Editing 1314: Photos

[[White Hat]] is upset at the sight of people photographing a richly colored sunset. His argument is that by documenting it instead of simply enjoying it, they have become an observer rather than a participant in life. [[Cueball]] expresses a contrary view, saying that not only does taking a photo of something helps him focus attention on it, it is actually no business of White Hat how someone else chooses to enjoy a sunset.

The logic of Cueball's argument reduces White Hat to inarticulacy, then speechlessness. Cueball then takes a photograph, implying that the way in which he would most enjoy White Hat's discomfiture would be to record an image of it for posterity.

Randall discusses a similar situation in the title text, the common modern phenomenon of restaurant diners photographing their meal. However, in this case he actually prefers them to document rather than experience their life, as this way he does not have to listen to them eat. He uses sarcasm to express this; obviously nobody loves the sound of someone else eating. Note that the taking of a photograph is quickly done; the onset of unpleasantness is only delayed for a few seconds, rather than entirely avoided.

:[White Hat stands next to Cueball on a roof. There's a sunset; in the distance, there are three people taking photos of the skyline as the sun sets.]

:White Hat: Documenting your live distracts you from ''living'' it. You're not really—

:[We zoom on their faces.]

:[We just see Cueball's face.]

:Cueball: If "other people having experiences incorrectly" is annoying to you, think how unbearable it must be to have a condescending stranger tell you they hate the way you're experiencing your life at just the moment you've found something you want to remember. Why the fuck do you care how someone else enjoys a sunset?

:[We zoom back out.]

:White Hat: Well, they... Because I just, uh... ...