No one enjoys the moment anymore

[BubblesBlossomAndButtercup]

I went to London to watch the NYE fireworks. I took a few pictures during the display but there was no way I was filming the countdown. I wanted to enjoy it.
I can’t speak for everyone who went of course, but certainly in my section, everyone was filming it. When the moment came, DP and I hugged and kissed - and no one else around us did.

We had a good view ruined a lot by people holding up their phones. Fine for a second, but for the whole thing!!!

Has the world gone mad? :(

No, I disagree! It's a way of NOT engaging with things - when you hold up your phone you go from participant at an event to camera operator. It is a way of showing that you are prioritizing the image you present of your life on social media over engaging in real world events.

I agree, OP.

I went to see Bad Manners last week. Loads of people filming it on their phones.

As you can imagine, most of the people there were in their 50s and older so no, it's not always people who have grown up with these devices.

How many of them will actually go home and watch these videos on their phones? Virtually, if not, none I'd imagine!

Couldn't agree more, hope you had fun! I was down on the 30th around the same area and had a blast.

Mum and I went to the Dior exhibition in London and didn't take one photo, but we followed people around who basically viewed the entire exhibition through their phones.
But the thing is, there is an excellent exhibition book available with beautifully taken photos of every detail.
Just buy the book you dumb fuckers!!

Nothing more disheartening than being at a gig or show and having your view interrupted by a hundred little glowing fucking rectangles.

Interestingly I took my kids to a fireworks display on Bonfire Night (strike me down, I love fireworks) and was chuffed to see very few people bothering to film or photograph it. I thought maybe people had come to their senses and realised that they are cheating themselves out of a good experience for something they'll never look at again.

DH and I spent Christmas day with my SIL, BIL, MIL and FIL and our baby nephew for whom it was their first Christmas.
I actually reflected back afterwards how none of us took a photo - not one - and thought how unusual that is these days.
We all just enjoyed the day, old school style, and were in the moment the whole time.
I'm grateful that we're all so un-addicted to our phones.

I think this is different. I’m the same so take lots of photos and videos of friends etc.

But I usually think, will I be able to find this video or one just like it on the internet later? At big events, concerts, for workers etc the answer is invariably yes and I won’t care to watch my video again and can probably google a better video.

But with personal moments and people I love, I think recording and photos is helpful and beneficial so long as you’re not ruining the moment to do it.

Dad remembers taking us around Disney World and a man there had a kid in one arm but was concentrating on the camcorder in the other. Dad swore never to get one.

Everyone hates real life
Totally mad comment @AzureBlue99
How on earth have you reached that conclusion? People are out in real life, enjoying it, maybe taking some pics because they like it, and you reckon they hate it?

But with personal moments and people I love, I think recording and photos is helpful and beneficial so long as you’re not ruining the moment to do it.

I kind of get this.

For me, the most useful and poignant is to record the mundane because these truly reflect the best and most dear memories I have of someone.

eg. I have a recording of my Dad and I watching an F1 race and just chatting about it. We do that 22 times every year but I know one day that recording will be so special to me.

Or a dog that is now dead and used to ask to play in a specific manner. I have footage of her doing that. Dull to anyone else but precious to me because that's one of the things that is memorable about her.

But rubbish versions of major events that have better photos and videos taken professionally? Nah. I'd rather just download them afterwards.

No, it isn’t. You’re stating your opinion as fact there. My opinion is that people are enjoying themselves and making a record of it. They aren’t failing to engage. I base my opinion on my own life. I’m more than capable of photographing something, even taking a video clip, without disengaging from the moment.
Maybe you can’t, and that’s why you hold your opinion. I can absolutely assure you it isn’t true of everyone.

How long for? Did your dad follow him round all day or was it a moment in the man’s day? I took DD to Disney with her GPs when she was small. Her granddad took some video while holding her at one point to share with her dad who wasn’t with us. It was great and we all had a fab time enjoying ourselves and were able to share it with her dad. Win win.

Lots of people enjoy the moment, some even while filming. Doesn't thinking about what others are doing/should be doing mean that you are also not enjoying the moment either?

Well if ten twats hold up their shiny box in front of my view it's quite difficult to 'enjoy the moment'.
I don't care if they want to film. Fuck off.

OR divide events into two sections - with the phone twats at the back so they can ruin each other's view and leave the rest of us in peace.

You have a point with folk blocking views definitely, but not everyone who films something is doing that.

I do remember watching a school concert basically through someone's massive ipad screen once - she sat in the front row and then held her arm up with the ipad blocking several other views, and no-one in charge said a thing. A lot of us ended up having to stand at the back to see!

Blocking people’s view is twatty whether it’s with a phone or an unnecessarily tall hat / hairstyle or by standing when you’re supposed to be sitting or any other infringement of etiquette.

However, I’m not sure why people are so keen to judge others for taking photos when it doesn’t affect their view.

Some people enjoy looking for angles and shots, the technical aspects of photography or videography, and find that having a focus and something to do enhances their enjoyment of events. Some people would rather take a photo than engage in a PDA.

I personally find fireworks dull, and NYE to be overhyped, so if I did find myself at that sort of event I may find taking a well angled, well put together photo or video, albeit probably not using a phone, to be more satisfying than being “in the moment”. In reality of course I just don’t go to those events.

It’s just a variation of snobbery that’s popular these days. Along with the ironic “oh I don’t use social media” posts on an internet forum - the original social media.

You’re not living a better life just because you don’t take photos, you’re just living a life that suits you. Same as the people taking by photos or videos.

It’s childish and blinkered to think that your way to have fun is the only right way.

I go to quite a few live music events and I get sick of having my view blocked by people in front of me holding up their phones and videoing the entire thing. I've got no problem with them filming for a few minutes (I sometimes do this myself) but it's the whole damn thing! I think ffs just watch the real thing!

A coincidence here is I read your post title and thought of the London fireworks before I clicked, too as I was there, also and thought the exact same thing! At midnight, everyone was on their phones around me filming the entire thing. My partner didnt even acknowledge me until probably a good two minute or so into the footage. I'd have to watch again to see lol. I was expecting a Happy New Year over it over our first NYE together in ten years but it was for facebook. I kind of see both sides but I did feel I missed out on us or stranger's coming together more over it.

It isn't just about your view being blocked. Little glowing rectangles lighting up the place are an annoying distraction.

I find it so weird that people are there having a great time and also conscious of their phones. I'm not a snob, I use social media a lot, but when I'm out doing something, or in people's company, my phone just doesn't come out.

I think this kind of sums it up for me as I remember seeing it and thinking can nobody actually just live in the moment?! This was a tribute to Maxi Jazz from Faithless and it's just screens. It's a club. Nobody dancing, nobody focusing on the music. Motionless videoing. If you watch the clip online it's literally just people shuffling in place trying to keep their phone still. I don't care what anyone does with their time, it's nothing to do with me. I do think it's really sad though and it makes me happy I was going out in the 90s and early 2000s instead.

Wow that looks so lacking in atmosphere. That picture captures it so well.

I think concert venues/theatre should ban photos and filming. Some do. I went to a Kate Bush concert when she did some shows a few years back and they did not allow filming. Also the Clary pantomime at the Palladium does not allow it either.

Surely from an artists point of view they want you to be immersed in their creative output- I don't get why it isn't banned in those types of venues. What is in it for them to allow filming? The lit up screens distract not just the user, but other audience members. The lights are down to create an atmosphere and yet the phones are then lit up.