I love this! (Also, the comment about how, if you're watching your own fireworks videos for fun, you need a new hobby cracked me up.) I recently had the chance to interview Graham Dugoni, the founder of Yondr (the phone pouch company) and he had such interesting insights about all this, too. (It's here if anyone wants to hear what he had to say: https://catherineprice.substack.com/p/meet-yondr-founder-and-ceo-graham ) It's so nice to see more and more people start to wake up to the effects that phones have on shared experiences. Thank you, Katherine!
I completely agree. While I do not much frequent concerts, I visit many museums and I observe the same phenomenon there. When I was at the Louvre three years ago, it was packed to the gills but some galleries were even more congested due to people taking photos of themselves in front of famous works. If you asked what they so admired about them, I suspect most would struggle to provide any coherent or considered response. They are merely engaged by the act of being in the moment and reinforcing their perceived cultural or social relevance. But it is the inability or unwillingness to physically interact which is more troubling. When my girlfriend and I wandered into a gallery of 14/15th c Italian paintings, we had a fascinating conversation with the attendant who told us we were the first that day to actually ask him anything about the works on display in the room. It was 5.30 pm!
Last summer I took my older kids to see Twenty One Pilots. I filmed a few seconds of the opening song to show the younger kids who were at home, and then I put my phone away. I "lived it" like I was back in the 90s lol. The audience was a sea of phone screens the entire time. It saddens me that these kids won't know what it's like to just live experiences without a screen.
Last summer we were lucky enough to watch the fireworks in downtown Rome on June 29, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul (patron of the Vatican, so it was a popular event!) We got there early with our two year-old, who until this point had loved fireworks, and scored spots right by the water. About a minute into the show, the baby decided she emphatically did not love fireworks anymore. I then turned around to leave with her, but the crowd was packed and, you guessed it, 95% of the attendees were filming video on their phones. I was astounded! I’ve never filmed more than a couple seconds of fireworks. What are you gonna do, sit down and rewatch them sometime?!
I had to physically push my way through the crowd with more than a little violence. Thankfully, my mama bear instincts kicked in, and we fought free of the crush in a few minutes, with the help of some very kind Italians. But it was really scary to feel so trapped with a hysterical child like that, and every time I think back to the experience, it’s impossible to ignore the role that “experience blockers” played.
A thousand times yes. In my own case, back when I was active on social media, most of the filming or photos I took that inevitably I never looked at again, would end up being for the feed and/or Stories - "look what I'm doing!" Now that I'm off social media, I really resist that impulse. It's sad to look around and see so many people voluntarily ruining their own experiences (and others) so that someone can flip past it in a Story for 3 seconds and forget about it immediately. Just why! Those clever bags for phones sound great - hopefully they'll become the norm pretty much everywhere - restaurants, schools, etc. The filming of others is also a constant concern and really inhibits so much free expression and just 'letting go.' Spot on as always, Katherine.(Oof, the fireworks! Just why!!)
It’s refreshing to read that big time performers are putting their foot down about filming their performances. It always grates on my nerves to be at a show surrounded by screens filming the action on stage. They are simply missing the point.
We have been learning this from neuroscience - we are hardwired for connection -- with other human beings not the static phone and flat screen. Our phones and devices are blockers -- they are blocking what we need most to thrive and flourish. We need real human connection, in real time, where our senses come alive! Collective effervescence. Thank you for a much needed wake up call in your post today.
I completely agree. I have gone to concerts where people have their phones in the air recording, and it blocks my view, but they don't seem to notice or care. And you know they are not going to watch those videos again. At the same time, no one on social media wants to watch those videos either. Take a 15 second clip discreetly and then put the phone away.
Same thing about fireworks. Every July 4, people post videos of fireworks, and every July 4 I scroll right past them. Could anything be more boring to watch on social media?
I am so glad I went to college and was in my early 20s before there were smart phones and social media. It made going to bars/clubs so much easier. Yes, we took film cameras sometimes but it's different than a phone that is omnipresent recording everything.
I always see people trying to take pictures of the Sunrise. You can't experience the Sun by taking a picture of it, just like you can't be fully immersed in the music.
When we see the red light of the Sun first thing - this can help counteract the dopamine spikes of blue light everyone has gotten used to. Time to build back our eyes, brain, and concerts!
My wife and I have been getting into jam bands like Phish. One thing we love about it is that vanishingly few people have their phones out at a jam band show. It feels like everyone is present in a way that they aren’t at top 40 pop shows. We actually went to see a top 40 act and were unnerved by how so many people were just on their phones recording themselves singing the entire time.
I have been experiencing this! As a mom, we go to childrens events. Parents will stop and try to take photos everywhere. It would be nice if at the beginning and end they took photos and also looked around before taking the photo and not bump into others.
Clap clap clap clap clap!!!!! I applaud this article so much. Thank you! I think a short video now and again to capture a cool moment is fine, but constantly as a way of operating? Noooo.
