The Capturization Generation

JimJar · 02-01-2015 12:17pm #1

Late 20's person here. From being out over Christmas and seeing many other incidents; is there now of generation obsessed with capturing the moment?

Selfies have become widespread, with a little help from Snapchat. My 3-day-spell on the app informed me what coloured socks people were deciding to wear and what they had for dinner. I left the app before I found out what the did in the toilet after their dinner.

I was at a couple of concerts in the last few months; some in the 3 Arena where the acts were fairly famous, but nonetheless all I could see was a sea of cameras. Similarly, I was at a few low key gigs and noticed a lot of the same.

The worst was in a nightclub in my hometown on NYE. Jesus. I felt like Princess Diana with people I knew/half knew demanding that I step in for a selfie/picture while they pull a mad pose. I saw the same individuals doing the same throughout the night to others, as though to create the illusion they've had a crazy night in the photos, yet all they did was take photos.

So then I went to a house party after the club, I needed to redeem my night after that ordeal. A few too many drinks later I was doing karaoke with a friend to some Beatles song and looked in front of me. Yep, you guessed it. People who I had previously regarded as normal enough were stood in front of me, like a group of Japanese tourists with their cameras out capturing the moment.

Is it now lost for people to live in the moment rather than catching it and peering over every little event in the privacy of their own home after it has occurred or to show others what happened?

Rant over!

Thoughts??

Harry Palmr · 02-01-2015 12:20pm

More pictures were taken last year then in the whole previous history of still camera technology.

Most of them were deleted.

The rest are on facebook.

Tokyo · 02-01-2015 12:20pm

I think we've always been obsessed with capturing the moment - there were guys sitting in caves in Lascaux 17,000 odd years ago painting selfies onto walls of them hunting various animals. The only difference is the medium, and the fact that it's just gotten a hell of a lot easier and cheaper (free) to do so.

Pwindedd · 02-01-2015 12:44pm

mike_ie wrote: »

I think we've always been obsessed with capturing the moment - there were guys sitting in caves in Lascaux 17,000 odd years ago painting selfies onto walls of them hunting various animals. The only difference is the medium, and the fact that it's just gotten a hell of a lot easier and cheaper (free) to do so.

We used take pictures of the dead too. Saw a documentary once about it, posing dead babies/children/adults in lifelike situations and taking pictures for the family album. Creepy as fcuk IMO.

I don't mind the selfie craze, most of it is harmless. Just have my settings on FB so no one can tag me without my approval and I'm just very thankful my party years were well before social media took hold.

R.D. aka MR.D · 02-01-2015 12:55pm

I'm on a months holidays at the moment and it's insane!

I remember the days when taking a selfie was embarrassing.

Why can't people just look at things anymore?

Also, these people who take like 17 pictures of the same thing, when do they ever look at it?

The pictures I have taken over the past couple of years, unless they have people in them, if they weren't in a folder marked with the country/event etc, i wouldn't have a clue of what it was of.

I just don't understand it. It's like i'm the weird one for not taking pictures....

Meathlass · 02-01-2015 1:00pm

Too many people capturing the moment instead of living in it.

AndonHandon · 02-01-2015 1:02pm

People video recording a concert end up watching it through their camera lens. I try to block these people or disturb their recording by swaying with hands in the air or dancing depending on the song.

Meathlass · 02-01-2015 1:06pm

I spent an amazing week in Bagan in Burma recently watching the sun rise and set over temples. Very peaceful, serene and beautiful place.

The mostly Asian tourists there spent their time taking photos with their tablets and then taking a photo of the image on the tablet with their Canon!! I'm pretty sure some of them didn't look up once from all their gadgets

Saipanne · 02-01-2015 1:08pm

mike_ie wrote: »

I think we've always been obsessed with capturing the moment - there were guys sitting in caves in Lascaux 17,000 odd years ago painting selfies onto walls of them hunting various animals. The only difference is the medium, and the fact that it's just gotten a hell of a lot easier and cheaper (free) to do so.

There are humans in those paintings?

Checks. Oh, thought it was just animals.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 02-01-2015 1:10pm

Excellent observation, OP. The smartphone era seems to have bought about a generation of young people who are unable to concentrate, live in the moment, or enjoy what they are doing without letting the world know about it. It's the worst manifestation of the ego.

