the year of the push notification

As we enter the home stretch of 2017, it’s fair to say that this unique trauma of a year wouldn’t have been the same without push notifications. On one hand, mainstream media finally figured out how to use them — and on the other hand, the rest of us officially have heart palpitations for life. Remember the good ol’ days when the only way our phone stressed us out was when yr crush didn’t text back, or when your mom left three voicemails for no reason? Those were the peaceful years.

Anyway, if you’re into ruminating on PPASD — post-push alert stress disorder, of course — Slate’s put together this excellent essay series called The Year In Push Alerts, if you’re into reliving that sort of thing, or thinking about how media has harnessed this one distribution platform to an almost nightmarishly effective extent. And of course, it’s all part of the bigger issue: in the nonstop digital age, how much news, both good and bad, is too much to consume?

I recommend at least reading Will Oremus’ one, “How Push Alerts Gets Made,” and the intro, where exec editor Allison Benedikt sums up perfectly:

“Something happened to the news this year. It wasn’t only Trump. It was the convergence of Trump and technology and the media landscape, with the invigorated news giants and hungry digital outlets duking it out for our bloodshot eyeballs.”

She’s not wrong. Anyone got eyedrops to spare?

Like Deez Links? Forward a bloodshot eyeball.