Lenny Abramov boards the UnitedContinentalDeltamerican airplane back to New York City. Eager to engage in one of his guilty pleasures and secure a method to win over the heart of his beloved Eunice Park, he opens up a book. After reading just one, short passage he is interrupted by the rude remark of a neighboring passenger, “Duder, that thing smells like wet socks.” Not only that, but he observes that many other passengers are giving him obscure looks because of the book in his hands. Once the ancient relic is once again concealed in a carry-on, the spectators plunge right back into their electronic devices. Following suit, Lenny does as well.

This passage is a true testimony to the state our present circumstances have elevated to. Everything is electronic. Why write a letter when you can just text? Why meet up to do the project, when visual calling is a thing that exists? Though the increase in modern technology has connected us to one another globally, it has as well detached us from close relationships locally. Even Lenny’s treasured books have become digitized. The world of Kindles and Nooks have made the presence of physical books futile and environmentally harmful as it “kills trees”. I must admit that I am actually reading Super Sad True Love Story through the Kindle app on my smart phone. This scene has made no exaggerations in its claims to our over-digitized society.