Today I had a Zoom call with a performing artist L. Warner and preforms under the name Cerulean. He lives and creates in London.

I found him on my blogging platform micro.blog.

First, can we just agree that people can be amazing and with technology - which I am about to rip on a little - we can click a few things and spend 30 min together having a nice conversation and learn from each other. Powerful.

I found him on micro.blog and his blog because he champions something called Flipph.one This is a personal project where on the first Monday of the month he challenges people to join him with using a flip phone. While you are on that site - play his song “Burner” - I keep it on repeat.

Here you can watch his vlog at the conclusion of one of the weeks.

Techology has always changed people and culture. Neil Postman and others have elegantly described this processes. From the clock to the printing press to the internet.

With each new invention there are winners and losers. (Postman)

It is clear to me that in the case of social media - the users are the losers in the equation.

Since smart phones are the primary device that most people access social media from the smart phone has received and will continue to receive a blacklash. Go to YouTube and search flip phone and tell me what you see?

Is deleting your social media accounts and still using the smart phone enough?

Is this “problem” limited to just a small % of the population that “cannot handle it”?

I think it is complicated and requires a nuanced approach.

I would recommend saving L. Warner’s website and engage with his art as he wrestles with these questions.

I am on that journey an well.