Don’t let the screens fool you. Yes, they’re a good and necessary substitute, but they’re not the same as the real thing.

A picture of a painting is not the painting. A video of a performance is not the performance. Being in a Zoom room with your friend is not being in a room with your friend.

Technology helps fill the gaps. But the prevalence of digitized versions (they’re everywhere) can lull us into forgetting the power of the real thing.

Translations and reproductions have their place. They serve a valuable purpose. But even at their best, they’re a muted form.

When you’re able, seek the original.