I think this is going to be a fairly varied collection of posts on stuff to do with art, science, culture, geekery and science communication. But we'll see, eh? And, just to be clear, what I type here is my own opinion, not my employers'.
I was on a train, and…
I pushed A BUTTON!
Yes, I PUSHED A BUTTON!
Wooo yaaaaay !
How exciting is that?
Even better, when I pushed the button, the door in front of me, it opened! How exciting can you get?
When did I lose my childish glee for buttons? Or, more to the point, how did we get that glee in the first place?
On the train the day before, there was a family of mum, dad, nine year old boy and three/four year old girl in the arms of mum. And what did the girl want to do?
Yup, push buttons. The girl was desperate to push the train door buttons, and the boy suggested that she be allowed to when they got to the station, which I thought was admirable, as that meant he was giving up his button-pushing rights. I hope she remembers such sacrifices when she is older.
But she wanted to push the train door button there and then, so they let her push the button to open the train doors while the train was in motion (which shows admirable faith in the technology). The doors, naturally, did nothing, but the girl was satisfied until the train pulled into the platform.
There was what felt like a neverending pause after the train came to a standstill, as we all waited for the ring of green lights around the “open door” button to appear. Just as anticipation peaked, the ding heralded the girl’s big moment, and she pushed the button and…
THE DOOR OPENED!
And the family set off, happy.
I’m sure everyone’s been at a museum where the button hunters are out in force – swarms of children running round just wanting to Press The Buttons, sometimes not even waiting to see What They Do.
What is it about buttons that makes us so, happy, especially as children? Is it the instant gratification, the cause and effect? Or the tactile sensation of the directed yield of our pressure? Or just that they make pretty noises?
And why, given this is a universal trait, did this get fabricated for the Liverpool Biennial, for Diller Scofidio and Renfro’s rotating tree sculpture:
Yup, that’s an emergency stop button, at ground level, and completely unprotected. No wonder everyone I spoke to in Liverpool about this sculpture said it was “always broken”.
Heck, even I was tempted to push the button. Don’t you?
Last updated: Monday, 01 Dec 2008 - 03:39 UTC
© 2009 Nature Publishing Group
You should get a job as a ticket inspector on the trains. You get to push buttons to open doors all day long.
I always take a childish delight in being the one to push the button that tells the bus driver I want him to stop at the next stop. You get a nice noise too.
Alas, Bob, I’ve pretty much lost my sense of excitement at pushing the door open button on trains.
In science centres however…
Scott – all of the above (reasons). It’s like magic!
Here’s some internet history for you then, Heather.
I’ve certainly pushed that one, Scott. I’m quite accomplished at pushing people’s buttons, or so I’ve been told.
I’m a little bit fascinated by the differently coloured buttons on the backs of council waste disposal (refuse) lorries (trucks). So many colours, such nice matte plastic hues, arranged in a sort of rainbow. What do they all do?