tech
The Feeling of Becoming Less and Less of a Person
In Ben Lerner’s new novel, technology divides us further from one another, and ourselves.
TL;DR
- The article posits that human character or sensorium changed around June 2007 with the advent of the omnipresent smartphone, particularly the iPhone.
- Ben Lerner's novel 'Transcription' is framed as a fable to capture this massive yet subtle transition in human cognition and perception.
- Lerner's protagonists, resembling himself, are hyper-articulate and aware of their privilege, grappling with the disquiet of late-imperial America.
- 'Transcription' focuses on media theory and the profound effects of pocket-sized devices, exploring how they transform our perception of the world and the self.
- The novel highlights generational divides and misperceptions, particularly the challenges of communication between parents and children in the digital age, and the protagonist's attempt to record an interview with his aging mentor.
- The narrative explores themes of estrangement, loss, and the difficulty of authentic connection in a networked world, suggesting that technology acts as both a bridge and a barrier.
- Lerner's attempt to depict historical changes in atmosphere through 'getting used to it' and acclimatizing to new communication devices.
- The novel's final section shifts to speech, aiming to capture the 'de-selving' of the networked world and serving as a seismograph of cognitive-technological shifts.
- The article concludes by likening Lerner's novel to sensitive recording instruments, suggesting art's capacity to register the subtle, pervasive changes in our technologically saturated environment.