I had the pleasure of attending one of the lovely “Four Sundays in February” events — one of my favorite ways to get through the end of winter.
Unfortunately I found my relaxing Sunday afternoon shifting as people around me started using their electronic devices in ways that were inconsiderate of both the listeners and the artists (and trust me when I say that I am as attached to my devices as the next person).
I don’t think the person in front of me holding her iPad over her head and filming gave much thought to the fact that it was a huge distraction to those around her and that she was blocking our view.
Or the people down the row who after taking multiple flash photos kept their phones face up in their laps with the light shining in our eyes.
Or the man in the more expensive reserved aisle seat, who spent most of the performance reading and responding to emails or texts with his screen lit up — I can’t quite figure out why he bothered to come.
Many of us (myself included) love to record memorable events so we can look back on them with pleasure. But when we do, we should consider those around us and how we might be impacting their experience, including the performers who have put so much effort into preparing for their performance.
My dream is that we will all put our energy into being fully present and taking pleasure in the wonderful performances before us. I also dream that local venues will make an effort to set and enforce parameters around electronic device use.
Let’s support the arts and each other by committing to limit use of our “smart” devices during performances. Or better yet — put them away and sit back and enjoy the show.
Vicki Baum-Hommes
Florence