Imagine the lights dimming, the speakers humming, the rising anticipation of the performance... then, the crowd hollers, the band walks on-stage…but you cannot see because someone’s phone is blocking your view.
Nowadays, it is considered ridiculous to go anywhere without a phone in-hand as the world becomes more media-based.
People have positively utilised this growing empire of gadgets as a way of making life much easier; through quick communication, important daily reminders, and even fun games to pass the time.
However, phones are seen as both a blessing and a curse. Some people would disagree with the idea of constant device-usage, as phones have been proven to negatively impact mental and physical health.
For example, phones have been scientifically proven to tarnish our memory - “They overwhelm our mind with distractions”, according to Susan Lehmann, clinical director of geriatric psychiatry at the John Hopkins University of Medicine.
Acting in resistance, some communities have forbidden phones from certain social settings, like cafés and schools.
An example of this can be seen when a controversy arose 6 years ago. American singer Bruno Mars banned the use of any type of recording device during his concerts at the Park Theatre, Las Vegas.
The artist, at the time, expressed that he wished for the “audience to experience something genuine,” a feeling and experience that could be argued as unreachable from the lens of a camera.
He hoped for people “only in that room” to share the memories of the event, not people observing elsewhere on social media.
Without phones, past adventures become easier to envision mentally, feeling more personal in being able to recollect unique details or moments that only you viewed at the time.
Rewatching blurred images and hearing muffled audio on a device pale in comparison to something like that.
Nevertheless, some may express the idea that recording concerts and other experiences allow us to share our best moments with people we care about or wish to enjoy together.
They also help to ‘connect’ others that could not attend themselves for whatever reason.
I, personally, will always enjoy videos of my sister and I playing games together from a decade ago - preserving memories that have faded over time.
Although phones are a never-ending debate, it’s clear that some individuals would prefer to take steps in becoming less digitally consumed and more interactive with the real-world, whilst others would rather make use of the resources that we have created for convenience.
What about you? Would you rather have mental memories or iCloud impressions of the past?
