Technology is my companion but I keep an eye on it.

As a teenager growing up in Eastern Europe, I was fascinated by the potential of the internet. It extended a limited post-soviet-era living. Connecting to the World Wide Web, however, was an expensive act of rebellion; landline bills were great, and the parents were grumpy. The value found on the web was hardly understood.

My dubious at a time decisions evolved into a mindful practice. Learning more from the internet than the school, I began to practice art, to practice design, and to make diverse ware; eventually, I made a living developing software. The internet and more generally technology became a trusty companion, the enabler. It aided my evolution and it facilitated my education.

With time, however, I became aware that the technology can be harmful. A promise of a quick exit attracted yearning for exponential growth venture capitalists. As a result, technology became a tool for wealth extraction; just as the wealth transfers towards the billionaires, making them more influential than they ever should, the power evaporates away from the rest of us. Hence at first glance, it is close to impossible to resist rules in the form of algorithms - the billionaires' favourite tool that is optimised for profit. In the Soviet era, the rules were similarly imposed from the top, not for profit, but for obedience.

In just 25 years I’ve made a full circle from one rebellion to the another. Resisting the idea of imposed limited living, I see my trusty companion as still valuable, however, now is the subject of ongoing critical study.