Centre for Cyber Wellness - Neural Burnout

Centre for Cyber Wellness has suffered neural burnout.

We have not been able to produce the planned exhibition for til vægs. As a group and as individuals, we have struggled. we have tried.
But we have come to a standstill.

What you are about to hear is the result of an AI intervention.

We have fed an AI the group communications of centre for cyber wellness regarding this past years troubles and burnout.

The results have been edited for clarity, but no text has been added or altered.

I would like to start with a question. How often do you have to choose the works for an exhibition? Does the choice really depend on the people who are there? Who are the curators, the exhibition director, or is there also a kind of ‘consensus’ within the team?

What do you do when you create an exhibition together as a group?

What do you do when the members of your group are precarious project workers and freelancers?

What do you do when the members of your group are busy with other jobs?

What do you do when your group experiences burnout?

Neural burnout is a condition where the neurons of the brain (neurons are specialized cells that make up the nervous system) are used so much that they become exhausted and less effective over time. While this sounds like it would be the result of overuse, in reality the neurons can only be used so much because of various other factors. For example, neurons are much less efficient at sending and receiving information when the information is not needed (when the brain is at rest) or when the neuron is damaged by disease or injury (e.g. stroke, TBI). They also cannot “spare” neurons, so if the neurons don’t become too exhausted, then they simply stop doing the same work and are no longer used. In some individuals, brain aging (e.g. senility) also leads to the brain being used so much that neurons become exhausted. This results in symptoms such as confusion, forgetfulness, and trouble with concentration.

Hi, sorry I don’t really have the overview or time for this project these days, maybe it’s ok for a few of us to “have” it in terms of coordinating? My everyday life is extremely squeezed at the moment tbh, so a little break is good, the last thing I need is to be frustrated with it. I haven’t really done anything with planning this, I thought if I had to start work straight away, I’d do it, but having a few days away from it has definitely helped me calm down, and get back into the "original "plan. Will be active again soon, don’t worry ;)

So I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do it. I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
I’m sorry

I’m happy to contribute if I can get specific content but don’t have bandwidth for coordination of anything.

When I say an exhibition, it’s not just about putting objects out there. It’s not that simple.

But you’re saying it’s like a whole year of thinking about things?

I have to say that we actually spend more time thinking about our exhibition than we spend putting together the exhibition itself. That was the whole point of the exhibition. It was actually very challenging. We actually needed many more resources than we had, to really make this one work. It was not really about this or that, and we didn’t have any money, but rather, we had to do the very difficult thing of working out what we could do with what we had. What kind of exhibitions we could create, how much time we had.

I feel like I was very rude and irresponsible to you and other people like you. But I’m sorry. I know I can’t go to the workshop. And I’m sorry for being flaky.

I’m in therapy now and it’s all sorted. I’m sorry for taking so long to reply to you. i will let you know more details soon.

We rarely talk about utopia anymore. It’s not because we can’t. It’s because we can. And the reason we can is because of the Internet and computers. The ability to find your nearest coffee shop or to learn the latest dance moves is only possible because of the web. As a result, we’re used to the idea that our needs, desires, and wants will be met, sometimes even before we express them. It’s easy to underestimate how important this is to our sense of well-being.

When you’re making something, you often don’t think of the way that you are in the final outcome of it, and this is what it’s very interesting to think about. And it’s actually what we did. It was not what we were thinking about at the beginning. We really had to rethink this in a different way. It was a learning process.

I feel like I get an email
yeah, I think that’d be cool
It’s probably just that the other person’s not there so we can get to know them better
You would get to know them by talking to them online
We need to meet in person
Laugh that’s what I was gonna say
That’s what I was thinking
But I don’t like just meeting someone through chat
Hm, but you would then meet in person
Like, it’s not the best way to meet people

There are things that happen. Then there’s the waiting.

I don’t have the energy for a meeting. Just thought you guys were talking about hanging out
I’m up for most hanging out
I think most of all we need to hang out, yes. and have lemonade and chips.
Yes chips and limonips

Laugh I’m up for almost everything
Laugh I’m up for most of it
Laugh we can have chips!
Yes.
Yes
and meet
ohhh

What do you do next?
You don’t have any real work to do for now. You may have some stuff to do, but no real work.
You have time.
All you have to do is take care of yourself.

About Centre for Cyber Wellness

Centre for Cyber Wellness establishes mutually supportive spaces to collectively examine and care for the relations between human beings and technologies.

Through performances, workshops and artistic production, CfCW creates connections between personal experiences and collective experiments with deconstructing the digitisation of everyday life.

Since 2018, CfCW has collaborated across disciplines (cybersecurity, mindfulness, new media, fine arts and care work) publishing in January 2020 the book How to Quit (ISBN 978-87-971551-0-3) summarizing the knowledge centre's work to date.

Image Zoom by François Chalifour - MIT License.