The Peep Diaries: Hal Niedzviecki

Connection with Low Expectation and the Search for Community in an age of Alienation.


I think that there is a direct connection between "Low Expectation" and the "Age of Alienation."


First, Hal stated that all humans all live in a state of loneliness, although that state of loneliness has different levels of loneliness depending on the individual. When it comes to Peep Culture, we use the "World of Electronics" to help ease our loneliness by finding out who has the same problems as we do.


This loneliness - or more properly designated as the "Age of Alienation" - directly influences "Low Expectation." In this concept of "Low Expectation," people flock toward the "World of Electronics" as a basis of finding common ground among all humans. As a result, when we find people with the same problems as we do, we feel better about ourselves, at least temporarily. However, all we seek to do is find that common ground, the fact that we have the same problems, but we do not try to help each individual get through those problems. Finding common ground without helping solve a person's problems is the basic definition of "Low Expectation."


As an example, on a Twitter account, I might comment on someone post that says the following: "I feel so lonely sometimes and wonder if I matter in life." In a world of "Low Expectation," I would reply to the comment saying, "I agree with you." If this were a Facebook account, then I would "like" the status. However, in terms of trying to talk to that person and help solve that person's problems, I couldn't care less. Instead, I am temporarily comforted in the idea that someone has the same problem as me. 


In the end, as our society continues to become more involved in this aspect of "Low Expectation," we will continually become into an "Age of Alienation." To me, this means that - despite the fact that we might feel temporary solace of our own loneliness based off of common ground - we will just grow more lonely in real life. I am not sure if Hal would agree with me here, but it seems that just looking for common ground in terms of our own varying degrees of loneliness will not solve our loneliness. I think that it will just make it worse (I know...depressing, huh?).