In 1816, a small device was created that would soon revolutionize not only the world but life as we know it: the camera. The camera changed history. For the first time, people were able to capture moments exactly as they were in life without having to recreate it with a sculpture or oil painting. Fast forward to the present, and we can see how far we have come. Most people have a camera and video recording device in their back pocket. We live in the digital age of iPhones and drones, a world where we are not only able to document everything that happens in our life with a push of a button, but share it with the entire world on social media. Unfortunately, as amazing as the technology we have is, it does not come without its flaws.

We, as a society, are obsessed with recording. For evidence of this, look no farther than a music concert, or perhaps an elementary school play. Looking into the audience, one would catch a glimpse of a sea of iPhones, camcorders, and a plethora of other recording devices, desperately attempting to capture the moment on video so that they can keep and treasure it forever.

This undoubtedly has appeal: everyone wants to be able to capture precious moments in time so that they can relive it by watching it over and over. Who wouldn’t want to be able to look back on your first track meet, winning the science fair, or being crowned prom king or queen? Filming these moments ensures that you will always be able to rewatch and enjoy them. However, one must ask themselves, by recording the moment, are they wasting the chance to enjoy it as it is happening?

The sad truth is that though recording every moment may save it, your memory of the event will always be of you trying to take a picture or video, not having fun and enjoying yourself. Recent statistics have shown that over 95 percent of Americans carry their phone with them to almost everywhere that they go.During a concert, a festival, or some other public event, it, unfortunately, seems that sometimes some people are more concerned with getting the perfect shot or recording from the perfect angle, rather than just sitting back and embracing the moment as it is. Sometimes, by trying to document the experience, people are ruining it. It brings up the important question that we, as a society, must ask ourselves: are we better off trying to record our experiences so that we can always rewatch it, or is it better to enjoy life as we live it and relive those moments through our original built-in camera: our memories?