Friday, December 10, 2010
Really?
This commercial never fails to surprise me with how much our technology absorbs us. This ad, of course, is dramatized, but it gets the point across quite effectively: we spend more time in the virtual reality created by the devices we use every moment of the day, than in the real reality. The most shocking, jaw-dropping scenes of this ad include the concert girl--who connects to what we talked about in class, with how we’d rather experience reality through our phones (mediated), than being right there experiencing the band in person-- and the shower and bathroom guys show how we are never just doing one thing. We always feel the need to multitask in order to feel “productive”. One of the last scenes, with a family sitting at a dinner table with everyone on their phones, communicates one of the most important messages: Technology is intruding on family time. Technology is not only distracting us from life going on around us, but taking us away from our loved ones.
There’s a lot of irony to this commercial, though. It finishes off with “It’s Time For a Phone to Save Us From Our Phones”. Yes, we do need something to save us from our phones and bring us back to reality, but NOT another phone. This phone is no different than the other phones that have been absorbing us away from reality in the first place. What this phone is making fun of—that other phones do to us what the ad was demonstrating—is actually something this phone will do to us as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak
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I think this commercial brings up the important point of how addicted we are to our gadgets. The example of texting while driving is very relevant in this discussion, as it proves that we can't bear to be torn away from our mobile devices for even a short car ride. Instead of putting down the phones and focusing on the road, we put our own lives and everyone else's on the road in danger because of our need to always remain connected. What message, I wonder, could be so crucial to send at that specific moment that its worth jeopardizing everything for? I can't begin to imagine.
ReplyDeleteThe scene that struck me the most was when the bride came down the aisle texting with her phone on one side and her father on the other. A bride's wedding day is supposed to be a huge step in her life and is supposed to something which she wants to remember for the rest of her life. Yet, in this commercial it seems that texting with friends she could probably see at anytime or updating whatever social networking database is more important than this (hopefully) once in a lifetime experience. The message of this commercial seems to be that phones are screwing up our priorities. However, in the end, an alternative phone which is supposed to fix all of your problems is suggested. This is the perfect example of the downward spiral technology has us in.
ReplyDeleteThis video clip does a great job of depicting the American Zeitgeist. We have become so obsessed with technology that we literally cannot do anything without it. This constant usage removes us from the world surrounding us. One thing I noticed when I watched this was that the music began sort of calm and slowly. As the clip progressed, the music increased in volume and speed, thus becoming more chaotic. The music can be representative of technological use. It is growing exponentially and spiraling out of control. Also, toward the end the child hits his father in the head with a baseball. This can be representative of humanity attempting to combat technology. Our actions must go further in order to reverse the brainwashing that has occurred.
ReplyDeleteI thought one of the most disturbing scenes in this commercial was when the mother was texting and completely ignoring her baby daughter. Having and raising a child is a wonderful experience and many parents would never sacrifice that to have an insignificant conversation with a friend. To have the mother ignore probably the most important thing in her life is sad, and shows that technology is not only taking over our lives, but also changing our priorities. I think the commercial applies to all phones, even the phone being advertised. The new phone being promoted wouldn't solve our problems. New phones, like new technologies, create problems of their own.
ReplyDeleteThat's so ironic how the phone company portrays us using our phones too much, so that we will want to buy a new phone that is better for multitasking. This commercial is reality though. That is what you see walking the streets in the city or at the park or even at restaurants-it's sad to see how addicted we are to technology. One scene that struck me was when the man was on his phone missing out on the dolphin that was swimming underneath him in the water. It shows that life still goes on without us and that we are missing so many opportunities because of the need to be connected. Technology is taking over our thoughts, actions and lives, distracting us from the enjoyment in life.
ReplyDeleteI liked this video, i found it easy to relate to my everyday life and the absurdity that technology has caused. The simplicity and irrelevance of certain texts being sent are so satirical, its rather worrisome. If two people in the same room feel the need to text out a conversation with one another because they disprove of someone else in the room hearing, there's something wrong. If you have a short enough attention span that you feel the need to text during a movie, you need medication. If you feel like you would die if you didn't text one person while out with a group of friends, you need new friends. The impersonality of texting is astounding, and preferred to actual reality. For times sake i wont even go into the irony of a phone saving us from our phones; ill just say, "really?"
ReplyDeleteThis clip is gr8. shows us how textin has bcome such a part of our life& has 4ever trans4med our life 2. This immediately grabbed my attention because I've seen this EVERYWHERE! People don't look the same way as they did even a couple of years ago when they walked in the hallways or in the city. Walk along those paths today and literally, our eyes our glued to the cellphone screen. This reminds me of the hilarious but tragic story about how a girl was texting and she fell into manhole because she wasn't watching where she was going.
ReplyDeleteTexting has absorbed special moments, increased procrastination unlike any other era, has taken us away from precious family time, gets us into potentially dangerous situations (because we don't look where we're going) and has diverged our focus and attention so our eyes are locked on our phones. I'm sure this has happened to all of us sometime and I love how we don't have to walk very far to see evidence of a hypnotized generation.
At the end, the grabbing line is, "it's time for a phone to save us from our phones". Really?
g2g...
Thx 4 posting this Dima,
As already mentioned by Kate, I thought the most powerful scene in the commercial was the mother and child. Children tend to imitate their parents' actions, and sure enough, the girl is mimicking her mother's texting by texting on her own plastic, pink phone (bought by her mother, no doubt). It is disturbing to see how innocence can be corrupted at such a young age. In addition, all the individuals in the commercial are of different ages. This shows how large an influence technology has over the people in our society. Technology exposes the foolishness of our society, for it makes us look ridiculous (our sole entertainment is a tiny, radiating screen) and it places us in embarrassing situations. Even the elegantly-dressed woman loses her sophistication and poise when she stumbles and rolls down the stairs, all at the hands of her cellphone.
ReplyDeleteI think this commercial is so funny yet scary. Looking around all the time, people always have their heads bent down with their fingers at work. Doesn't matter whether you're in class or at the mall, it's always happening. Phones have become somewhat of a safety blanket for us. You never have to feel alone if you have you're phone to use. I know that whenever I'm in an awkward situation, I take out my phone and start texting. It's a crutch. We don't NEED to be constantly communicating yet we do and it's because there are these phones that we do. Phones have more functions than just calling/dialing. We can text, surf the web, check e-mails, etc. all on one handy device and it's taking over our lives. I forgot my phone one day from school and I actually felt like my arm was missing. Whenever my phone dies, I feel like I'm missing something--as if some part of me dies. It's creepy yet it's the truth...
ReplyDeleteNice find :)
This film is great! It shows how we all hav become too attatched to our cell phones and it takes the joy out of simple pleasures. People ususally seem to text because it gives them value or it takes the awkwardness out of social situations. It is a freind you can buy much like all of technology. And now phones are surpassing the computer because they are making phone computer book clothing everything in one cell phone oh my that's scary.
ReplyDeleteThis video reminded me a lot of the water bottle project we did earlier in the year. Phone companies have to face a problem similar to water bottle companies; phones are by and large similar, and so companies must try and make their product stick out somehow. We can see in this ad this phone company's attempt to make their phone stand out, by marketing it as an "anti-phone" phone.
ReplyDelete