In a world where convenience is king, we’ve unknowingly traded control of our digital lives for the lure of the latest tech trends. The Web today is an alluring trap, triggering a dopamine addiction that research shows has become an evolutionary trait in humans. Have you ever wondered who’s really benefiting from our endless consumption of gadgets and services?
There is no denying we need the web as it is a primary tool for the smooth operation of our day to day lives. We need gadgets like a smartphone, a computer or a tablet to stay connected and access services like email, social networks, e-commerce, entertainment, etc. The web is also needed for the convenience of storing our documents, photos and videos. So many of us use all of these services that are offered by major companies, for free. And we hardly ever stop and think about the real cost of using these services. When the service is free, you - the user - are the product.
Information about users, how they access, from where, which device, at what time, what kind of sites and services, and so, so much more is of prime importance for the companies that offer these services. I, for one, was tired and fed up with the intrusiveness of the web in my life. It made me uncomfortable to think that unknown, faceless entities are trading my metadata information for enriching their own coffers.
It is time to reclaim control over our digital lives. By self-hosting some of these key services, we not only protect and secure our data, we are in control of how it is managed, and we also reduce the burden on our wallets. Computing hardware is cheap and easily available these days and the enormous contribution of open-source software communities make it possible for us to easily build and deploy some of the key essential services in our own homes with a fraction of the cost.
So starts my self-hosting hobby. It will be a learning curve, but an essential skill to build and develop. One day I hope to be self-reliant for some of the key services I need in my life and not have to depend on external factors.
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