// UGH! //

I JUST DISCOVERED WHAT THE 1975’s GLOWING RECTANGLE COULD REPRESENT? It seems like they’ve been planning this for quite awhile. Before I jump into it, I need to explain how this could connect to the new album. I’ve never really thought about this until a few days ago when I stumbled upon an article about the impact of technology on our social lives. 

As you all know, the new album is called A BRIEF INQUIRY TO ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS. The photos that were used to promote the album represent how we view the world through screens instead of experiencing life as it is. The VR photos emphasize the degree we are absorbed in our devices, and the flower field photos point out the lack of appreciation for our surroundings, no matter how beautiful. Both the article and the promotional art for the album discuss how we live retrospectively in a digital age. 

The 1975’s glowing rectangle is a symbol for a device, specifically rectangular ones such as smartphones, TVs, and laptops. 

 The article I found argues “While spending our days staring at ‘glowing rectangles’ could prove dangerously hypnotic, especially as drivers careen about the highway texting and children gaze at shopping cart screens in trance, it is undoubtedly the next step in technological communication”. After looking deeper look online, I found out that calling devices a “glowing rectangle” is pretty commonly used when criticizing the impact of them on social skills. The article I linked is ONE OF MANY  that draw the comparison between the shape and technology, meaning that even if they did not read this article themselves, they have probably heard of the symbol elsewhere.