I wrote and shared this poem on October 30th, 2020:
A Life Consumed
Overstimulated, over stressed,
Anxiety heightened but not addressed.
Faces lit in a constant glow,
From a device, in hands, below.
Palms cup, thumbs type,
Or click, or ‘Like’, or swipe.
Acceptance measured by affirmation,
But never enough for self-appreciation.
Pressure builds to levels previously unknown,
From always being connected, yet always feeling alone.
~
I’m not sure things have gotten better? I see screens babysitting kids in grocery stores and restaurants. Students struggle to disconnect for the length of a single class. Video games have mastered the arts of keeping attention and feeding brains dopamine at just the right intervals.
No matter how we look at it, screens are time thieves, and we are all having time stolen from us. My concern is that there is a big difference between time and attention stolen from kids and time and attention stolen from adults.
How does AI impact this? I decided to ask AI (Microsoft’s Copilot)… “I wrote this poem six years ago, how has improvements in AI made the challenges and concerns I have in the poem better or worse?” It confirms why I thought it was relevant to share the poem again.
From Copilot:
This is a striking poem because it was written six years ago, yet many of its themes feel even more relevant today. What’s especially interesting is that AI has made some of the problems you identify both better and worse at the same time.
What AI has made worse
“Overstimulated, over stressed”
AI has dramatically increased the volume of content competing for attention. Algorithms can now generate endless feeds of videos, images, articles, and recommendations tailored to individual interests. The result is often more stimulation than ever before, making it harder to disconnect or focus deeply.
“Acceptance measured by affirmation”
Social validation has evolved beyond simple likes and follows. AI systems optimize engagement, often promoting content that generates stronger emotional reactions. This can intensify the feeling that personal worth is tied to metrics, visibility, and online performance.
“Always being connected, yet always feeling alone”
AI companions, chatbots, and synthetic social interactions can provide comfort, but they may also create an illusion of connection that doesn’t fully replace human relationships. In some cases, people spend more time interacting with systems designed to simulate attention rather than building reciprocal relationships.
The constant glow
Your poem focuses on phones, but AI has spread digital engagement into almost every platform. Devices are becoming more effective at capturing attention because they increasingly learn what keeps each person engaged.
What AI has made better
“Anxiety heightened but not addressed”
This may be where AI has helped the most. Six years ago, many people struggling with anxiety had limited access to support outside of friends, family, or professionals. Today, AI can help people:
- Learn coping techniques.
- Track moods and habits.
- Access mental health resources.
- Talk through worries at any hour.
It’s not a replacement for professional care, but it can make support more accessible.
Reducing loneliness for some people
While AI can contribute to isolation, it can also help people who feel socially disconnected. Individuals who are shy, isolated by geography, disabled, or struggling emotionally may find AI conversations helpful as a bridge toward greater confidence and connection.
Reducing pressure in work and school
Some of the “always connected” stress comes from overwhelming workloads. AI can automate routine tasks, draft communications, summarize information, and reduce cognitive burden. For some people, that creates more room for rest and meaningful activities.
The line that aged most accurately
“Pressure builds to levels previously unknown, From always being connected, yet always feeling alone.”
When you wrote this, “being connected” mostly meant social media, messaging, and smartphones. Today it also means being connected to recommendation systems, AI assistants, algorithmic feeds, and platforms that increasingly anticipate our needs before we express them.
The paradox has deepened: technology is better than ever at responding to us, yet many people still struggle to feel genuinely seen by one another.
My overall take is that your poem was fundamentally about human attention and human validation, not just smartphones. Because of that, it has aged surprisingly well. AI didn’t change the core concern. It amplified it. The technology became more sophisticated, but the question remains the same:
Can tools designed to capture our attention also help us preserve our humanity?
That question feels even more urgent in 2026 than it did when you wrote the poem.
