Post Culture

I have a theory that's based on a simple observation: two and a half decades since the birth of the internet—a full generation of perpetually connected, (social) media-trained technophiles has transformed society by structuring life on the basis of how it is best represented online. But let me step back and explain. A Picnic & A PoetMy partner and I are resting at the edge of the grass. It's golden hour on a breezy summer afternoon at Auditorium Shores. We take out our snacks, and I crunch into my Cosmic Crisp and survey the scene. To our immediate right, a grandmother peers down anxiously at the phone thrust upon her by her daughter. Coordinating mother, husband, and roll of ultrasound photos optimally draped to catch the breeze, the daughter smiles patiently. A little farther on and in center view, a man sprints towards us. Despite his speed, his form comes into focus in slow motion. The choreographed forefoot strike, leg tempo, counterbalancing arms, and flat palms—all scream…