Naina_Marbus
Active member
Transcript of a video made by Gary Turk. At the time of posting, this video had over 38,720,000 views. And over 310,000 “Like”. ( There are also about 10,000 “Dislike” – a 3% standard deviation!) The words in brackets are mine.
First read the transcript before watching this video. Look Up - YouTube
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I have 422 friends, yet I am lonely…… (‘cos) none of them really know me.
I realized that this media we call social is anything but,
when we open our computers and it's our (inner) doors we shut.
All this technology we have it's just an illusion,
of community, companionship, a sense of inclusion
When you step away from this device of delusion,
you awaken to see a world of confusion.
A world where we're slaves to the technology we mastered,
where our information gets sold by some rich greedy bastard.
A world of self-interest, self-image, self-promotion,
where we all share our best bits but leave out the emotion.
We're at our most happy with an experience we share
but is it the same if no one is there?
Be there for your friends and they'll be there too
but no one will be if (just)a group message will do.
We edit and exaggerate, we crave adulation.
We pretend not to notice the social isolation.
We put our words into order until our lives are glistening,
we don't even know if anyone is listening!
Being alone isn't the problem, let me just emphasize,
if you read a book, paint a picture, or do some exercise,
you are being productive, and present, not reserved and recluse,
you're being awake and attentive, and putting your time to good use.
So when you're in public, and you start to feel alone,
put your hands behind your head, step away from the phone.
You don't need to stare at your menu, or at your contact list,
just talk to one another, learn to coexist.
I can't stand to hear the silence, of a busy commuter train,
where no one wants to talk for the fear of looking insane.
We're becoming unsocial, it no longer satisfies
to engage with one another and look into someone's eyes.
We're surrounded by children, who since they were born,
have watched us living like robots, and think it's the norm.
It's not very likely you'll make world's greatest dad,
if you can't entertain a child without using an iPad.
When I was a child, I'd never be home.
Id' be out with my friends, on our bikes we would roam.
I'd wear holes in my trainers and graze up my knees.
We'd build our own clubhouse, high up in the trees.
Now the parks are so quiet, it gives me a chill
to see no children outside and the swings hanging still.
There's no skipping no hopscotch, no church and no steeple.
We're a generation of idiots, smart phones and dumb people.
So look up from your phone, shut down that display.
Take in your surroundings, make the most of today.
Just one real connection is all it can take
to show you the difference that being there can make.
Be there in the moment that she gives you the look,
that you remember forever, as when love overtook.
The time she first held your hand, or first kissed your lips,
the time you first disagree, but still love her to bits.
The time you don't have to tell to hundreds of what you've just done
because you want to share this moment with just this one.
The time you sell your computer so you can buy a ring
for the girl of your dreams who is now the real thing.
The time you want to start a family and the moment when
you first hold your little girl and get to fall in love again.
The times she keeps you up at night and all you want is rest,
and the time you wipe away the tears as your baby flees the nest.
The time your baby girl returns with a boy for you to hold,
and the time he calls you granddad makes you feel real old.
The time you take in all you've made just by giving life attention,
and how you're glad you didn't waste it by looking down at some invention.
The time you hold your wife's hand sit down beside her bed,
you tell her that you love her and lay a kiss upon her head.
She then whispers to you quietly as her heart gives a final beat
that she's lucky she got stopped by that lost boy in the street.
But none of these times ever happened you never had any of this
when you're too busy looking down you don't see the chances you miss.
So look up from your phone, shut up those displays,
we have a finite existence a set number of days.
Don't waste your life getting caught in the net,
as when the end comes nothing's worse than regret.
I am guilty too of being part of this machine,
in this digital world, where we're heard but not seen,
where we type as we talk and we read as we chat,
where we spend hours together without making eye-contact.
So don't give into a life when you follow the hype.
Give people your love don't give them your "like".
Disconnect from the need to be heard and defined,
go out into the world, leave distractions behind.
