Ben Lerner Explores Smartphones, Fiction, and Books as Handheld Devices in New Yorker Interview

In a recent interview with The New Yorker, novelist and poet Ben Lerner examined contemporary technological and literary intersections. He described how smartphones fundamentally alter our atmosphere, suggesting they "charge the air around us." Lerner contrasted the capabilities of fiction with mere transcription, arguing that narrative can capture dimensions of experience that a simple record cannot. He also provocatively reframed the traditional book as another form of handheld device, drawing a parallel to modern technology. The discussion delved into the unique recording capacities of literary fiction versus straightforward documentation. By positioning the book alongside the smartphone, Lerner invited a reconsideration of both objects within our current media landscape. His insights contribute to ongoing conversations about art, technology, and perception in the digital age.