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Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

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Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#281
post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the viscerality of this response is fascinating. Putting your phone in a case is a "prison", and you must check it every time you go to the toilet, and you're concerned about a terrorist attack -- enough to want your phone, but not enough to stay home, as if your apps could somehow save you. > Treat people like adults. If they break the rules, ask them to leave. Isn't that what we've been trying for the past…

> Isn't that what we've been trying for the past 10 years? Clearly, it's not working. Have we? I've only been to one show in the past decade where a performer called someone out in the crowd for being a jerk with a camera. They wouldn't turn the flash off, so the artist asked them to stop, then they took another flashy picture, so the artist mocked them until they put the camera away for the rest of the show.

It just depends on your definition of not being a jerk. I've been attending concerts since 1980mumble. Trust me, it's a big difference having absolutely zero devices in the air versus a sea of bright screens and waving arms obscuring everyone's view. That might be the norm for some people but to me everyone's being inconsiderate. And really to what end? Those tinny, wobbly videos will never garner more than a few random views on youtube and quickly be forgotten.

I'm not in the "lock away phones" camp because they're an essential part of everyday life now. But I'm saddened by the social norm of them being in the air obscuring views now. Harumph.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Part of my human experience may include checking how the babysitter is doing with the kids. I'm not going to do that in a way that disrupts the show, but I still want that access.

How did people do that before there were cell phones?

My folks used the payphones at most venues to call our landline and speak to the babysitter.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#283

People use their phones to have human experiences and connect to others that aren’t physically present. While I can understand certain environments should curb cell use (Where lights and flashes are distracting to performers and the audience), or the desire to maintain mystery or quality by controlling bootlegs... a rock concert has distractions-a-plenty, between flying beer cups, weed smoke, people gabbing loudly ab…

About these people who "use their phones to have human experiences and connect to others that aren’t physically present". How is the sender anything more than a human tripod for a webcam that happens to be in a concert? Nothing is being shared because nothing is being experienced in the first place. If anything, the camera is doing the experiencing. By bypassing our minds and instead offloading experiences directly t…

I'm not a recorder (in general, not just in concerts), but I'm pretty sure I can hold my phone up while I pay attention to the concert. The dichotomy you're painting rings false to me.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#284
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess you don't use planes either? After 9/11 it's a stupid and dangerous idea.

You're comparing apples and oranges there. There is nothing preventing you from filming or using your electronic devices (outside FAA regulations, and they're pretty clear when and when you cannot use the electronics, heck they don't even take your device away from you or deface it) As much as I don't like the TSA, they're a lot better than venue security. Going on your anaology, if something happened in an airport p…

Dude, you missed the point. OP is scared of terrorists.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, the safety aspects of this are shocking and the 'be free of phones' puritanism is a bit dull. A _very_ strict code of conduct for attendees is something that can (and does) work. Jazz pianist, Keith Jarrett has been known to stop his 4-hour long improvisation sessions in some of the world's most prestigous venues mid-flow to dress down an attendee trying to film him. People don't make that mistake twice. htt…

My goodness, all those people who went to concerts before cell phones must have been so hardcore, taking risks like that. My guess is that if you put your phone away you're less likely to hurt from, you know, other people doing the stupid stuff they do at concerts. I understand that people want video, so they can post it, and get their dopa-soc on Facebook, or wherever, but seriously, musical artists (especially the…

>but seriously, musical artists (especially the ones who don't lipsync their concerts) feed off the audience's vibe. Its a two-way, not a one-way.

Which is why Janis Joplin would famously yell at the audience that they better get up and dance in the aisles, or so I've been told by people old enough to be there.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#286
post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

needs to call you to escape a dangerous situation Can you describe a scenario for me? Because I'm having a very hard time imagining one where the teenager is immediate peril (otherwise they could just unlock the phone in the next room) yet the best person to help them is not in the building. Maybe it's unfair, but it just sounds like helicopter parenting to me.

Let's imagine that my child is at a party or other social engagement and they want deniable reason to escape. [0] There may be excessive peer pressure, illegal activity, or any other pre-arranged reason they may need to bail on something without incurring the loss of face that could be socially devastating. If I have my phone, they can text me with some pre-arranged message ("x"), and I will feign an emergency and ge…

> "Let's imagine that my child is at a party or other social engagement and they want deniable reason to escape. [0] There may be excessive peer pressure, illegal activity, or any other pre-arranged reason they may need to bail on something without incurring the loss of face that could be socially devastating."

In that case, I would imagine the child's parents failed in teaching the values of both honesty and courage. Lying is often easier in the short term, but it leads to worse outcomes over time in all but the rarest of situations (e.g. you're hiding Anne Frank and soldiers knock at the door).

Having a great excuse is useful today, but having a spine is useful for all one's days.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#287
While I'm definitely on Jack's side spiritually, Yondr is not an efficient solution. We need to consciously and intentionally establish a norm of 'no phones' in certain group situations, just like how many areas have established a norm of 'no smoking'.

And, yes, it's true that 'no smoking' often has local law to help drive the idea home, but it's not like there's a cop monitoring the smoking situation in every public venue. Shame, ridicule, side-eye and public opinion are really what keep behavior in line.

It's not hard to do. I remember long ago that the famous Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, which serves beer and booze, had problems with people talking. They started playing a stock reel of people getting their asses kicked overlaid with "if you talk we'll kick your ass out" before the movie started. Now it's just accepted fact that you keep quiet no matter how many Lone Star tallboys you've had.

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It worked at a Nine Inch Nails concert. I saw a couple people get escorted out for refusing to put their phones away, and that pretty much sent the message that they were not fucking around about it.

If you don't mind my asking, which Nine Inch Nails concert?

It was in San Jose last year sometime, don't remember the details, sorry :/

Re: Jack White bans phones at gigs for “100% human experience”

#289

I despise the fact that people think they need to have their phones in front of them the entire time, taking shitty pics and videos that they'll never look at again. However, I would never support an artist/performer who tries to prevent me from using my own things. It's not their right to tell me that I can't pull out my phone if I choose to do so. It belongs to me. So while I would never actually have my phone out…

Why the phone specifically? What if they prohibit air horns? Mine belongs to me as well!
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