PTSD - "A CONDITION OF PERSISTENT MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL STRESS OCCURRING AS A RESULT OF INJURY OR SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL SHOCK, TYPICALLY INVOLVING DISTURBANCE OF SLEEP AND CONSTANT VIVID RECALL OF THE EXPERIENCE, WITH BLACK THIS OUT TO OTHERS AND TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD."
EVERY ASPECT OF THE DIGITAL WORLD IS MONITORED TO SOME DEGREE: PHONE RECORDS, FINANCIAL RECORDS, FACIAL RECOGNITION, ONLINE SEARCHES, BLACK THIS OUT, ANALYTICS, AND APPS.
I FEEL MUCH SAFER OFFLINE AND OFF THE GRID, BUT I’M AN BLACK THIS OUT, I HAVE A LIFE THAT REQUIRES MAKING DIGITAL CHOICES TO IMPROVE MY REALITY. A REALITY THAT’S UNDER HYPERSURVILLENCE.
I’M TIRED OF HYPERSURVILLENCE.
MY EXPERIENCES WITH AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT MADE ME AWARE OF MY OVERALL STANDING IN SOCIETY. AT SIX YEARS-OLD I WAS RACIALLY PROFILED AND HANDCUFFED BECAUSE A POLICE OFFICER MISTOOK ME FOR A DRUG DEALER. AT EIGHT YEARS-OLD I SAW MY BROTHER GET SLAMMED ON TOP OF A POLICE CAR BY AN AGGRESSIVE OFFICER.
I’M TIRED OF POLICE BRUTALITY.
AMERICA LIED TO MY PARENTS WITH THEIR PROMISE OF AN “AMERICAN DREAM.” THERE’S NO LAND OF THE FREE WHEN YOU AREN’T THE SHADE OF CHALK.
THE INTERNET ISN’T A LAND, THOUGH, IT’S A LANDSCAPE. A DIGITAL WORLD. AND WEB3 IS THE FUTURE.
PAY MY REPARATIONS IN ETH.
("PTSD" IS A PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF HYPERSURVEILLANCE ON THE BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS)