Monday night I spent like a typical “cat lady”: Netflix, glass of dry red, plate of veggies ( because I try to eat healthy ) and two furry kitties. I was watching How To Get Away With Murder and, of course, checking my Instagram page every minute. My friend sent me a direct message and we started a conversation.We were talking about classes, relationships, fashion, social media and many other interesting subjects. Everything was just fine, but I did not feel that I was doing something useful or satisfying for my soul. I promised myself to start working on my cover letter … and, obviously, I did not do it. Did I just waste another hour of my life?
If I was living in pre-digital era I would have a nice evening with my friend. We would cook a delicious dinner, seat next to each other, share our real feelings and emotions about life. Maybe after dinner we would talk about some interesting book we both enjoyed reading and went to bed happy and satisfied.
Of course, I am only telling you one negative aspect of social media and constant use of electronic devises. I like my TV shows and movies on Netflix, videos on YouTube, beautiful pictures of my friends from all over the world on Instagram, cute texts from my friends in Russia, ability to Google every single thing I don’t know or not sure about…We live in amazing world and we should appreciate it. However, I have to admit that people are loosing the ability to be themselves, to be real.
I know that Louis CK is a comedian, who says a lot of silly things that he doesn’t actually mean. However, I agree with everything he said in this video. We are scared to be a alone even for a second. We always look for an interaction, because we do not want to face the reality, the dirt and misery of this world.
Media has changed our entire perception of the would. Nick Couldry states, ” Media literally change the scale on which we can speak of societies at all, but building inequalities into this very process. It is through media that we have a sense of living in the world, a horizon of world events; it is though communication also that capitalism on a global scale is sustained, so enabling a potential new global scale is sustained” (Couldry 25). It’s hard to disagree with Couldry, because media has changed everything : our economy ( we sell and buy though the Internet ), our social interactions ( some people even communicate thought the Internet more often than in the real life ), and our perception of who we are. In 1996 Manuel Castells said that the impact if information network technologies upon human societies was so great that in future it would effect economic relations, nation states and communities themselves. He stated, ”Now we are living in a network society ”(Athique 16). I can’t believe that was so clear for him more than 20 years ago!
Going though my latest thoughts and ideas, analyzing readings from our textbook, looking at other entertaining articles about media, I would like to conclude that there are no activities that have not changed in our digital age.
Questions to my classmates:
- Would you be able to stay away from THE Media at least for one month? Let’s say you could live outside of the city, even with your friends…to just clear up your mind.
- What is your favorite part about social media? Do you think it will help you to earn money/be successful in this society?
I love how you bring up the point that we’re glued onto social media and that it’s causing us to lose our sense of genuine self. It seems like the ongoing problem that people are trying to tackle, and your first question might just be the solution: moderation. The answer to that is yes. It’s so important to reconnect with nature and disconnect from the immaterial.
I see your prospective and I feel that it is entirely valid. However, when you said that you were talking to your friend for an hour about numerous topics, I don’t deem that as a waste of time. It allowed you to talk to your friend and have a conversation you maybe would not have had, and it allowed you build on your friendship further.
To answer your question about living without social media for a month:
I do not think I would be able to do that. Unless I was to receive a free penthouse apartment or a lot of money, I don’t think I could do that! However, I do acknowledge the benefits about social media, I do find it sad that I probably couldn’t last that long without it.