Strategically Communicating

When I think of intellectual technologies that once adopted, can never be abandoned, or if absent, can cause ” great confusion, and possibly utter chaos,” my mind immediately connects that idea to the relationship between people and their cell phones.

These little hand-held computers absolutely are an extension of the individuals they belong to, and likewise they have the ability to prohibit us while simultaneously enabling and empowering us.

That notion calls to mind the “Social Lights” series; artist Seymour Templar documented young New Yorkers candidly interacting with their connections using their smart phones. The blue glow emitted from their phones gently lights up their faces, giving us an intimate and honest look at the relationship between the person and her phone, and by extension, ourselves and our phones. When I look at this I see beauty in these frank moments, but I also feel a sense of disappointment at the way we have allowed technology to break the sanctimony of eating dinner or sharing a drink and conversation with friends. Then again, happy hour is so much more fun when you can Instagram it. #CanadianClub #StratComm101