Monday, October 09, 2017
Look up
There were several great haiku last week, but I want to talk about Gavin's:
You, with the iPhone.
The world is full of wonder!
Why won't you look up?
It' s bad enough that people drive while staring at their phones-- now it seems like everyone crosses the street while doing that, too. I'm sure that somewhere in the US a driver who was staring at the phone ran over a pedestrian who was doing the same thing.
Mortal danger aside, there is the issue of real vs. represented beauty.
A few weeks ago I was walking down Nicollet behind a young guy watching a movie on his phone. As I passed, I saw the image: a street scene, people walking and laughing. He was in, literally inside, that same scene, but he did not see it.
What do we lose with all this?
You, with the iPhone.
The world is full of wonder!
Why won't you look up?
It' s bad enough that people drive while staring at their phones-- now it seems like everyone crosses the street while doing that, too. I'm sure that somewhere in the US a driver who was staring at the phone ran over a pedestrian who was doing the same thing.
Mortal danger aside, there is the issue of real vs. represented beauty.
A few weeks ago I was walking down Nicollet behind a young guy watching a movie on his phone. As I passed, I saw the image: a street scene, people walking and laughing. He was in, literally inside, that same scene, but he did not see it.
What do we lose with all this?
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We lose a lot.
We lose an appreciation for the world around us, what exists beyond our own thoughts and feelings.
We lose basic human interaction, whether with strangers or someone on the other end of our own couch. Simply put, we will be lonely and detached, and without the skills to reconnect.
We sacrifice self-reflection. Our most challenging thoughts often come when our brains are not preoccupied with the daily grind. Am I doing the right thing? Is this the life 9 year old me would be proud of? What is my place in the world? How can I be a better spouse and parent? The questions will never be asked, and the time replaced with reading meaningless click bait articles and looking at Instagram pictures of food.
We lose an appreciation for the world around us, what exists beyond our own thoughts and feelings.
We lose basic human interaction, whether with strangers or someone on the other end of our own couch. Simply put, we will be lonely and detached, and without the skills to reconnect.
We sacrifice self-reflection. Our most challenging thoughts often come when our brains are not preoccupied with the daily grind. Am I doing the right thing? Is this the life 9 year old me would be proud of? What is my place in the world? How can I be a better spouse and parent? The questions will never be asked, and the time replaced with reading meaningless click bait articles and looking at Instagram pictures of food.
Truth...
Let's add the electronic video gadgetry on our automobile dashboards. Who can watch the road when you are constantly watching your center console? I guess that is why new cars now have a lane creep feature.
Let's add the electronic video gadgetry on our automobile dashboards. Who can watch the road when you are constantly watching your center console? I guess that is why new cars now have a lane creep feature.
"Lane Creep Feature"? I think I saw one of those on my way to work this morning. Is that a monster movie? Just asking for a friend.
Back in late 70’s I spent the greater part of the year living, working, and going to school on a kibbutz in Israel. While I was in Israel, the original Walkman was introduced in the States. It played tapes, and later CD’s, as one listened on headphones. I read about them and saw them advertised in the international press. When I eventually returned home to the States, it struck me as so strange … and so sad, in a way … to see folks walking down the street with their Walkmans engrossed in their music and totally isolated from all that was around then, much like smart phones do today.
# posted by 
: 2:36 PM
: 2:36 PM
Medievilist - Lane creep; not referring to former poster Lane, although I miss his wit.
New cars have this feature, thankfully mine doesn't. If your car drifts over the lane line something beeps in the car to hopefully bring you back to reality and watching the road. Also still trying to understand why I need a GPS display when I am driving familiar roads. Again, I opted out of this feature, I prefer to get lost on occasion and enjoy the adventure. Think of all the kids who will never learn how to read a road map. They will only know what is thirty feet in front of them.
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New cars have this feature, thankfully mine doesn't. If your car drifts over the lane line something beeps in the car to hopefully bring you back to reality and watching the road. Also still trying to understand why I need a GPS display when I am driving familiar roads. Again, I opted out of this feature, I prefer to get lost on occasion and enjoy the adventure. Think of all the kids who will never learn how to read a road map. They will only know what is thirty feet in front of them.
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