technology

On Not Seeing the Pope

~ Maxwell Xavier ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, Pope Francis visited my neighborhood. Well, to be accurate, he drove up in the alley behind my neighborhood in his Fiat, jumped into the Pope-mobile, and drove back down the alley from whence he came. I and about 50 other neighbors gathered on a nearby lawn and were treated to close up, “backstage” access to His Holiness. I’m not Catholic, but seeing the head of any state  is pretty cool. The problem? I didn’t really see him.

As I stood waiting for the pontiff to arrive, I could hear the cheers of the crowd gathered on the nearby street. When I saw his Fiat coming down the alley, I, along with every other neighbor, had my camera ready. Given that I was surrounded by folks, I had to hold my camera aloft just a bit to get a decent angle. As he drove by in the Fiat, and, when he came by in the Pope-mobile, I held the camera button down, taking approximately 60 photographs in the span of 5 seconds, combined. From those, I’m sure I’ll cull a decent shot. I haven’t really looked yet, a bit out of disgust. You see, as the Pope-mobile pulled away, I realized that I had looked at my phone the entire time. Never once did I see the Pope, straight on, with my own eyes. Even a dying Darth Vader had the sense to tell Luke to take his mask off to look upon him with his own eyes!

As I walked away from my Pope encounter, I was struck by the realization that it had been more important for me to get a photograph of the Pope than to actually see him myself. My entire encounter was literally through the lens of technology. Perhaps even more disheartening was the realization that my complete engrossment in technology was subconscious. I didn’t weigh the pros and cons; I instinctively resorted to experiencing the Pope through technology. I never thought to put the phone away and just be in the moment. Soak it in. Take a picture in your brain.

It’s just another reminder that technology isn’t the unqualified good we seem to want it to be. Sometimes, more data, more pixels, more bytes, more whatever is just more. Not better. Just more. It doesn’t always enhance life; it can take you out of your life. Out of the moment. Technology can enhance some moments, for sure. It just shouldn’t be the moment.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. You know what it’s not worth? One really good glance.

What’s in The Hidden Trunk?

~ Maxwell Xavier ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to my blog.

I’ve dabbled in social media for years — Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but I usually walk away unsatisfied or, worse yet, frustrated. Facebook can be a great way to stay connected, but the majority of the user experience seems to be a great big waste of time. After seven years on Facebook, I can’t recall Facebook uniquely adding anything wonderful to my life. I can, however, recall the exact opposite. Twitter is great for links, bite-sized information, and funny posts, but it can’t help you with deeper, more substantive thoughts or conversations. Instagram seems to exist to make everyone feel like a professional photographer…without the talent, skill, or experience.

I’d like to see if blogging can answer what’s missing, at least for me, in the social media world. I’m not looking for “likes” or attention; rather, I want a forum to explore my thoughts in written form, some personal, some not. My academic and professional writing has brought me great joy, and I’ve dreamed about a significant writing project for some time. I recently encountered the quote that “we learn what we practice.” It’s true, and, if I want to exercise my writing chops one day, I need to start stretching those muscles outside an academic or professional setting.

So, what’s in The Hidden Trunk? A little bit of everything. I’m interested in literature, sports, political philosophy, fashion, and travel. Heck, I even build a terrarium now and then. What follows — at surely irregular but hopefully frequent intervals — is my take on anything that moves me. Well, at least that’s the plan. If you like what you read, comment. If you don’t like what you read, comment. I promise, we can still be friends.