<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Eleven Unthinking Seconds</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><i class="">(Inspired by the Social Dilemma documentary)</i></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Casually scrolling through my social media feed,</div><div class="">an ad catches my interest; Magnetic eyelashes.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">For the eleven unthinking seconds that I’m captivated,</div><div class="">I watch someone use a pencil-like applicator to apply a gray </div><div class="">smudge of tiny metallic bits to the outer edge of an eyelid.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">A thin arch of long lustrous lashes is carefully positioned, </div><div class="">and then, like magic, seemingly snaps perfectly into place. </div><div class="">Truly fascinating. Who knew?</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I stopped watching as soon as I realized what I was doing,</div><div class="">and I didn’t click on the ad for more information, but no</div><div class="">matter, I was caught unawares and my fate was sealed.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">While I had only watched for eleven seconds, the algorithm </div><div class="">probably only needed seven, or maybe even just five.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Now, the all too familiar and vexing gotcha-targeting </div><div class="">has begun and the same ad follows me wherever I scroll.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I’m certain that ads for bio-luminescent lipstick </div><div class="">and nano particle hairspray are already queued up </div><div class="">and headed my way.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">As a rule, I try my best not to allow my gaze to linger</div><div class="">on attractive nuisances such as this one, but I’m afraid </div><div class="">it happens more often than I’d like.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Once again, I’ve been cleverly manipulated by those</div><div class="">potent and unrelenting forces that can expertly hold </div><div class="">my attention for those few dreaded seconds.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It seems that my poor defenseless brain stem is just no </div><div class="">match for the greedy purveyors of these insidious morsels </div><div class="">of commercial enticement. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">As a consequence, a newly taped note on the edge of my </div><div class="">computer screen reads; “Magnetic eyelashes? Really?” </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It joins an existing note of admonishment that says;</div><div class="">“Electronic dog leash? Seriously?”</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> - Mark Telles</div></div></body></html>