ERIC KIM

Adblock for the Mind

What would creating an Adblock for the mind (mental hygiene) mean, or look like?

How do browser adblocks work?

Essentially, where there is traditionally an ad… the viewer sees nothing. Sometimes just a grey box. Thus the first principle:

Don’t expose the individual to the advertisement before the fact.

What would that look like in reality?

Imagine when you’re walking in the streets, instead of seeing annoying ads on the freeway or on the walls or the streets… you would not see the sign at all. Or maybe little white boxes where the ads should be.

Or a fun reality in which some sort of Google Glass kinda thing could automatically (augmented reality style) block out obtrusive advertisements to your face, by ‘whiting-out’ advertising in real life.

A less technical approach

Simple things:

  1. Get rid of your phone. The best phone is no phone.
  2. Don’t go to places which are essentially ad-places (the mall).
  3. Don’t go to websites which sell you stuff (avoid websites which are essentially middle-man advertising platforms). Facebook-Instagram, YouTube and Google are all advertising platforms.
  4. Do not trust any website or thing or place or form of media which monetizes via advertising. For example, don’t read any media which has ads in it. If your media is being monetized via ads… you are the product.

PRODUCTIVITY 101