I love this! (Also, the comment about how, if you're watching your own fireworks videos for fun, you need a new hobby cracked me up.) I recently had the chance to interview Graham Dugoni, the founder of Yondr (the phone pouch company) and he had such interesting insights about all this, too. (It's here if anyone wants to hear what he had to say: https://catherineprice.substack.com/p/meet-yondr-founder-and-ceo-graham ) It's so nice to see more and more people start to wake up to the effects that phones have on shared experiences. Thank you, Katherine!
I completely agree. While I do not much frequent concerts, I visit many museums and I observe the same phenomenon there. When I was at the Louvre three years ago, it was packed to the gills but some galleries were even more congested due to people taking photos of themselves in front of famous works. If you asked what they so admired about them, I suspect most would struggle to provide any coherent or considered response. They are merely engaged by the act of being in the moment and reinforcing their perceived cultural or social relevance. But it is the inability or unwillingness to physically interact which is more troubling. When my girlfriend and I wandered into a gallery of 14/15th c Italian paintings, we had a fascinating conversation with the attendant who told us we were the first that day to actually ask him anything about the works on display in the room. It was 5.30 pm!
Last summer I took my older kids to see Twenty One Pilots. I filmed a few seconds of the opening song to show the younger kids who were at home, and then I put my phone away. I "lived it" like I was back in the 90s lol. The audience was a sea of phone screens the entire time. It saddens me that these kids won't know what it's like to just live experiences without a screen.
Could not agree more!
Last summer we were lucky enough to watch the fireworks in downtown Rome on June 29, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul (patron of the Vatican, so it was a popular event!) We got there early with our two year-old, who until this point had loved fireworks, and scored spots right by the water. About a minute into the show, the baby decided she emphatically did not love fireworks anymore. I then turned around to leave with her, but the crowd was packed and, you guessed it, 95% of the attendees were filming video on their phones. I was astounded! I’ve never filmed more than a couple seconds of fireworks. What are you gonna do, sit down and rewatch them sometime?!
I had to physically push my way through the crowd with more than a little violence. Thankfully, my mama bear instincts kicked in, and we fought free of the crush in a few minutes, with the help of some very kind Italians. But it was really scary to feel so trapped with a hysterical child like that, and every time I think back to the experience, it’s impossible to ignore the role that “experience blockers” played.
A thousand times yes. In my own case, back when I was active on social media, most of the filming or photos I took that inevitably I never looked at again, would end up being for the feed and/or Stories - "look what I'm doing!" Now that I'm off social media, I really resist that impulse. It's sad to look around and see so many people voluntarily ruining their own experiences (and others) so that someone can flip past it in a Story for 3 seconds and forget about it immediately. Just why! Those clever bags for phones sound great - hopefully they'll become the norm pretty much everywhere - restaurants, schools, etc. The filming of others is also a constant concern and really inhibits so much free expression and just 'letting go.' Spot on as always, Katherine.(Oof, the fireworks! Just why!!)
It’s refreshing to read that big time performers are putting their foot down about filming their performances. It always grates on my nerves to be at a show surrounded by screens filming the action on stage. They are simply missing the point.
We have been learning this from neuroscience - we are hardwired for connection -- with other human beings not the static phone and flat screen. Our phones and devices are blockers -- they are blocking what we need most to thrive and flourish. We need real human connection, in real time, where our senses come alive! Collective effervescence. Thank you for a much needed wake up call in your post today.
I completely agree. I have gone to concerts where people have their phones in the air recording, and it blocks my view, but they don't seem to notice or care. And you know they are not going to watch those videos again. At the same time, no one on social media wants to watch those videos either. Take a 15 second clip discreetly and then put the phone away.
Same thing about fireworks. Every July 4, people post videos of fireworks, and every July 4 I scroll right past them. Could anything be more boring to watch on social media?
I am so glad I went to college and was in my early 20s before there were smart phones and social media. It made going to bars/clubs so much easier. Yes, we took film cameras sometimes but it's different than a phone that is omnipresent recording everything.
I always see people trying to take pictures of the Sunrise. You can't experience the Sun by taking a picture of it, just like you can't be fully immersed in the music.
When we see the red light of the Sun first thing - this can help counteract the dopamine spikes of blue light everyone has gotten used to. Time to build back our eyes, brain, and concerts!
My wife and I have been getting into jam bands like Phish. One thing we love about it is that vanishingly few people have their phones out at a jam band show. It feels like everyone is present in a way that they aren’t at top 40 pop shows. We actually went to see a top 40 act and were unnerved by how so many people were just on their phones recording themselves singing the entire time.
I have been experiencing this! As a mom, we go to childrens events. Parents will stop and try to take photos everywhere. It would be nice if at the beginning and end they took photos and also looked around before taking the photo and not bump into others.
Clap clap clap clap clap!!!!! I applaud this article so much. Thank you! I think a short video now and again to capture a cool moment is fine, but constantly as a way of operating? Noooo.
Yes! Wrote about exactly this regarding an iconic Stormzy performance. https://open.substack.com/pub/analogueadvantage/p/stormzy-and-heavily-mediated-experience?
Love this, it is time we all start living in real life again!
I filmed a firework display last Autumn - I'm now actively looking for a hobby!
Haha!
Couldn't agree more!