Superficial Intelligence

Neat article! Definitely good advice for the times we're living in. I've had moments when I've been a bit too interested in taking pictures of what's going on instead of just enjoying the moment. But I've at least stayed away from other types of over-documenting my life; I'm almost the only person in my family who does not have a Facebook profile!

That's a lame tactic to excuse your not using Facebook. You're missing out on all the Facebook family interactions!

I suppose I'm the other who still refuses facebook. Well i balance both effects, I prefer to use my own memory for the moment. Shame I can't project it. I have a camera, just I keep forgetting to use it, it's more like a burden I don't need. In my opinion, sharing the moment is better when in person, not through a social network. Basically all the emotion can be expressed in a line of text. A picture is just for added effect.

There are things that you just can't share as well with words or text. A picture often really is worth a thousand words. And in some situations you just can't be there in person to share the moment with another person. The problem is getting carried away with the picture taking and taking 20 pictures when one will do, or taking pictures of things that you don't really need pictures of, or taking pictures during moments that you should be enjoying and sharing instead of documenting them. But pictures are important. There are things that I would have never remembered, or would have never seen, if it weren't for pictures; like my dad having hair on his head, for example.

You should both just get Facebook. Seriously.

Regarding Fernando's post, however, I do think it is especially relevant to our generation. I recently read a similar complaint somewhere else - a guy was trying to watch a Radiohead concert, but, despite being in one of the first rows, he couldn't see a thing because everybody had their camera in the air.

However, in defense of the technophiles, the "glass" isn't a lesser way of living - just a different one. By recording your life, you get to recycle those feelings and places, and - what's more important - you can remember them as they actually happened (Tio did have hair at one point.) So, if I got front row seats to a concert of my choosing, and the totally hot lead singer blew me a kiss, I would much rather have that on film to watch over and over again. Don't you think?

I think the "glass" can be a "lesser way of living" for some situations. Among the many things that are video or picture worthy, some are not nearly as enjoyable when replayed, than they are at the moment they're occuring, and trying to capture the moment can sometimes subtract enjoyment from them at the moment they occur. There's always some sort of trade-off to make when deciding whether or not to document something, and sometimes the trade-off is more about how much to document something (take 2 or 3 pictures vs. take 40 pictures or something like that).

This is great! An interesting discussion is occurring in the comments!

I like the idea of a trade-off. It's hard to define an actual threshold where one option is better than the other.

Lidia I believe you gave the reason why you should have Facebook... because both you and I are loosing some of those moments that otherwise could have been shared with us and others and enjoye and commented and expressed out in the open, I would not have the many blessings I count now on surfing your brothers and cousings pages... and for those of you who still wonder... very soon I shall add new photos to my Facebook page with lots and lots of hair!!!