My Phone
From new iPhone to new Galaxy has become the calendar of our modern lives. We now measure progress by pixels, by gigabytes of data, and by units sold. The transistor, merely a silicon spark, and at one time more fragile than a light bulb, has ensured our transition into a digital utopia. But this new world is not like George Jetson’s, so color-saturated and optimistic. The temptation to impose meaning on our lives, first through photos, then through “friends,” and finally through acquisition and achievement, harmonizes so neatly with the computer’s ability to count before divvying up the proceeds. I’ll admit I love to create using these digital tools. The endless streams of ones and zeros blend my imaginings into all sorts of words and shapes, making it easy for me to share them with others - if only I could get their attention. Do you ever look at your phone in wonder, then ask silently how this ever came to be? I think it exists to teach us the same old lessons.
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