5/16/2023 0 Comments Google earth 360 photosA culture with dwindling resiliency for life’s challenges and setbacks. The inevitable byproduct of this line of thinking is a culture ill-equipped to recognize and face reality. They’re simply another blemish to be erased. Old photos that bring up complex emotions or negative memories? No, they’re not a vessel for learning and growth - a part of one’s past, no matter how painful or regrettable. That Speedo-wearing man at the pool or baby sticking out its tongue - to take two examples from the ad - are unfortunate intrusions into a scene’s imagined sanctity, rather than representations of the messiness and hilarity of life. Other people become nothing more than a hindrance, an impediment to the perfect shot. The predictable result is a narrowed, selfish worldview. When Google offers you a tool to “fix” your photos, all of a sudden you start thinking about what might be wrong with them - and what might be wrong with you. In this way, the ads both embody and exacerbate two of the most pernicious effects that come from staring for hours at a small screen populated with profiles of your virtual self: self-absorption and self-loathing. Sure, you might ask, who among us hasn’t cropped a random bystander out of a photo or retouched an image to get rid of a pimple or stray hair, or purged all traces of an ex on Instagram? How is the Magic Eraser any different? It’s just a little harmless editing. Why is the corporation that arguably knows more about my inner thoughts, fears and desires than any other company on Earth trying to sell me a product to fix my memories? The ad was for the new Google Pixel smartphone - specifically, its Magic Eraser tool, which allows you to easily eliminate unwanted people and objects from your photos.įor months, this ad has seemingly populated almost every destination in my online travels.
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