I love that it allows me to forget phone numbers,birthdays, holidays, deadlines, it allows me to forget how to navigate streets using my own senses and observation, it allows me to even forget why and how I know the people I know. It’s the cure for my mnemonic societal desire that begs me just to zone out and forget, it affords and exports all that small “useless” information into a nice small computer that is more powerful than the electronic behemoth that first put men on the moon. And I know, like all good objects – it will not fail to deliver my information back to me.

I like that there is a certain mystery as to where this information goes – I like that I can attain immediate gratification on knowing my checking balance or remembering that my sister’s husband’s brother has a hair cut scheduled for tomorrow. I love it, it’s like OCD with buttons. And I love this. I walk down the street, once having to use sunglasses and a sulk at dusk to avoid friendly strangerly interactions. The nightly news does not fear me any more – because my world is very very small – my world is a very small mirror with which I can look into and…. see me….. my music, my calendar, my lightsaber noise maker, my address, my photo of me and my dad…… and look for exotic tangible escapes in far off lands with it – because that is really what I’m like, and yet where I will immediately begin to crave my social network and my fail.com’s…….

Or, maybe I’m a slave to myself in that very very modern aesthetic.

But what really came to mind when I was reading your post was the question, “what’s wrong with consumerism/materialism?” you made a comment that people feel connected because of technology, but that it’s not real. If it’s a feeling, why isn’t it real? Isn’t “connecting” about feelings? I don’t doubt that technology has had substantive effects on social behavior and culture, but iPhone worship seems just like any other major cultural phenomenon, such as the world cup. Which make me think of all the people living in different parts of the world, trying to make a living away from their loved ones. Isn’t it great the new iPhone will have video chat so those people can feel more connected?

Kathyrn