More and more our lives are a revolving series of screens. From multiplexes to the phones in our pockets, screens are increasingly important to the way we interact with the world. This isn’t news to anyone, of course. There are countless studies and discussions and half-assed internet memes deconstructing the pros and cons (ok, mostly cons) of our screen life. But like it or not, it’s a fact that this is the direction our culture is evolving right now.
This blog is a celebration of that fact. No, not celebration. I’m not here to defend our screens from the nay-sayers bemoaning the loss of face-to-face interaction. Hell, you’ll find that, often as not, I’m right there with you. But rather than drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st 20th 17th century (the first magic lanterns were developed sometime around the 1650’s), I choose to embrace the richness that screens bring to my life.
I’ll be the first to admit I can easily go overboard in my screen addiction. I love getting the chance to go theater hopping, seeing sometimes 3 or 4 movies in one day. I can browse the internet for hours on end and never get to a stopping point. I will work my way through an entire season of Star Trek: Voyager in one sitting, dissecting all the reasons it’s a horrible show, and then go back for more. And heaven help you if you talk during the Oscars.
But just as often, screens are a source of enlightenment. I watch movies and TV shows by masterful artists whose unique visions broaden my horizons. Facebook and Twitter and this very blog are vital outlets for self-expression. The news and opinions I read online everyday help to give me a more complete picture of the world around me. Even the bad art and bigoted commentators serve the crucial role of helping me to recognize and reaffirm the good.
This blog is an exploration of all of the above. In it you will find:
- Film and TV reviews – As an amateur critic, this will be my primary outlet.
- Awards season news – The Oscars, and by extension the rest of the film awards season, are my biggest guilty pleasure.
- Links to all kinds of stuff – From silly memes and cat videos (aww!) to articles about politics (gasp!) and religion (no!), if I found it online, nothing is out of bounds.
- Video Games – I often regret not being more of a gamer, but obviously no examination of screens in our lives could be complete without gaming. I often find amusing tidbits, vintage game references, and fun free online games that are worth sharing.
- Commentary – If I’ve got something else on my mind, I’ll say it. I try to keep it at least tangentially related to the subject of screens, but I make no promises. If this blog ever reaches readers beyond those of you I know personally, I hope to present myself as a complete person with all my views, opinions, faults and flaws intact.
In a sense this is a bit of an aggregator for a lot of the stuff I once posted on Facebook, but with a more defined sense of purpose. I expect my presence on that social network to decline a bit as I move in over here. This will be an ever growing and evolving project. Expect changes. Change is good.
Thanks for reading and adding one more blog to your screen life!
– Aaron L. Fram
The Screen Life 