Every time a new iPhone is released or video game console, there are hundreds—if not thousands—of people who wait outside, overnight, to be the first people to purchase the new tech on launch day.
But this anticipation for the latest and greatest isn’t limited to only affecting the United States. The same anxious anticipation happens in China where there is a boom in the iPhone Black Market and you can easily pay double the sticker price. And if you check eBay in the United States, you’ll find your share of people reselling the newest iPhone with a substantial markup.
What have we become?
Just watch this video, below, to see what people are willing to do for an iPhone 6 on release day:
From the YouTube description:
“Some thoughts from me (the guy who made this movie). I am a big tech nerd. I slept on the streets to get the very first iPhone, when I was a teenager I would wait all night at the mall for a new video game. For the 2013 launch of the iPhone 5s I made a short video about the lines in NYC, most of the video was of enthusiastic Apple fans, not unlike myself, eagerly waiting to get their hands on the new iPhone. There was also a percentage of line sitters that lacked all enthusiasm, one in particular was asleep with her head inside of a garbage bag. Those images bothered me, they were also the most talked about aspect of that 4 minute video. For this year’s iPhone 6 launch my intention was to cover that aspect of the story – sitters there for reasons other than their enthusiasm for the product.
I don’t think Apple, the community or any of the people in line for any reason were doing anything wrong. I attribute no fault for the bleak circumstances captured in this video. If there is an opportunity for easy gains by reselling the phones then by all means do it. I, also, cannot imagine Apple anticipated this or they would’ve better considered the roll out (they thought of everything else, including coffee for the people waiting outside).
There should be better consideration of how to prevent a system that benefits those willing to sleep on the streets, near garbage, tolerating verbal abuse.”
Understandably, this video focuses on the reselling of iPhones on the Black Market and that issue has many demensions to it, so I’ll try my best not to get too sidetracked. What really stuck out to me, however, is what we—the human race—are willing to do to get our hands on the latest tech.
Has the iPhone become our idol?
I love what Thomas McKenzie said on Twitter:
Technology will not save you, regardless of the screen size.
— Thomas McKenzie (@thomasmckenzie) September 9, 2014
Powerful, right?
What Have We Become
As leaders in Church tech, I think it is vital that we lead the way in keeping technology into perspective. We are on the front line of tech. We are the most passionate about it. We are the ones that the Body of Christ looks to for expertise.
What if we become ensnared with iWant? (Or upgrade lust?)
That is my greatest fear.
I feel the draw that new technology, gadgets and toys has on me—and I know that you have felt the same way. I think it’s natural to feel this ‘ache,’ but I think when we fail to navigate past it is when we fail.
What have we become?
We are born sinners in a fallen world. We are self indulgent people who are never satisfied and are always thirsting for more. There will always be vices. There will always be idols.
Ken Rosentrater says
I think Idolatry lurks just around the corner or just under the surface. We enter into it without necessarily making a conscious decision to do so. It catches us unawares, sometimes by increments. We look around and wonder how we got here, if we even consider it at all.
This article and that video present questions we need to ask ourselves often.
Thank you,
Eric Dye says
😉