Probably by now you’ve seen a clip of Louis C.K. explaining why smartphones are the worst. If not, here ya go:
This has been generating a lot of chatter on the internet this week. Maybe a lot of face-to-face conversation too, I don’t know. Hopefully no one is texting about it.
But really, I think he has some interesting points. I know I am guilty of pulling my smartphone out when I’m in public by myself, waiting for someone, etc. And I think to some degree it is that I don’t want to look like the person just sitting there alone. Which is weird because I am the person sitting there alone. But it’s not as some sort of escapism. It’s not like I pull my phone out so that I’m not alone with my thoughts. Because I really do love being alone with my thoughts.
I will agree with him about people texting and driving. It’s stupid. Don’t do it. But I’m really not convinced that the people you see texting and driving are feeling alone and texting someone. I know that everytime I’ve been in the car and pulled over to text it’s because I’m picking someone up, or arranging some sort of plan. Not cuz I’m lonely. That’s a really weird theory.
And as for kids being mean. Kids have always been mean and they always will be. Smartphones, and the internet, and technology certainly didn’t change that base fact. I seriously doubt that there are kids who aren’t mean to another kid to their face and then run home and say things over FB. If a kid’s going to be mean to you online, they’re going to be mean to your face. That’s what kids do.
Anyway, those are just the few thoughts I could rustle up on the topic. It’s an interesting topic. Leave some comments and tell me what you think.
Here’s the Gawker article that ate up everything Louis C.K. said with a spoon: http://gawker.com/louis-c-k-s-explanation-of-why-he-hates-smartphones-is-1354954625
And here’s a Slate blog refuting everything he says: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/09/23/louis_c_k_hates_cell_phones_but_he_s_wrong_smartphones_are_both_good_and.html
And now you can’t say I never provide you with links.
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