“Everything that human beings are doing to make it easier to operate computer networks is at the same time, but for different reasons, making it easier for computer networks to operate human beings.” — George B. Dyson, Darwin among the Machines, 1997
The impact of modern technology becomes apparent when I walk the streets. I notice parents half-paying attention to their children, distracted by the mini supercomputers in their hands. Meanwhile, the children often look like little zombies, mesmerized by silly dance videos, learning how to perform at an early age. I see people suffering, shouting for attention. Nobody listens. They seem repelled, treating the unfortunate like parasites draining their lifeblood. Cruelty exists just as much as beauty. We’re animals in a zoo with no escape or exit in sight.
Often I wonder what the future of human connection will look like. We lose ourselves within layers of trances, believing we have agency while it is slowly being eroded. As social creatures, we mimic others’ actions, follow the herd, and chase unconscious desires. And for what purpose? We desire unceasingly and without reason. Yet it is in this desire that pulls us away from our authenticity.
As I document the streets, these thoughts coil around me, leaving me to wonder if we are careening toward an inevitable dystopian future—or perhaps we’re already in one. What do these photos reveal about the era we’re in? How does this time differ from any other in history? Are we truly progressing as a society when we have the resources to help, yet choose to let a few prosper while the majority suffer?
The images you see here were taken in Los Angeles between 2017-2021, and 2022-2024 throughout Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, and Portugal. I came up with this title during a conversation I had with a friend living in Curitiba, Brazil. Initially, I intended to use it for a fiction novel, but the more I reflected, the more I felt compelled to give them this title. To me, these photos are not just snapshots of things, places, and people; they are reflections of my inner journey and a window into the way I perceive the world. I hope to capture, not just ephemera, but the essence of what it means to be human in an age dominated by advanced technologies.