instagrammable
moments that did not make it
on to instagram
Any one who reads these essays will know that I often rant about the instagrammable moment.
The idea that proof of being somewhere is better than the being there itself.
For example, 80% of the people who visit the Louvre in Paris are there to see only the Mona Lisa and when they get their 60 seconds in front of the painting, they turn their back on Lisa del Giocondo so they can position their iPhone to take a photo that captures their self with the painting in the background.
Viola, the instagrammable moment.
These moments can be based on an event as well.
Their self at Times Square on New Years, at a big league ball game or taking a walk on a beach at lunchtime.
Something to show you are where you are and other people aren’t.
There hasn’t been a British Coronation in 70 plus years.
For many, it could be a once in a life time event.
An event, that if you were present at, would almost demand to memorilized with an instagrammable moment.
Yet …
As I watched the pageantry playout on my TV and men bowed and women curtsied, not once did I see a slender white box of an iPhone.
I did not see the extended arms of the Instagram Salute.
I did not see anyone turn their back, a breach of etiquette all its own, so that someone could capture that instagrammable moment.
I like pageantry and such.
I’ll watch Inaugurations.
I’ll watch the funerals of past Presidents.
On Christmas Eve, it has become a tradition started after setting out all the gifts and candy for Christmas Morning, that the wife and I watch the service from St. Peters.
Of late, all of these events are filled with the image of people making images.
As an aside, how a Secret Service agent makes the split second decision that someone is reaching out with an iPhone and not a weapon is beyond me.
Last Christmas it comes to mind that one person in St. Peters in the background behind the alter was making such a show to capture selfies that a Vatican Official had to tap her on the shoulder to please sit down.
But yesterday in Westminster Abbey, I didn’t see a one.
When I first noticed I was so pleased that the people in the Abbey were there for the sake of being there and not proving they HAD been there.
When I time to think about it, my thought was, HOW did the Brits accomplish this?
Did Charles have a note at the bottom of the invitation saying something like, “Please refrain from taking selfies. In respect to the moment, the use of hand held devices is prohibited.”
If the invitations did have such a line, would the Brits go along with it?
And you know, I think they would.
You can find lots of indications that Brits don’t like they Royalty but I think that while they say it, they don’t mean it.
I remember a clip of an interveiw of one time Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan by Dick Cavett.
Mr. Cavett was asking about the process of Royal Honors and Mr. Macmillan explained that when he was in charge he would contact people and say, “I have in mind to recommend you to the Queen for a Knighthood,”
Mr. Macmillan explained that way, the honor would be turned down before it was ever offered (it ever one was ever turned down – Even John Lennon took an MBE before, years later, he gave it back).
Mr. Cavett grasped the idea and summed it up saying, “So you wouldn’t be saying no to the Queen.”
Mr. Macmillan agreed, “Saying no to the Queen? It just isn’t done.”
