And yet . . . when we are together, we view the world through our own digital lens. We rarely ask whether moments should be experienced or captured. We seldom ask if instant access and constant connection humanizes or dehumanizes. And we rarely question whether it is right for an individual to possess the whole world in one's hands.
When I look at this picture, I can't tell whether I am excited or terrified.
Credit: NBC News
I also see a demonstration of humanity's increasing narcissism. We are no longer able to simply enjoy a moment and take it in for what it is. We have to feel like we have to document and share it, as if it didn't really happen if we don't instagram it or Facebook it or tweet it or whatever.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, this takes away, in an ironic sort of way, our ability to communicate effectively. Time was, you were witness to an historic event or even something non-historic like, say, a rock concert, and you told people about it. You described it for them. You went out of your way to capture the feeling of it in words. Now ... oh, check out the picture on my phone. I'm sorry, but that doesn't have the same effect on me.
I'm not saying that I'm technophobic or do not see the value of social media, but I see pictures like this and I get annoyed because I don't see technology bringing us all together and I don't see citizen journalists. I see the fact that we have become annoying as a people and that we have lost the inability to simply be in the moment and enjoy it for what it is.
I do think that there's a level of narcissism there and, on some level, I participate in that culture through blogging and social media. I think the loss of words is sad, though. If a picture is worth a thousand words, sometimes I'd rather have the 1,000 words.
DeleteThere are, however, times when using your phone to document an event is wholly appropriate and encouraged. I give you this: http://deadspin.com/bullying-dickhead-gets-knocked-out-at-south-by-southwes-453882192
DeleteI think this is exactly the situation that the Google Glass folks were talking about. Instead of people enjoying the moment, they're all busy watching it through their 3.5" screens. I don't know that putting a different device between you and the event is better, but hopefully it will mean that I can actually see my kids' Christmas concert...
ReplyDeleteFollowing on what Tom said, I can see the narcissism, but it's also a competition. "Oh, look where I am right now!"
I see Google Glasses as sort-of gimmicky, but, in the long-term, a scary concept of seeing all of life through the tech lens.
DeleteMakes me think of the barn in Delillo's White Noise.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteYergh. Look at all those people reducing rich real-world experience to an easily-digestible collection of pixels and digitized sound. It's like making baby food: no seasoning, one ingredient, and all of it lukewarm.
ReplyDeleteWow. I love your metaphor there.
DeleteIsn't this what testing-driven education is currently teaching people to do, though? When we read something in class, do we ever just sit and enjoy it, or let it stew in our minds? Maybe, rarely, but usually we know that we are immediately asked to summarize. Our brains learn to pull out important bits for later display, to be judged by others. We seek to do it better and faster. It seems like a natural progression, once we're out in the world, to take a picture and post it on social media. Our grade is the number of likes, comments, and shares.
ReplyDelete