Wednesday, August 14, 2019

2189

This is truly profound. Notice first that Randall has all of these games available on his PC (as indicated by the Windows-style mouse cursor). This shows that he is playing Super Mario Bros via an emulator, not the original version, adding another layer of commentary to what follows. The indicators of passing time (electric scooters, quadcopter drones, cell phone towers) are instantly recognizable, since all places age in exactly the same ways. But the juxtaposition of these more-technological signs of progress with the decay of the physical infrastructure represented by the crumbling blocks and pipes presents a jarring contrast. Randall invites us to consider whether we can truly possess all these things at the same time, or if we are sacrificing a rich heritage built up through generations of painful sacrifice for the momentary diversions of electric scooters and fancy bakeries. By building cell phone towers while neglecting the pipes, are we in effect trading our birthright for a mess of pottage?

2 comments:

  2652 Self-deprecation can't last forever; at some point you have to actually be good at your job