Are we slaves to our cell phones? Or are these instruments of liberation? Stuart Jeffries contemplated this in a Guardian article, and after reading it I’ve thought about it as well.
Jeffries reflection comes as he’s trying to take in a sight at the Victoria and Albert museum, and his view is obstructed by an unruly visitor who keeps blocking everyone else’s view, so that he can capture the moment with his cell phone camera.
He reflects on the many uses of cell-phone cameras and the pictures they take, from museum loiterers who want to decorate their facebook pages, enthusiastic concert goers and eager parents who want to make a memory last. He also illustrates the seedier ways cell phone cameras are being used: the “upskirt” phenomenon for instance, or citizen celebrity paparazzi-ism. With that, Jeffries touches on the most important consideration to come about on the wings of the cell phone revolution: citizen journalism.
Sure, we can say that we’re all “slaves to our cell phones” that we constantly check and recheck on the hour, but our cell phones can also be used as tools of liberation. Having a camera on us at all times means we can more fully realize Foucault’s concept of panopticism – consider the beatings of Adam Nobody at the G20 summits. Adam was beaten to the ground by Toronto police, and it was all captured by another protester’s cell phone camera. Cell phone cameras in the hands of responsible citizens can help maintain surveillance on those in power and those who wish to be in power. And local police will think twice about attacking protesters, next time.
THE WHISKEY DIARY 