I encountered the same when I was back in Ireland over Christmas. I was in a couple of the pubs in my home town, enjoying a few beers with the brother. You couldn't go to use the facilities without some slack-jawed yokel with an iphone attempting to get you into a 'selfie'. Probably to be uploaded to facebook, instagram and every other form of 'social' media in an attempt to garner a few thanks from other addicted smartphone users.

I flat out refused every time. I have no desire to have my mugshot uploaded to the facebook account of some goon I went to school with. You'd also think he'd have the self-realisation to know that unless he lost about 4 stone, he shouldn't be uploading pictures of his own bloated frame so the whole world can see how far he has let himself go.

People need to be more mindful. You can only live in the present. Conversations and experiences make true memories. Not a picture uploaded to facebook showing red-faced savages with big bellies gurning at the camera while holding pints in their hands.

It's a damning indictment of modern society.

RollieFingers · 02-01-2015 1:10pm

AndonHandon wrote: »

People video recording a concert end up watching it through their camera lens. I try to block these people or disturb their recording by swaying with hands in the air or dancing depending on the song.

Why does it bother you if others choose to video a gig? No harm done!

Tokyo · 02-01-2015 1:10pm

Saipanne wrote: »

There are humans in those paintings?

As far as I remember, yes.

Meathlass · 02-01-2015 1:12pm

RollieFingers wrote: »

Why does it bother you if others choose to video a gig? No harm done!

It can be really distracting at a gig if all you can see are the screens of smart phones and tablets. Particularly if it's a quiet acoustic type gig with minimal stage lighting.

The Moldy Gowl · 02-01-2015 1:13pm

So many holier than thou, up my own arse types here.

I don't take photos, but if someone else wants to, leave them off.

It's nice to stumble upon a photo a few years old and remember. It takes about 30 seconds to take a picture of a sunset.

Same at gigs, don't begrudge someone. It's not like taking a photo or a video completely devoids you of any sensation of being there or being able to hear the songs or whatever. They can still hear the songs.

Saipanne · 02-01-2015 1:13pm

The only thing that annoys me is people making videos of gigs. All these lights, blocking the view of the band, and for what? A wobbly, out of focus video, and distorted audio.

Worse still, is YouTube is flooded with this garbage, so it can be hard to find high quality live versions of songs.

In summary, people who do it should have their phone shoved up their rectum.

The Moldy Gowl · 02-01-2015 1:14pm

Meathlass wrote: »

It can be really distracting at a gig if all you can see are the screens of smart phones and tablets. Particularly if it's a quiet acoustic type gig with minimal stage lighting.

Are you not there to enjoy the music or you there to look at the performer?

Do you listen to music on the radio with a picture of the artist?

Saipanne · 02-01-2015 1:15pm

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Are you not there to enjoy the music or you there to look at the performer?

Do you listen to music on the radio with a picture of the artist?

What a outrageously stupid post.

Tarzana2 · 02-01-2015 1:15pm

Pwindedd wrote: »

We used take pictures of the dead too. Saw a documentary once about it, posing dead babies/children/adults in lifelike situations and taking pictures for the family album. Creepy as fcuk IMO.

I dunno if it's that creepy. Most people would not have ever been able to afford a camera then so often those photos were their only visual memory of that person. I found some of the ones with dead relations strangely moving and quite sad actually.

Meathlass · 02-01-2015 1:17pm

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Are you not there to enjoy the music or you there to look at the performer?

Both. If I just wanted to listen to the music I'd stay at home.

anncoates · 02-01-2015 1:18pm

AndonHandon wrote: »

People video recording a concert end up watching it through their camera lens. I try to block these people or disturb their recording by swaying with hands in the air or dancing depending on the song.

In other words, you're neglecting the moment in order to inconvenience others that you judge to be neglecting the moment.

The Moldy Gowl · 02-01-2015 1:19pm

Saipanne wrote: »

What a outrageously stupid post.

There is gob****es everywhere.
Leave them off to record a crap quality video. I'm there to listen to a band, not to watch them.

Nothing you can do will stop them. Same with other gigs with people shouting out stupid things. Tell them to shut up and they will be aggressive.

