Did you know the average person spends four years of his life looking down at his cell phone?
Kinda ironic, ain't it?
How these touch screens can make us lose touch
But it's no wonder in a world filled with iMac's, iPads and iPhones
So many I, so many selfies, not enough us-es and we-s
See, technology
Has made us more selfish and separate than ever
'Cause while it claims to connect us, connection has gotten no better
And let me express first
Mr Zuckerberg, not be rude, but you should reclassify Facebook to what it is
An anti-social network
'Cause while we may have big friend lists, so many of us are friendless, all alone
'Cause friendships are more broken than the screens on our very phones
We sit at home on our computers, measuring self-worth by numbers of followers and likes
Ignoring those who actually love us, it seems we'd rather write
An angry post than talk to someone who might actually hug us
Am I bugging? You tell me
'Cause I asked a friend the other day, "Let's meet up face to face"
And said, "Alright, what time you wanna Skype?"
I responded with OMG, SRS, and then a bunch of SMHs
And realized what about me?
Do I not have the patience to have conversation without abbreviation?
This is the generation of media over stimulation
Chats have been reduced to snaps
The news is a hundred and forty characters
Videos are six seconds at high speed
And you wonder why ADD is on the rise faster than 4G LTE
But get a load of this
Studies show the attention span of the average adult today
Is one second lower than that of a goldfish
So if you're one of the few people or aquatic animals
That have yet to click off or close this video, congratulations
Let me finish by saying you do have a choice, yes
But this one, my friends, we cannot autocorrect, we must do it ourselves
Take control or be controlled, make a decision, me?
No longer do I wanna spoil a precious moment by recording it with a phone
I'm just gonna keep them
I don't wanna take a picture of all my meals anymore
I'm just gonna eat them
I don't want the new app, the new software, or the new update
And If I wanna post an old photo, who says I have to wait until Thursday?
I'm so tired of performing in the pageantry of vanity
And conforming to this accepted form of digital insanity
Call me crazy, but I imagine a world where we smile when we have low batteries
'Cause that'll mean we'll be one bar closer to humanity
Make note of the figurative language and literary devices used
throughout the clip. Pay close attention to the way metaphors and
symbols are used to create thought provoking connections to the
real world and some of the challenges we currently face as a
society.
This clip uses a variety of figurative language and literary devices to create thought-provoking connections to the real world:
- Irony: The opening statement about people spending four years looking down at their cell phones highlights the irony of how technology intended to connect us can actually make us lose touch with each other.
- Metaphor: The line "technology has made us more selfish and separate than ever" compares technology to a force that isolates and disconnects people from each other.
- Symbolism: The mention of iMacs, iPads, and iPhones represents the prevalence of technology in our lives and how it can dominate our interactions and relationships.
- Wordplay: The play on the words "iMac," "iPads," and "iPhones" emphasizes the focus on self and individualism that can result from using these devices.
- Oxymoron: Describing Facebook as an "anti-social network" is an oxymoron because it is supposed to be a platform for connecting with others.
- Repetition: The repeated use of the pronouns "I," "us," "we," and "our" emphasizes the contrast between self-centeredness and genuine connection.
- Alliteration: The repeated use of the "s" sound in "so many I, so many selfies, not enough us-es and we-s" creates a sense of rhythm and emphasizes the self-centeredness of social media.
- Abbreviations: The use of abbreviations like "OMG, SRS, SMH" reflects the reliance on technology and digital communication that lacks the personal touch of face-to-face interaction.
- Statistics: The reference to studies showing that the attention span of the average adult is lower than that of a goldfish highlights the impact of technology on our ability to focus and engage with others.
- Visual imagery: The mention of recording moments with a phone and taking pictures of meals emphasizes the disconnect between experiencing life in the moment and capturing it for online validation.
- Hyperbole: The line "conforming to this accepted form of digital insanity" exaggerates the idea that society has become obsessed with technology and validation through social media.
- Symbolic contrast: The mention of smiling when having low batteries symbolizes the desire to disconnect from technology and reconnect with humanity.
By utilizing these literary devices, the clip effectively conveys the message that while technology has the potential to connect us, it can also isolate us and hinder genuine human connection. It highlights the need to take control of our technology usage and prioritize real-life interactions and experiences.