Look Up Once In A While

Want to know how disconnected people are in this pseudo "connected world"? A 30 year old immigrant, Nikhom Thephakaysone, sat on a light rail train in San Francisco and proceeded to pull out his .45 caliber pistol, pointing it across the aisle, putting it back, pulling it out several times again, and at one point wiping his nose with the hand holding the gun  Problem is.... and nobody noticed because they were all too busy staring down at their smart phones and tablet computers "connecting". No joke. it's all on film from the subway where it happened. It was the all too common subway train crowded with commuters while a crazy man waived a gun around that nobody saw. Those riders were so engrossed  texting, tweeting and playing Farm Animals (or whatever is popular now).

After the disturbed Thephakaysone shot and killed Justin Valdez in the head as the two exited the train.  That got the rider's attention, but I wonder if they could tell whether the shooting was real or virtual. The addicted cell nuts today often can't. Social media, the cell phone and other technology have changed us for the worse. The modern electronic forms of communications communication were supposed to allow us to be better connected to one another. Instead, they estrange the individual from the collective group. It's sad because so many cell addicts don't realize it.

Just the other day a survey of college students asked if they ever texted while driving and whether texting is dangerous. Eighty percent said they texted,  and that texting was dangerous FOR OTHER PEOPLE, but not for themselves since they were better at it.  The first sign of addiction is denial of it. That 80% is addicted. If you're at an airport,  on public transit,  in a restaurant, etc. you will see most of the eyes of those around you are downward  fixed to all the screens that contain their real world.  The lively public spaces were once lively with conversation between friends and strangers. Now it is filled by the silence of people who are not there, people who occupy the same place at the same time but exist in their own worlds far apart.

The "connected" people today people go home to their families where they watch separate TV programs or compute in separate rooms while the kids retreat to rooms of their own to text and tweet the night away.  All the new options for  electronic entertainment seduces us, and we more frequently choose, is to be alone, uh.... together. speaks at least as loudly and directly to the alienation and disconnect that have been the ironic, unintended consequence of devices and platforms designed to bring us together.  Justin Valdez is dead because it is now possible to wave a gun in a crowded train without anyone noticing. Technology has trained us looking down in search of a connection when the best connections are upward, right in front of our faces..