Emma Whitaker
Period 4B
Mrs. Hendricks
IB English HL 2
Age of Earthquakes Personal Response
While exploring The Age of Earthquakes by Basar, Coupland, and Obrist, it became immediately apparent to me that this text is multi-faceted and lacks a specific genre. The text is visually oriented, with some pages being entirely images and many other being images with short captions and textual overlays. It is clear that the images are intended to be the main focus of this work, and the text seems to function as a distraction in many cases. This seems to be a distinct authorial choice that correlates with the themes of The Age of Earthquakes, specifically rapid diffusion of information and a sort of societal distraction.
To build on this, the novel was very difficult to follow, as it quickly transfers from topic to topic without reaching a conclusion, and refers to ideas in a fleeting manor, with little to know context. The intentionality of this choice forces readers to experience a physical representation of our collective shortening attention spans. I thought this was a unique argumentative tactic, however I felt as though many of the concepts discussed in the novel were sensationalist and gross exaggerations. In some ways, the novel seems to be out of touch with the reality that it claims to analyze. The lack of evidence to support the arguments frustrated me, as it seemed to make many claims but none were explained. This could be intentionally commenting on social media or the states of modern debate, but I found it to be a weakness of the book. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusion of multiple perspectives regarding human relations, rather than just a criticism. I personally feel that this complex texts warrants further analysis and discussion, and that the understanding of this novel depends on outside connections.
Word Count: 290
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