Smartphones, social media and the changing urban landscape.

Have you ever wondered how the widespread use of smartphones and social media has been affecting the way we perceive and use the public space? How the world around us is getting increasingly more low-quality instant photograph friendly? Every day I find another proof – I should really start writing these down 😉

Thanks to the big phone screens and constant internet connection ensure that the battery life is not what it used to be some 15 years ago when I proudly entered the world of mobile phone owners; a freely available socket is therefore in short supply. I mean – who cared about those wall sockets around shopping malls, railway stations or other public areas some 5 years ago? Nowadays chances are high that at least half of available sockets will be occupied at any given point on time. A good question would be who is paying for the electricity 😉 I mean not in absolute terms, but symbolically, the chargees are free-loading on the expense of the operator. Hmmm…

By public space I also mean spaces created via cultural events, for example exhibitions. Today I went to the Game of Thrones exhibition – out of sheer curiosity.

A heavily HBO branded event with a sole purpose of taking pictures or selfies in front of the Iron Throne or holding onto the Needle. Needless (pun intended!) to say what I found in the exhibition tent…

… a long, long queue of people longing for a picture on the Iron Throne. I mean, this is so sad. I wish I could actually learn a bit more about the exhibits rather than being forced to pose next to them. It’s like those holiday pictures (taking using flash!) in front of the Eiffel Tower or similar, “I’ve been here!” factor combined with “Look at me and admire me!” social media aspect (because what other purpose would these picture have). Ah well.

I liked the throne though!