Brilliant, thought-provoking essay.It is a Age of Narcissism.  The craze of selfies, self promotion, and ego gratification on social media is proof positive of that.  People do need to stop taking selfies and turn their phones and cameras around. Yet, part of the problem with the ubiquitous phone photography is that their cameras have limited ability to see the world in its glorious detail.  They are good for close-ups and vast vistas, but little else.  Their big failing is that they lack zoom.  A good pocketable, travel zoom digital camera (say 20-40x) permits a richer and much better view of the world — including close-ups of things far away.Only a good zoom can capture photographically what the author calls for us to contemplate:“The truth of gleaming crows calling to one another through the scaffolding of buildings that rise in the places where rooted pines once stood. Of nearsighted opossums snuffling through fallen leaves. Of blue jays robbing squirrel dreys for stored nuts and field mice taking shelter in abandoned buildings. Of a vulture riding a thermal, its great wings extended in benediction.”But to really see those, to hold them in one's consciousness, people must put their phones and cameras away.  We need look outwards — breathe deeply — be a part of our surroundings — and appreciate the natural world around us.

Brilliant, thought-provoking essay.It is a Age of Narcissism.  The craze of selfies, self promotion, and ego gratification on social media is proof positive of that.  People do need to stop taking selfies and turn their phones and cameras around. Yet, part of the problem with the ubiquitous phone photography is that their cameras have limited ability to see the world in its glorious detail.  They are good for close-ups and vast vistas, but little else.  Their big failing is that they lack zoom.  A good pocketable, travel zoom digital camera (say 20-40x) permits a richer and much better view of the world — including close-ups of things far away.Only a good zoom can capture photographically what the author calls for us to contemplate:“The truth of gleaming crows calling to one another through the scaffolding of buildings that rise in the places where rooted pines once stood. Of nearsighted opossums snuffling through fallen leaves. Of blue jays robbing squirrel dreys for stored nuts and field mice taking shelter in abandoned buildings. Of a vulture riding a thermal, its great wings extended in benediction.”But to really see those, to hold them in one's consciousness, people must put their phones and cameras away.  We need look outwards — breathe deeply — be a part of our surroundings — and appreciate the natural world around us.

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