization is unavoidable, so maybe the interpretation of them needs to adapt. Perhaps they need to be a reflection of humanity, not a projection of humanity. Society needs to make the screens work for it, not let it dictate society. Screens can be a tool for change, a way in which humanity can display a more close-knit team and stronger family, not as a method to incite hatred and encourage separation.

Humanity has seen several shifts in society and has dealt with them as best as it could, and this is perhaps another chapter in humanity’s long novel. But if our species allows the omnipotence of these screens, its vision will be blurred until its demise. Humanity must take control again and use the screens to communicate truth.