In praise of polaroids
I am always disappointed when technologies become obsolete. I am generally annoyed at the fact that I can only listen to tapes through a walkman (which I recently bought from Riteaid– the last and dusty walkman on the shelf). Currently, my disappointment lies in the end of the polaroid. The end of technologies in some ways makes me think about waste and factories and sterile environments like clean rooms. I am slow to praise new technologies and feel relatively dumb about them. But then, I mourn the end of objects because I never had them. Like I missed out on essential moments in technology that from here on out will only become more of the same. Suddenly, my urge to buy a polaroid camera and become a future hunter of obsolete film is through the roof. But alas, it’s not going to happen. I do, however, have a few polaroids that I am rather fond of. May as well digitize them, huh?
Borrowed polaroid camera in Tokyo.
From my Grandmother’s collection. November 17, 1979.
The port from Katie.
it’s funny how things that cease to exist grow a thousand-fold brighter in our minds. i find it very unlikely that polaroids will disappear… the one nice thing about rampant overpopulation & globalization is that there is now truly a niche market for everything. someone will buy the license.very best to you,joshua