Look up from your phone, shut down that display,
stop watching this video, live life the real way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With due acknowledgement to Gary Turk, whose words are reproduced above.
Look Up - YouTube
First read the transcript before watching this video. Look Up - YouTube
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have 422 friends, yet I am lonely…… (‘cos) none of them really know me.
I realized that this media we call social is anything but,
when we open our computers and it's our (inner) doors we shut.
All this technology we have it's just an illusion,
of community, companionship, a sense of inclusion
When you step away from this device of delusion,
you awaken to see a world of confusion.
A world where we're slaves to the technology we mastered,
where our information gets sold by some rich greedy bastard.
A world of self-interest, self-image, self-promotion,
where we all share our best bits but leave out the emotion.
We're at our most happy with an experience we share
but is it the same if no one is there?
Be there for your friends and they'll be there too
but no one will be if (just)a group message will do.
We edit and exaggerate, we crave adulation.
We pretend not to notice the social isolation.
We put our words into order until our lives are glistening,
we don't even know if anyone is listening!
Being alone isn't the problem, let me just emphasize,
if you read a book, paint a picture, or do some exercise,
you are being productive, and present, not reserved and recluse,
you're being awake and attentive, and putting your time to good use.
So when you're in public, and you start to feel alone,
put your hands behind your head, step away from the phone.
You don't need to stare at your menu, or at your contact list,
just talk to one another, learn to coexist.
I can't stand to hear the silence, of a busy commuter train,
where no one wants to talk for the fear of looking insane.
We're becoming unsocial, it no longer satisfies
to engage with one another and look into someone's eyes.
We're surrounded by children, who since they were born,
have watched us living like robots, and think it's the norm.
It's not very likely you'll make world's greatest dad,
if you can't entertain a child without using an iPad.
When I was a child, I'd never be home.
Id' be out with my friends, on our bikes we would roam.
I'd wear holes in my trainers and graze up my knees.
We'd build our own clubhouse, high up in the trees.
Now the parks are so quiet, it gives me a chill
to see no children outside and the swings hanging still.
There's no skipping no hopscotch, no church and no steeple.
We're a generation of idiots, smart phones and dumb people.
So look up from your phone, shut down that display.
Take in your surroundings, make the most of today.
Just one real connection is all it can take
to show you the difference that being there can make.
Be there in the moment that she gives you the look,
that you remember forever, as when love overtook.
The time she first held your hand, or first kissed your lips,
the time you first disagree, but still love her to bits.
The time you don't have to tell to hundreds of what you've just done
because you want to share this moment with just this one.
The time you sell your computer so you can buy a ring
for the girl of your dreams who is now the real thing.
The time you want to start a family and the moment when
you first hold your little girl and get to fall in love again.
The times she keeps you up at night and all you want is rest,
and the time you wipe away the tears as your baby flees the nest.
The time your baby girl returns with a boy for you to hold,
and the time he calls you granddad makes you feel real old.
The time you take in all you've made just by giving life attention,
and how you're glad you didn't waste it by looking down at some invention.
The time you hold your wife's hand sit down beside her bed,
you tell her that you love her and lay a kiss upon her head.
She then whispers to you quietly as her heart gives a final beat
that she's lucky she got stopped by that lost boy in the street.
But none of these times ever happened you never had any of this
when you're too busy looking down you don't see the chances you miss.
So look up from your phone, shut up those displays,
we have a finite existence a set number of days.
Don't waste your life getting caught in the net,
as when the end comes nothing's worse than regret.
I am guilty too of being part of this machine,
in this digital world, where we're heard but not seen,
where we type as we talk and we read as we chat,
where we spend hours together without making eye-contact.
So don't give into a life when you follow the hype.
Give people your love don't give them your "like".
Disconnect from the need to be heard and defined,
go out into the world, leave distractions behind.
Look up from your phone, shut down that display,
stop watching this video, live life the real way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With due acknowledgement to Gary Turk, whose words are reproduced above.
Look Up - YouTube
