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marianna
I suspect the artists using these cases at their shows are being paid some kind of kickback by the company providing the cases. It's a publicity thing. It's not a very practical idea.
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swiss
Thanks for posting. It brings up a lot of questions, and a lot of issues.
I have, in the past, sort of guessed that this is what people of a certain age seem to believe and feel about "being in the moment." That it's somehow risque and "punk rock" and "Zen" as various people said in these articles. But I have always checked myself from believing that---thinking that I was just being an old person with wild uncharitable imaginings.
The fact that these people are almost having anxiety attacks and are at a complete loss when being with other people and no phone is tremendously bizarre, objectively. It is so much less about connecting with each other and more about narcissism--I don't mean that unkindly, necessarily; I mean narcissism, like that of a child, who thinks their every word, thought, sound, movement (of every kind) is going to be fascinating to their mama--and when you're very young, it is.
But to think that they owe it to someone on the east coast (if you're on the west coast) or someone who wasn't able to score tickets to take and share videos and photos of a show...? That's such a radical disconnect from what anyone thought or believed before around 2010! The author of the ars technica piece marvels that the cell pouches will change the way we have been experiencing concerts for the past 1/2 century.
I don't even know where to start. She goes to a reception and doesn't know anyone and she is completely at a loss for what to do without her phone. She even admits she would be pretending to text someone than be, as she says, "in the moment." People in the articles say their cells are their "memory."
Her conclusion that how much a ticket costs has something to do with the intrinsic value of the experience makes my head explode. She writes off small shows with little known bands as not holding much of a crowd experience--and large expensive corporate concerts as the ones where this cell-sock would make an appreciable difference. No wonder bands in small venues are struggling so badly. I have been to thousands of shows--most of them small, which is my intention. I have had some of the best social moments of my life in small venues with new bands (first run Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes, Portishead, Beck, Radiohead, Elliott Smith) or old bands (think Toots and the Maytals at the Box on Nantucket, Bo Diddley at Raoul's Roadside Attraction in Portland, Maine, or my first show, Squeeze, at My Father's Place on Long Island), or unknown bands that are amazing. Not just the band but the experience. Who you're standing next to, the collective vibe of the night--different every time, when people are, in fact, present--you become a living organism, for just that time together.
So, at first I was skeptical, like who's going to tell me what to do with my personal property--lock it in a tech broh bag. But the guy who started the company (and not to be snarky but I had to chuckle at his saying he cashed out his "entire 401k" at age 27--mine at age 27 would have been around $217) actually says his primary intent was to reinstill this sense of being in the moment, being "present" for artists and bands who are creating for us.
The only downside I see--is that people might freak after Orlando and Paris--that they would feel "unsafe" without the ability to use their cell phones. Not to ignore the fact that forever before cell phones 400 individuals at a show couldn't call the cops if a person decided to shoot up the joint, but
the current cultural more is that with cell phone comes personal power and autonomy, and a way to effect a different outcome, change reality one way or another...
-swiss
That
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TheGreek
this is all so funny to me because the cell phones, I- phones ,and so on are the new CRACK .Where is my phone? i can't find it ,then panic attack insues .They are so dependent on these so called devices that their minds are programed to only work if they have there phone .I should correct that because there minds are dependent on the info from the phone ,there minds can not think independent from the phone .Where do i go for dinner ?where do i go to shop?and on and on and on.What is the real contribution of phones? instant gratification from online pornhub?I for one am glad that i am not from this mindless generation and am a old fart !
Best Post of the day and all so true .Quote
mariannaQuote
TheGreek
this is all so funny to me because the cell phones, I- phones ,and so on are the new CRACK .Where is my phone? i can't find it ,then panic attack insues .They are so dependent on these so called devices that their minds are programed to only work if they have there phone .I should correct that because there minds are dependent on the info from the phone ,there minds can not think independent from the phone .Where do i go for dinner ?where do i go to shop?and on and on and on.What is the real contribution of phones? instant gratification from online pornhub?I for one am glad that i am not from this mindless generation and am a old fart !
I suspect younger people will outgrow their smartphone addiction when they get to the age where they need reading glasses to see the tiny font on the phones. If they're not vain about wearing glasses, they will at least be too inconvenienced by constantly having to take their glasses out and put them on.
truex2Quote
TheGreekBest Post of the day and all so true .Quote
marianna
I suspect younger people will outgrow their smartphone addiction when they get to the age where they need reading glasses to see the tiny font on the phones. If they're not vain about wearing glasses, they will at least be too inconvenienced by constantly having to take their glasses out and put them on.
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swimtothemoon
There would have to be a disclosure on the ticket and at the point of sale stating all cell phones entering the building would automatically become locked
during the performance. If not, this would be a liability issue for the promoter, artist, etc. Seems to me this would be a large negative and may make a fan think twice about accepting the $750 seats at checkout.
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jambay
Why stop at cell phones?
Dave Chappelle and Alicia should also come up with a bag for all of the other things and people that distract at concerts, most of which are far more distracting than people recording.
Before bagging cameras and phones they need to bag up al the people who YELLsing badly to every song.
And how about the people who SCREAMtalk to each other the whole show, can they be put in a bag too...
And go ahead and bag up all the people who love to push and shove their way up front... and bag up all of the people getting sick, people who are getting up and down and in and out constantly.... AND BE SURE TO BAG UP those 2 damn tall people who somehow are always in front of me at every show with their arms up in the air fingers interlaced holding the back of their head.
And bag up the stupid security idiots who at some shows love to be overly aggressive as they seem to enjoy trying to interfere with everyone trying to enjoy the show... and bag up the people who constantly scream "PLAY FREEBIRD" or whatever song they want to hear... and bag up the drunk chick who thinks she can share my good seat, plus bag up the shirtless hippie guy at every show who comes around asking everyone if they have a lighter and/or rolling papers... and bag up the people behind us who feel obligated to throw crap like water bottles...
And what the heck... go ahead and bag up all of these bands trying to retire on one tour by charging $100-300-750 1500 per ticket... AND BAG UP Ticketbastard for charging another $50-60-200 fee on top of the band's outrageous prices.... and bag up the opening band who comes on late and DOUBLE BAG the main band who takes over an hour or two to finally get off their asses in gear and get in stage... etc etc etc.
that is so true i have to use readers also i think they are the +1.50Quote
jambaytruex2Quote
TheGreekBest Post of the day and all so true .Quote
marianna
I suspect younger people will outgrow their smartphone addiction when they get to the age where they need reading glasses to see the tiny font on the phones. If they're not vain about wearing glasses, they will at least be too inconvenienced by constantly having to take their glasses out and put them on.
Freekin reading glasses and old decaying eyeballs. What kind of prank is that?
I would never admit that this is the main reason I do not even own a cellphone smartphone or any mobile device like that. Nor would I admit having my home computer connected to a 32 inch flat screen that hangs on the wall so I dont have to deal with small screen and those freeking reading glasses which I would never admit to owning.
The only thing worse than having to put readers on over a pair of contact lenses would be not having them to use.
"Oh Uncle, you need to get a Kindle, it is so cool! You can read books on a ittybittyteenytiny screen, so there is no need to ever look at a BIG book again."
"Oh yeah, that sounds like the best idea ever!! I will pick one of those up soon!"
side idea- I like the idea of not making a friend have to buy their first pair of readers. As with Sake it is a good thing to pour them them their first pairs of readers. When I have seen a couple of friends needing them, I did them a favor and bought them a 3-pack with +1.50 readers and gave it to them with no pomp and circumstance, I just layed it there.
freekin tiny writing... could they make it all just a little bit smaller!