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| Stock concert photo - The National in Milwaukee, August, 2013 |
Don't get me wrong, I've taken my fair share of pictures at concerts over the years (even dating back to shows where I had to use a camera with film!), but I'll typically do it a couple of times, then my phone is in my purse for most of the night. I just don't know how you can actually enjoy a show if you're spending the whole time focused on documenting it.
Wow, I really sound like an old lady here, don't I? Is this what happens when you hit your mid-30's? Hey kids, get off your damn phones so I can enjoy my rock and/or roll! But it's not just about concert etiquette. I see this need to immediately document and share things everywhere. I don't think documenting things is bad by any means (goodness knows I'm more than guilty of that), but the sharing immediately part is what gets me. How can we enjoy things as they're happening if we're constantly thinking up the perfect picture caption or post to make the things we're doing sound awesome? How can anyone live in the moment that way? I think doing that causes you to miss out on what's happening and what's really important, and that's a shame.
Maybe this is another reason I've mostly dropped off of social media. I quit Facebook completely (and feel so much better for it), my Instagram account has at times gone up to a month without a post, I basically only look at Twitter if someone tags me, and even this blog has been pretty quiet for months now. I do miss blogging more regularly, but the rest? Eh. I'd rather just enjoy life first, and document and share it when I get around to it.
Your "hey kids..." line made me LOL! I agree, what is the point of recording a concert? It won't sound good, and aren't you there for the live music experience, anyway??
ReplyDeleteAlso, I can't tell you how many times I'll come home from a race, go on my computer, and see FB posts (some tagging me) from friends who I was with at the race, that they've posted hours previously. I like to put a race picture on FB, but I am not an instantaneous person, I guess. The whippersnappers are light years ahead of me on this - but I don't think I really care to keep up, you know?
Exactly! I can't imagine people ever watch those videos because of the poor sound quality (or just because they don't - I don't think I would), so what's the point?
DeleteI think we all have the friend(s) who post/tag/check-in immediately, but I just don't get it. Why is it so important for everyone to know what you're doing in real-time?
I know! And honestly, all I can think when someone checks in is "hey robbers, my house is empty and ready for you" - !!!
DeleteSeriously! I actually have friends who were robbed while on vacation, and they were constantly posting details of their trip. Gee, big surprise that someone took advantage of that!
DeleteThere you go...privacy settings only go so far on FB, and is everyone on there REALLY a trusted friend? My guess is no.
ReplyDeleteYes, all 700 of them LOL
DeleteYes yes yes. I have been thinking about this a lot lately (especially in race settings, as Shelley mentioned - whenever I get around to looking at FB after a race, I see a ton of people posted right after or during the race - then I feel overwhelmed that there is so much of the same to look at and don't want to see it at all. Anyway...).
ReplyDeleteI think phrase "latergram" is kind of annoying (along with runch and all that other stupid crap), but I do like the concept - take a few pictures, videos, whatever... but you don't have to instantly post it and then constantly check to see who is liking or commenting on it. I understand these social media sites are set up for instant gratification, but how the hell are we going to enjoy the experience with our faces in our phones? And what is the rush? Really? Are you THAT needy for attention that you need people to see you are doing something cool right away? Ding ding ding. I think I just answered my own question ;)
I like the new pic and tagline!
Thanks! I couldn't scale it down any further without cutting out grass or the tree tops, so I'm just going to have a huge banner for now :)
DeleteIt's funny that you and Shelley both thought of this in terms of races - it's been so long since I've done one, that didn't even cross my mind! But I definitely recall checking my phone to see a flurry of posts/statuses on the el ride home from races in the past, and it is somewhat strange (not to say I haven't participated in that, but still...).
I use the "latergram" tag sometimes because that's typically what I do, but most hashtags in general are annoying so I hear ya. I get the instant gratification part of sharing, I suppose, but do we really need people to validate what we're doing? That awesome thing you just did/saw/experienced was awesome if you thought so, not because people "like" what you posted about it.
