Analysis Of Outside Lie Magic By John Stilgoe

Retention Rate - Brain vs. Camera
In the novel “Outside Lie Magic” by Harvard professor John Stilgoe, Stilgoe explains how the vast majority of people just stumble through their day to day activities, and in turn stumble through their lives without looking up and noticing all of the minor details of life. He discusses how you are able to walk the same path every single day, but by focusing you are able to discover something new every single time you pass through. It is that focus that allows you to get a better understanding of your surroundings and is why you should live more in the moment and not worry about the pictures and the need to impress others. Stilgoe challenges our minds to work like they did before the advent of digital technology, …show more content…
There are two basic reasons that most people take photos, they are either doing it to show off or to have memories that they can look back and reflect on. Social media has brought about the creation of those who need the images to boast. But those who feel the need to take pictures and videos to brag, are those who get the least out of experiences. They are not appreciating the event for what it is, they just want everyone to know that they are there and are better than you for that. This breed of person is evident at every event, the person who has camera flashes going off like a machine gun in the middle of a war. From personal experience, this spectator has left a bad taste in my mouth because of the actions they perform while I am trying to create lifelong memories. The other predominant reason for many to take pictures is so that they can have those memories for recollection. When you are vaction or just a little day long family excursion you always bring a camera. It has become a habit, a necessity, and a comfort, you feel lost without it. Ever since a young age our generation has been surrounded by cameras and the idea that you need them in order to remember experiences. There has been a false seed planted in our heads that if you take a picture you will remember it more clearly. Research has shown that this is not true, but I will get …show more content…
The first concept of how perception may change throughout generations would be a useful topic to research. The idea that memory loss comes with age may mean that visual memories such as pictures would benefit the elderly. The sample for the experiment used here only focuses on one group of people, young college students. It would be interesting to see if a broader age range would produce the same results, concluding that the idea that photography is a hindrance is always true. The other topic that may be able to rubute these results is the manner in which the students took the pictures and deciphered them. If they were not worried as much on executing the picture would they be able to focus more on the piece as a whole? This question could be solved if they had museums, locations, or other events that were phone and camera free. This would allow for two distinct approaches, by surveying both groups you could draw a consensus if the group who had cameras had retained less information. Both tests would contribute meaningful results to the idea of living in the