Alena Smith on Nonlinearity, 'Dickinson,' and the Future of Storytelling

The Nonlinear 21st Century

• 💡 The 21st century is characterized as nonlinear, contrasting with the linear progression of the 20th century, which had a coherent moral story and an anomalous economic scenario of consistent growth.
• ⚠️ The shift is marked by events like 9/11, the rise of technology, and the end of traditional narrative structures, leading to a sense of simultaneity and a loss of the ability to process time and events conceptually.
• 🧠 The internet has created a