I can relive my first concert whenever I want to. I can open Snapchat, scroll down to November 2017, and there lie a few dozen shaky videos of me screaming my lungs out to some Halsey songs. Technology, more specifically, my cell phone, has gifted me a vault of memories that I can access whenever I so desire.
Our phones see a lot. Last night’s sunset, today’s makeup look, and this afternoon’s COVID-19 test results. We snap a quick pic of this or that, and we save, share, and post nearly every piece of our existence. Maybe one day all the blue light will catch up to us and give us some incurable illness, but for now, we relish in our ability to document experiences.
But, in the constant pursuit to record everything, are we losing touch with reality?
I try my best to subscribe to the age-old doctrine of “living in the moment.” Everything is fleeting, and the impermanence of each moment gives me all the more reason to savor it. It is challenging, though, as it is not so much that I think I will forget precious moments as it is that I want the ability to reminisce. I am a sucker for the simple pleasure of wistfully looking back.
However, this has created a number of drawbacks. When we have the convenient means to record our memories, it is incredibly easy to live life robotically. There is a distinction between being alive and just existing, and I believe that the accessibility of the cell phone has sadly pushed us towards the latter. And while an adequate dose of reminiscing is acceptable, getting stuck remembering the past can also hinder us from enjoying the present.
I never will claim that I was in the wrong for wanting to record my very first live music experience — in fact, I am grateful I did. I have recorded snippets of many other concerts, and I don’t think it’s a habit I’ll ever break. On the other hand, watching the whole performance through my phone screen poses an intriguing question: did I experience that concert, or did I just passively see it? I think there is a beauty in striking a balance between the two extremes, and being able to put your phone away and sink deeply into the current moment.
Kate Linggi is from
San Diego, Calif.
Her major is undecided.
