Let’s Get Lost
Kenneth Goldsmith’s manifesto “Let’s Get Lost” illustrates that spending time on the internet is not an actual waste of time but a productive and creative endeavor in the appropriate theoretical and philosophical context. In my opinion, in the prelude, Kenneth Goldsmith seems to be grappling with numerous concepts before narrowing on a primary idea of how people believe the internet is destructive and a waste of valuable time. Intuitively, the author draws from his personal experiences to illustrates that the internet is indeed a resourceful place, challenging the misleading notion that time on the internet is a waste of valuable time.
Across the reading the author notes that once in a while, individuals can be consumed in their mobile devices scrolling through social media and the internet for communication purposes. Watching content over the internet involves following the creatives of other people, submerging our lives into the contexts of other people’s lives(Colombo et al. 533). This involves commenting, liking, and sharing content we find valuable with our circles. Goldsmith cites an excerpt with a 12-year old following a video on YouTube, which is a different form of getting social compared to adults (Goldsmith 14). According to Goldsmith, the child is connecting with her circles with characteristically similar interests and age.
Kenneth Goldsmith shares his encounters of observing his children and their friends getting unbelievable interactive while getting their minds and faces consumed on video games and other smartphone applications. Although it may be perceived as a potentially time-wasting trend in contemporary society, it provokes a philosophical question of whether exploring the internet is a waste of time. The author notes that even adults need to get some time off their daily routines to explore the internet for refreshing and intellectual breaks. This read is provokingly insightful as Kenneth Goldsmith shares his opinions and findings through experiences instead of just opinions in such a poetic style.
From a generalist perspective, this read is suitable for anyone who might be feeling guilty of spending substantial amount of time scrolling the internet. The insights into why it is important to get lost into the internet are relatable for anyone wanting to experience life beyond the normal routine. The internet is awash with resources that individuals can use to enhance their lives. In what may be perceived as time wasting, internet users enter an organic trance where hundreds of strangers can harmoniously enrapture and sway together in an electric buzzing tranquility.
Works Cited
Colombo, Gary, et al. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 11th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.
Goldsmith, Kenneth. Wasting Time on the Internet. Harper Perennial, 2016.