I have brought wrath and ruin on thy house!
My heart hath braved the
oracle that guarded
The fatal secret from us, and my hand
Lifted the lid of the mysterious chest!
The Masque of Pandora by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [1807-1882]
In 2007 millions of them were sold, people queued all night, some blessed with a Lucky you sticker, and once they got theirs, who would think to keep the genie imprisoned? At our command, many more than just three wishes would be granted. All that needed to be done was to rub the screen.
“Turn on, tune in, and drop out”, instructed a beaded Leary, the Harvard Hippy, goading that hazy, long abandoned trippy culture to break open Huxley’s Doors of Perception.
Source: Reuters
Decades passed, and in 2007 we were, cordially invited by Apple, ‘Star Tech’, CEO Steve Jobs, to switch on, plug in, and download.
A hand-held device was just that, to be held, as eager paws broke the seal.
And on that day, some might say, the most destructive (and creative) object since the nuclear bomb was born.
The iPhone model A1203.
Its influence has been nothing short of Biblical. A future object, forwarded from tomorrow, and very much here today.
This appeared as alien tech sent to E.T. so that he could “Phone home”. Things would and never could, be the same.
All the thrills and the ills poured forth. Families suddenly fractured as all attention was absorbed, ‘Influencers’ corrupting with meaningless memes, games with no end, trolling, and revenge porn alongside selfish selfies, the endless hours lost surfing, all addictions available at the touch of a button.
Also, friends reunited, apps developed, love matches made, bargains sought and bought, instant info, and social media on steroids.
Prometheus had already stolen fire for us and he paid the price for the theft with his liver. We could have just warmed ourselves rather than reach out, only to get our fingers burnt, but what are fingers for, if not to extend? Groping in the darkness looking for the light.
The temptation and curiosity proved to be too great and like Pandora, we opened the box and its unleashed contents burst forth.
An Unopened iPhone sells for $63,000
Beaten by gnawing news stories that reflect our collective regret and lack of foresight. The reports encourage us to kick ourselves, at the same time as they put the boot in. If only we had been blessed with clairvoyant future vision or the ability to time travel. The three graces (or cackling witches) Coulda, Woulda, and Shoulda, dance around a pile of burning remorse.
Smithsonian/ Tim Burdon
Had we only known, that not opening that chocolate bar was the Golden Ticket?
So why is it the Last Object? The end of collecting.
Is it that all things contained inside its screen are readily available? That searching for us now is just a click (or prompt) away. Or it has turbocharged our attention span so fast that everything not ‘now’ is history, to be discarded because we fear holding onto it slows us down? That we may never catch back up.
‘iPhonies’ need to upgrade their devices and get the next generation as soon as it is announced (2023 iPhone 15). Being not up to date ages you and means you can’t join the smart set. Looking through the glass darkly, the black mirror reflects our image back.
It has mapped the world, the journeys end, no more discoveries? Chance carelessly tossed into the bin icon. Serendipity obliterated with a swift swipe to the left.
The sales pitch is that new worlds open up as this one gets smaller. Could this be the final discovery, a sealed box?
Time frozen. Lucky you.
Once Pandora’s Box was opened it could never be closed. The very last thing that was freed, is that which all cling to, Hope.
Photo by Microtrace, Courtesy of Wright Auction and Fox-White Art & Antique Appraisals
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