Satire in public

Having not used my mind for the finer arts such as literature and science in quite some time, I find myself impressed by my ability to spot satire in every day life albeit once in a blue moon. Just yesterday I was with my mother having lunch, as used to be our routine a long time ago. We decided to eat at Han's, a small shop which sells Western food at a relatively affordable price. What is different to this restaurant which is of significance to my story is that it gives out these electronic bricks which ring when you food has been prepared. You are then to collect your food at the collection area in exchange for giving back the brick that you have been given prior. 

While waiting for the food to come, I spotted a young boy tapping on his brick, as if pressing buttons. Intrigued, I nudged my head to get a better view only to find him emulating his mother who was staring cross-eyed at her iPhone which is of the similar shape as the brick given. This intrigued me a lot, even though I have little knowledge as to why it does. I found this as a satire for the technological society that we live in. There are many interpretations for this, many of which I am thinking about as I write this post:

1. The fact that the boy is emulating his mother shows his interest in interacting socially with his mother who looks as interested in doing the opposite. This shows how technology has separated us physically from people, although uniting us technologically via social media behind the facade of a "social media profile".
2. The boy's interest in learning about the world around him reflects our dystopian world; that instead of teaching him the beauty of science or maths, social interaction or just kinaesthetic learning we are instead teaching him how to keep to himself and learn about what lies within a technological 'brick' called a phone. It not only reflects on our inability to be responsible for the next generation, but also foreshadows the nature of the next generation as well.

I took a picture for my own reference. However considering the privacy that I should rightly give these people, I have decided not to. I do hope that my description gives a big enough picture for you as my readers to consider what this image means for you.

Fruit for thought, 

Matthew Tan