Recently, the video “Look Up”, created by Gary Turk, went viral on YouTube. The video explains the reasons why children, teenagers and adults should put down their phone and experience the world around them, rather than staring at their smartphone. Whether it be an iPhone, iPad or other electronic item, the idea of the video is valid, however I do not think that it is something that will be solved as easily as putting down a device.


We live in a world where almost every adult, teenager, and even child, has an electronic device on them all the time. If one day, everyone just put down their phones and did not use them, no one would be able to reach one another when necessary, like by text. This would cause problems between parents and their children, since they would not be able to reach each other in case of an emergency. In fact, a study conducted in 2012 by the National Consumer League found that out of 802 parents that bought cell phones for their child, 84% of them bought it for safety reasons. We live in a society today in which the majority of the population believes that cell phones are needed to keep tabs on children in order to manage their whereabouts and safety. Thus, the axiom of “Look Up” is false.

Another thing I find incorrect about this video is that fact that the creator of the video believes it is as simple as putting down the device. Keep in mind that in order to make the video he had to spend hours filming and staring at a computer screen to edit. And, most people that actually watch the video were probably staring at their computer or cell phone. In fact, a recent study by Nielsen Research stated that 42% of people watch videos online with a smartphone and 49% watch them on iPads. That means that the majority of the views on this viral video with over 39 million hits came from the exact thing that Turk was advocating against. The irony and hypocrisy is real when it comes to this video, and I find it unacceptable.


When it comes down to it, I can guarantee that almost no person would want to just stop using their cell phone for a long period of time, since the technology of this time period has been improving for a decades. In many schools across the country and throughout the world, a student without a cell phone can be looked down upon and criticized or bullied. If a student goes to high school without a cell phone, everyone could, and would, ask “Why don’t you have a cell phone” or “How do you survive without a cell phone”. Well, you certainly would be able to, but it would make your life a whole lot more difficult. According to a 2012 study by ORC International, almost six of out ten parents have bought their children (between the age of eight and twelve) a cell phone. Since our society is so based on cell phones and technology, it would be virtually impossible to limit the use of cell phone and other electronic devices. Gary Turk’s “Look Up” is therefore extremely impractical.



Overall, Gary Turk’s “Look Up” is a backwards idea that is false, unacceptable and impractical, especially given our current society. Without cell phones, people would have almost no contact with one another, and the video was created in a way that completely goes against its own message. Lastly, almost no person would be willing to put down their device for a continued period of time. I can understand where the idea stemmed from and the value of putting down a device and “looking up” to enjoy the world and gain new experiences but I find that, in the real world, it is worthless for some and illogical for many. While the video was enjoyable and entertaining, I found it wrong on many levels.