A Modern Day Hamilton – Not Scrollin’ Away My Shot | Screen Sanity

A Modern Day Hamilton – Not Scrollin’ Away My Shot


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This Friday, people around the world will be able to watch Hamilton in their homes. In the course of one weekend, it’s likely more people will watch this epic production than have ever seen it before.

The third song in, viewers will be dazzled by a 19-year old Alexander singing My Shot, one of the hallmark songs of the show – a passionate, rapping cry for meaning and significance. The plea: that he desperately did not want to throw away the chance to do something meaningful with his one life. He did not want to waste his life being caught up with less noble pursuits.

Now imagine if in 1770s, there were smartphones. Might young Alex dreamed of such meaning, but then gotten sidetracked by the shiny rectangle in his pocket? Started scrolling Twitter, making TikTok videos, and watching 80 minutes of YouTube per day, like the average American teenager?

It’s one of the biggest risks for our generation – and for the next. That we might accidentally miss out on the life we truly desire – connecting deeply with our kids, spouse, friends, and serving our community – because we end up “scrollin’ away our shot” – caught up by the enticing ding of notifications, the endless scroll of social media, or the magic of autoplay videos.

With this in mind, we had a little fun and rewrote My Shot with a modern day twist. We hope no one reading this ever faces a gun duel, but we know that most of us face a daily battle to use our screens with intention, maximizing the many benefits, while minimizing the side effects.

When you get to the end of your life, may you look back and consider it time well spent.

Enjoy these lyrics and join with us in enjoying #Hamifilm.

My Shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

Hey yo, this little tiny screen

Is so much smaller than my dreams

And I’m not scrollin’ away my shot

 

I’m lookin’ round thinkin’ ‘bout tech

Causin’ problems, I’m solemn thinkin’ what the heck

Seems we’re lackin’ some action needin’ some self-respect

We got depression, addiction, needin’ to course-correct

 

I’m in the fight of my life, raisin up my kids

But my heart is hid behind a phone with a YouTube vid

Time’ll fly like a rocket, then they’ll be grown up

These moments that I want to eat up, they get corrupt

 

By distraction, because my phone’s attraction

leads to my inaction, family time subtraction,

This isn’t an abstraction

 

The plan was to do all the things that we love

Enjoy the people beside and the clouds up above

I want to show them just how much I care by the loving power of my stare

A family that lives life with fun and flair

 

When we enjoy our meals with no device that steals

Our joyful squeals or fun stories revealed,

Our family conversation rollin’ like ferris wheel

This life ain’t ever gonna feel the way it’s s’posed to feel

Until it starts with me livin’ out my own ideal

 

Let’s get real; habits aren’t easy to repeal

But if I did my children would be flipping like cartwheels

With newfound time we could learn to play the glockenspiel

Or we could take a trip and learn to ride a snowmobile

 

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

Hey yo, this little tiny screen

Is so much smaller than my dreams

And I’m not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

Hey yo, this little tiny screen

Is so much smaller than my dreams

And I’m not scrollin’ away my shot

It’s time to take a shot

 

I dream of life without screen addiction

Focus on the moment feels like science fiction

Apps squeezin’ my brain like boa constriction

This affliction needs some tech eviction

Before I lose my shot

 

Yo, I’m a high school student

In social media parlance I’m totally fluent

My life feels dark when my Fortnite’s lucent

But In the game of life I think I might be losin’

Losin’ my shot

 

As a parent I feel my kids won’t be free

’til we protect them from the ills of this technology

I don’t want bullyin’, violence or pornography

To malign their young minds and change their trajectory

This is their shot

 

It’s okay folks, no need to throw these darts

The tech giants have our best interests at heart

They don’t want our lives to fall completely apart

Our addiction makes their profits run off the chart

They’re hittin’ their shots

 

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

Hey yo, this little tiny screen

Is so much smaller than my dreams

And I’m not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

I am not scrollin’ away my shot

Hey yo, this little tiny screen

Is so much smaller than my dreams

And I’m not scrollin’ away my shot

 

Everybody tweet

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa

Ay, let ‘em hear ya

Let’s go

Whoa, whoa, whoa I said post it on your insta

Whoa, whoa, whoa said, on your snapchat

Whoa, whoa, whoa come on

Come on, let’s go

 

Getcha eyes up

Life is big, screens are small, getcha eyes up

Put it down and stand tall gethca eyes up

Tell ya friends they should all get their eyes up

When will these families get their eyes up?

When will these buddies get their eyes up?

When will these colleagues get their eyes up?

When will these communities get their eyes up?

Eyes up?