Future historians of this era will study us as we studied Pompeii: a civilization frozen mid-gesture, caught in the act of documenting its own extinction.
Dear Michael, While I appreciate much of what you have beautifully and eloquently written here, you are entirely mistaken to reduce the instagram experience entirely to an exercise in narcissistic display. Log on to instagram at any moment and along with all of the dreck you will find magnificent performances by the world’s greatest classical musicians, as well as the greatest jazzers and Indian masters, poetry readings by distinguished poets of their and others’ poetry, exquisite dance, glorious video and photography of architecture that most of the world never has the opportunity to see. Yes, all of your diagnoses have an element of truth, but they also contain a grave and dangerous distortion. People who will never have the opportunity to hear Yo-Yo Ma perform live can do so through social media. People who did not know that some of the 20th century’s greatest poets can be seen and heard reciting their own poetry can see and hear this through social media (including Instagram). People who do not know that there are films and recordings of great composers of the past available will find that out and experience it (at no cost, I should add) through social media. I deplore much of what social media (including Instagram) is and does, and there is no doubt that it has degraded our lived experience, but you do your cause a great disservice by ignoring the fact that this technology also provides us with opportunities to experience great art, literature, music, and culture no matter where we may be in the world, and how much money we have to afford to witness it.
This essay cuts straight through the illusion of digital intimacy and exposes something far more haunting: that we are becoming spectators of our own lives. The line between remembering and rehearsing has collapsed, and what remains is performance disguised as presence. What lingers after reading isn’t judgment but grief - grief for the quiet, unrecorded moments that once made a life feel lived rather than displayed. Rose captures the modern tragedy perfectly: we’ve preserved everything except the ability to feel it while it’s happening.
“bureaucratic capture, a taxidermy of experience” well described, as the moment is distracted attention to capture the image without authentic essence..saw this while viewing the Mona Lisa…a room of raised screens…
Thank you for your ideas on our curated life. While startling, these views are correct. We are living in an age where capture photography is endemic. Faces are captured in shops, and government / council cameras so we have become used to being on display most of the time. But there are those of us who do not have the apps to ensure our whole lives are recorded for public viewing. We have the freedom to listen to music and, dare I say it, to read a book or even a poem!
Wow! A few month ago I made a video that I uploaded again a few days ago. EVEN SOME PHRASES ARE THE SAME!! I don´t have to mention it: This speaks from my heart and that´s the reason why I´m doing what I´m doing here. That´s the video: https://youtu.be/2G0J-uwG_Ow
Went to you link but currently a YouTube error saying to check back later. But I read your video's description and it sounds like something I definitely want to watch. Will try again a little later.
Dear Michael, While I appreciate much of what you have beautifully and eloquently written here, you are entirely mistaken to reduce the instagram experience entirely to an exercise in narcissistic display. Log on to instagram at any moment and along with all of the dreck you will find magnificent performances by the world’s greatest classical musicians, as well as the greatest jazzers and Indian masters, poetry readings by distinguished poets of their and others’ poetry, exquisite dance, glorious video and photography of architecture that most of the world never has the opportunity to see. Yes, all of your diagnoses have an element of truth, but they also contain a grave and dangerous distortion. People who will never have the opportunity to hear Yo-Yo Ma perform live can do so through social media. People who did not know that some of the 20th century’s greatest poets can be seen and heard reciting their own poetry can see and hear this through social media (including Instagram). People who do not know that there are films and recordings of great composers of the past available will find that out and experience it (at no cost, I should add) through social media. I deplore much of what social media (including Instagram) is and does, and there is no doubt that it has degraded our lived experience, but you do your cause a great disservice by ignoring the fact that this technology also provides us with opportunities to experience great art, literature, music, and culture no matter where we may be in the world, and how much money we have to afford to witness it.
This essay cuts straight through the illusion of digital intimacy and exposes something far more haunting: that we are becoming spectators of our own lives. The line between remembering and rehearsing has collapsed, and what remains is performance disguised as presence. What lingers after reading isn’t judgment but grief - grief for the quiet, unrecorded moments that once made a life feel lived rather than displayed. Rose captures the modern tragedy perfectly: we’ve preserved everything except the ability to feel it while it’s happening.
“bureaucratic capture, a taxidermy of experience” well described, as the moment is distracted attention to capture the image without authentic essence..saw this while viewing the Mona Lisa…a room of raised screens…
Thank you for your ideas on our curated life. While startling, these views are correct. We are living in an age where capture photography is endemic. Faces are captured in shops, and government / council cameras so we have become used to being on display most of the time. But there are those of us who do not have the apps to ensure our whole lives are recorded for public viewing. We have the freedom to listen to music and, dare I say it, to read a book or even a poem!
Fantastic.
Wow! A few month ago I made a video that I uploaded again a few days ago. EVEN SOME PHRASES ARE THE SAME!! I don´t have to mention it: This speaks from my heart and that´s the reason why I´m doing what I´m doing here. That´s the video: https://youtu.be/2G0J-uwG_Ow
Went to you link but currently a YouTube error saying to check back later. But I read your video's description and it sounds like something I definitely want to watch. Will try again a little later.
https://youtu.be/2G0J-uwG_Ow?feature=shared Should work
Hey, I'm sorry it took me a while to watch your video. I finally did, and loved it. Bookmarked, and keeping these points in mind as best I can.
Thank you. It was just my computer. Works today. Looking forward to listening this evening.
It is a denial of time. Time flows whereas photos provide weight to the subterfuge that what flows can be captured.
Another absolutely wonderful article.