Friday, March 27, 2009

Square Society

Excerpt from a recent interview with Tina Arena (source: The Age):

"She has noticed a growing phenomenon at live shows, something she would like to understand but can't fathom. The intervention of technology. "People bring their mobiles with the sound and camera, and their digital cameras as well, and there you are in the middle of a show and people are filming and photographing, spending so much time trying to capture the moment. And they're not. They're missing it.""


Yep. I theorise that people are so intent on recording proof that they were an event, so they can share it with their friends in the future. It's an easy token or memento of that experience, all within a touch of a button. Such is its meaningfulness that actually listening to and enjoying the music becomes only the second most important duty.

I remember seeing on the news a while ago, Paris Hilton walking the beaches of the Gold Coast and a horde of reporters and beachgoers alike, camera or camera phone in hand, roaming around her like vultures, so desperate to get a piece of her. But hey, it would have made for a great show and tell with the friends, right? That said, celebrity on the street is a bit different.

At least with professional photographers, both hands are required. With your typical camera phone occupier, all they need is one hand, with the other free to scratch their arse (if necessary). Such people will also employ a smirky gawk/gawky smirk, as they congratulate themselves on capturing a (rather unsubstantial) moment on their phone.

Hmm...

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