Yes to all of this. People are definitely too busy documenting their lives and not really "living" it. I've noticed it at concerts too- where people are just constantly taking crappy quality photos and videos- for what? I do take loads of photos, and post a few here and there - but mainly because I love taking photos and feel some sort of need to share them- mainly with family and the easiest way is through a single FB post vs 10 separate emails. But I don't let it consume my life- and L will let me know if I get out of hand. ;) i don't take photos and post for validation (like I'm sure 99% of folks do) mainly because IDGAF what others think of me (blog post for another day) but because I enjoy taking the photos and getting better at this hobby :)
ReplyDeletePs- love the new header and blog description.
Please, please, please write a post about not GAF about what others think! I feel like I've had that conversation with so many people lately, and I definitely have a lot of thoughts about that too.
DeleteI love taking pictures too, which is a lot of why I do it (and typically only share one or two that I think turned out pretty well). Lately, I mostly like documenting things that may not come again for a while, like travels or maybe even catching up with old friends/family that I haven't seen in a long time.
Ok. I'll finly put the words on paper, err I mean a blog post :) I kind of let posts stew for a while until it's word vomit, hence the sparce posting :)
DeleteDocumenting travels and things you won't see again for a while is wonderful- like there's a balance with all of this and I think we've definitely got it :)
I do too! I'll send myself notes or ideas as I think of them, then just let it spew out when I have the time and inspiration ;)
DeleteI don't know how to say this in a way that won't come across as seeming bitchy - but I didn't even notice you weren't on FB anymore. And I say that to prove the point that it doesn't matter who/what is on FB, we wouldn't know what we were missing out on if it's not there. AND THAT'S OK! I don't really want to know what everyone is doing every single minute of the day and honestly I don't want everyone to know what I'm up to. I'd rather fill people in on the important things in my life in person or over the phone. The people who actually care about my life, that is. That's not to say it isn't fun to share things here or there, but there is a fine line and many people have crossed it over and over again.
ReplyDeleteIt scares me how much social media is stunting younger generations' ability to be actually social. My company rents apartments to college aged students and when they call to inquire about apartments they are half incoherent because they don't know how to talk on the phone in a semi-professional manner. And then half the time the only way we can get them to reply to any of our communications is through text. Which is a really weird way to do business, but I guess we have to do whatever works.
The most important thing is - you didn't even say which band you saw! I am dying to know! WHY DIDN'T YOU POST IT ON FB!?!?! ;)
That's not bitchy at all - I'm actually surprised anyone DID notice! I've gotten a few texts to that effect, saying friends were going to message me but didn't see me (one friend thought I removed her from her friends list, so I suppose that's a possible consequence of removing yourself?). But I rarely used it anyway, so I don't think I left a gaping hole or anything there.
DeleteI can't even imagine doing business via text. It's bad enough that I can barely get complete sentences/thoughts from some people I work with while they email me from their phones. I totally agree that smartphones and social media both make people less social and less able to socialize. I actually read that in a few articles after I quit FB myself. And it is kind of freeing to just tell people things in person, on the phone or even in a private email rather than announcing everything to everyone I've ever met.
I saw Extreme! They're touring for the 25th anniversary of their second album, which made me feel really old since the biggest hit ("More Than Words") was definitely a staple at my junior high dances. I think you can see why I didn't share that anywhere ;)
Ooh, I loved that song! Was really pissed when I had to buy their entire album for it and discovered that every other song on the album was NOT like More Than Words, though...
DeleteYou mean that wasn't available as a cassingle?? Their music is definitely all over the place compared to that one song. I was surprised too!
DeleteSomeday when the world ends, it's going to be like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/axNQpvY_700b_v2.jpg
But we'll all be dead, so who will we share the picture with?
I don't mind taking a pic or two to capture an event or experience. But the people who take tons of pictures? And crappy ones at that? Or seem like they are only doing something so they can post about it on social media? They make me sad, not impressed.
Hahahaha, that's awesome. And somewhat accurate, except that those phones will be so obsolete by then (I hope!).
DeleteAnd then there are times like at the Sasquatch music festival 2009 where that one guy starts a dance party to "Unstoppable". Luckily some shot the video of him that was documented for eternity!
ReplyDelete6 years later I still haven't seen that... but yeah, I agree, some things are worth documenting and shouldn't be kept to one's self ;)
DeleteI just LOVE this post. I've been on a mission to keep my eyes ahead, and not looking down at my phone so darn much. In doing so, I have noticed at times in a room FULL of people not one person looking up. Great post. :-)
ReplyDelete