RollieFingers · 02-01-2015 1:21pm

AndonHandon wrote: »

People video recording a concert end up watching it through their camera lens. I try to block these people or disturb their recording by swaying with hands in the air or dancing depending on the song.

The fact you go out of your way to actively block somebody taking a video at gig which you presumably paid good money to see says more about you than the aforementioned amateur cameraman!

Saipanne · 02-01-2015 1:21pm

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

There is gob****es everywhere.
Leave them off to record a crap quality video. I'm there to listen to a band, not to watch them.

Nothing you can do will stop them. Same with other gigs with people shouting out stupid things. Tell them to shut up and they will be aggressive.

So turn around when the band are playing.

Jesus wept...

The Moldy Gowl · 02-01-2015 1:24pm

Saipanne wrote: »

So turn around when the band are playing.

Jesus wept...

I actually do, just to pass judgement on other people with their phones.

Cantremember · 02-01-2015 1:24pm

Shocking discovery! People follow trends. People give out about other people. Old people give out about young people. Young people do mad things. Young people annoy old people. Got it. Think I'll lie down in a darkened room.

5live · 02-01-2015 1:25pm

Cantremember wrote: »

Shocking discovery! People follow trends. People give out about other people. Old people give out about young people. Young people do mad things. Young people annoy old people. Got it. Think I'll lie down in a darkened room.

Take a selfie, just to prove you have done it:pac:

AndonHandon · 02-01-2015 2:06pm

RollieFingers wrote: »

The fact you go out of your way to actively block somebody taking a video at gig which you presumably paid good money to see says more about you than the aforementioned amateur cameraman!

It isn't going out of my way as I am enjoying the music as they should be doing. The byproduct is blocking or disturbing them.

AndonHandon · 02-01-2015 2:08pm

RollieFingers wrote: »

Why does it bother you if others choose to video a gig? No harm done!

No harm but it appears that they are more interested in being seen to have been at the gig then actually being there for the music. They just need to be metaphorically shaken up a bit.

TheSheriff · 02-01-2015 2:14pm

I was out in Galway new years eve and I witnessed a guy getting tackled to the ground by two other bigger lads outside a pub.

They proceeded to punch him full on in the face before the bigger of the two lads gave him a full whack into the face with his boot - knocking the guy unconscious and from what I could see probably breaking his nose.

I have no idea what it was about or anything like that but when I ran over to tell someone call an ambulance/security from the pub all I could see what a load of camera phones recording the entire incident - not a single person stopped recording to go get help.

Absolutely outrageous and insanely sickening.

Cantremember · 02-01-2015 2:18pm

TheSheriff wrote: »

I was out in Galway new years eve and I witnessed a guy getting tackled to the ground by two other bigger lads outside a pub.

They proceeded to punch him full on in the face before the bigger of the two lads gave him a full whack into the face with his boot - knocking the guy unconscious and from what I could see probably breaking his nose.

I have no idea what it was about or anything like that but when I ran over to tell someone call an ambulance/security from the pub all I could see what a load of camera phones recording the entire incident - not a single person stopped recording to go get help.

Absolutely outrageous and insanely sickening.

Don't leave the story there...what happened after you called the Gardai?

RollieFingers · 02-01-2015 2:31pm

AndonHandon wrote: »

No harm but it appears that they are more interested in being seen to have been at the gig then actually being there for the music. They just need to be metaphorically shaken up a bit.

Last time I checked people are free to enjoy gigs in whatever way they choose? Be that standing, sitting, dancing, singing along, taking videos etc.

lanos · 02-01-2015 2:35pm

Cantremember wrote: »

Don't leave the story there...what happened after you called the Gardai?

haha
the sherrif needs to lose his star

derb12 · 02-01-2015 2:38pm

RollieFingers wrote: »

Last time I checked people are free to enjoy gigs in whatever way they choose? Be that standing, sitting, dancing, singing along, taking videos etc.

Pretty sure that isn't allowed if you read the T&Cs

conorhal · 02-01-2015 3:13pm

Social media has meant that people are increesingly evolving into little more then human clickbait for their facebook page.
I'm waiting for the first person to appeal to the supreme court and demand their right to be 'legally recognised as a meme' before I shut myself into my fallout shelter and live tweet the apocalypse!

The Capturization Generation

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