In bed this morning, I had a cell phone chat with my head turned to the side so the phone stayed in place while I spoke and listened. And I noticed that after about twenty minutes it got hot. Really hot, so I pulled it away as I finished my conversation.
If my Italian grandmother were still alive, I could see her wagging her finger saying something about the cell phone giving me cancer. Until a week ago I’d have blown her off. But after seeing Talal Jabari’s documentary FULL SIGNAL I’m not so sure she’d be off base.
As I’ve posted before, Bummer Docs act like a steaming cup of black coffee against your tongue or an ice cold pail of water over the head. They wake you up. If you want to feel good, rent Pixar animation. If you want to learn about the world you live in, watch a Bummer Doc.
Jabari’s style of storytelling lacks Michael Moore sensationalism. He informs in the style of the “60 Minutes” correspondent he has been. He poses questions and reports the facts. There are no scare tactics working here. There is just the looming question; after a decade of most of us running around with a cellular based electronic device pressed firmly against our head, might there be negative side effects?
Should we be comforted by the cellular industry’s assurances that absolutely no harm is being done? Why is there no independent government agency studying long-term affects of cellular technology? What are the chances that our government is once again bending over for another lobbyist dollar? Trusting the cellular industry to be our source of unbiased information about cellular safety is like trusting my local prostitute’s assurances that she tested clean: “It’ s okay, forget the condom and just ride me bareback!”
I asked Jabari, why this issue? He told the crowd at the Hollywood Theater that it was concern for his daughter’s welfare (which elicited a collective aaaaaahhhh) that compelled him to direct and finance this documentary. But when I had a (hardline) phone conversation with Talal the next day I dug a little deeper. I am always fascinated by the details regarding the initial stir of creative instinct. He said that where he lived in Jerusalem, a cell transmitter was secured to the roof of the apartment complex next to his. At first he was stoked, he knew he’d always have a full signal. But then he heard about the rise in cases of cancer around town and their proximity to cell transmitters. The local newspaper reported on a group of vigilantes who took it upon themselves to rip a tower down.
A few weeks ago, my friend Anne Trudeau walked up to me with a furrowed brow and busy mind behind her beautiful smile. I asked her what was going on and she told me about her battle against the erection of a cellular tower in our neighborhood. It turns out it that I live even closer to the cell site than her. She was so pissed she could hardly speak but she managed to tell me about her involvement in RespectPDX and their fight to protect citizens against dangers imposed by gluttonous corporate interests.
Once again, this documentary does not claim any definitive evidence that cellular technology is harming us. I could’nt help playing devil’s advocate and ask Tabari about the same concerns posed decades ago regarding radio or television transmissions: “Don’t sit so close to the TV, it’ll rot your brain”.
His answers were a little vague regarding the differences. But as he pointed out, we don’t press TVs against our head or strap them to our ears. There aren’t TV transmitters attached to every rooftop in every city.
The real strength of FULL SIGNAL as a documentary as opposed to a magazine article or book is the cinematography forcing us to look at our addiction to these devices and the proliferation of cell towers around us (many are disguised as “trees” and many hide within the steeples of churches where the ministry collects a hefty monthly check from the cell company for the lease of the space).
I’m praying this technology is harmless. And Talal Jabari is not saying that you should throw away your cell phone, but he does advocate seriously reducing your cell activity and making sure the device is turned off when not in use, as a signal is still emitted to and from your pocket even when you’re not having a conversation.
So maybe we should take a look at whether our computers really need a Wi-Fi signal permeating our homes as opposed to a hard line. And for God’s sake, don’t buy your (brain still developing) child a cell phone for their eleventh birthday.
And I hope my new friend Talal Jabari accepts his induction into the Bummer Doc sub-genre with pride.
It does get hot doesn’t it?!? I usually talk with the phone on my right ear and man, does that little puppy turn a bright red. Concerning, yes.
For me, it’s not so much of an addiciton as it is sometimes the only communication to feel absolutely close (almost touching!) to someone who isn’t within reach. Texting and email just don’t provide the same quality of a good, old fashioned phone call. The ideas/suggestions that these wonderful pieces of technology and their towers (that come in handy for long-distance communication at a bundled rate) could be causing me and my loved ones harm, do strike concern in me. If it came down to my health and a cell, chances are I’m going with my health! I suppose if that day comes (or has already come unbeknownst to me) then I’ll have to make sure the someone is reachable by other means.
Turning my phone off just doesn’t happen – it takes way too long to boot back up and I could miss an incredible text or phone call! Addicted, naaah…. not me.
Nice title.
While the topic itself was intriguing, it was a little hard to watch given the dude next to me started snoring. Then I realized how addicted I was to my Crackberry, until finally after checking it a third time, the cock crowed at me to put it away or I’d be crucified.
What really bothered me the most really was how things just happen, whether we realize it or not and until it becomes part of our personal interest does it then only become an issue. Cloning for example is already happening but until they clone my brother would I have dire concern.
Nevertheless, I do admire Talal for completing this film which had a lot of cool graphics and advocating for a cause he believes in. If we lose our hearing sooner the good news is that we have cochlear implant technology to aid in our hearing. And if it screws up our brains, well, we hardly use any of it anyway….
And what’s up with the local prostitute phrase up there? Oh well, way to go…at least you’re keeping it local and sustainable and she’s recyclable.