As I started my hour of online activities, I immediately found myself open to Facebook. I scrolled through my timeline and saw a ton of recent pictures, articles about the Superbowl and the Half Time performance, political rants, and videos sponsored by Tasty (those are my favorite). After watching multiple short comedy videos, I came across a sponsored post by Nordstrom. I obviously spend a lot of time aimlessly browsing so here we go! I am immediately sucked in but there I was totally conscious of it. About 15 minutes in, I purchase a sweater. After feeling guilty, I head on over to Amazon. I start by I looking up some of the textbooks I need that I haven’t bought yet. Eventually, I had shifted over towards charcoal products; you know the ones
Nordstrom “cookie” advertisement
all over Facebook? I ended up buying that charcoal facemask that everyone has been ranting about. Now I am here, 45 minutes on the Internet and about $60 down. I’ll never know how that happens. After that last purchase, I closed my laptop and immediately switched over to Instagram followed by Snapchat. I switch back and forth for—45 more minutes!
Now that I spent about an hour and a half aimlessly browsing the Internet and buying things I don’t need, I began to think about the assignment questions. Without digital media, I would not have been able to do any of these things. I probably wouldn’t have bought the sweater if the advertisement wasn’t right in my face on my Facebook page. I also probably wouldn’t have bought the charcoal facemask if I hadn’t been seeing advertisements on Facebook as well.
Couldry presents us with the point that social media today may be very different and/or non-existent in the predominant forms we have today. But, he also brings to light that if it wasn’t Facebook or Twitter consuming us it was an actual printed newspaper or magazine that consumed us. In one-way or another, our attention has never fully been there when talking to our peers. We always have had some type of distraction. Computerization and digitization has helped us develop many platforms to help us convey ideas and start businesses but there are also many downfalls. “Media’s importance for society and world cannot be grasped as linear development. When media are embedded in wider cultural and social processes, tensions and contradictions result,” Couldry states in his article [Couldry, Intro pg. 3]. I couldn’t agree with this more because we have not even reached a high point in technological development. Across every social media platform I have encountered some type of controversy or tension.
In a recent article published by CNN, they bring to light the many issues social media has brought us, especially regarding the new President Elect, Donald Trump. There is an extraordinary number of insolent Tweets nowadays and every political party, advocate, etc. feels offended. People use social media as an outlet not only to follow the news but to get into altercations, voice their opinion, and ultimately be the “tough guy” behind a keyboard. So here I am wondering: Is it worth it? Is it worth trading human interaction and building relationships for 100 likes? How many of us would find it incredibly difficult to go 7 days without our smartphone and our social media?
I like your article in the sense that your opening paragraphs were actual situations that I find myself doing as well. It also goes hand in hand with your Couldry quote as you can almost literally see the interconnectedness within digital media that led you to spending $60 within the first 45 minutes of your online browsing. The integration of marketing into facebook and other social platforms has also been the downfall of my bank account as well, so I can perfectly understand your pain. Your blog post displays that you can cover a multitude of activities within minutes, regardless if they’re for productivity or for pure entertainment.
I think it is fair to say that 3 days without social media is out of our routines, therefore 7 is a struggle to find something new to do to replace social media and our phones. For introverts like me, I get better interactions with people online than in person. To be the “tough guy” as you mentioned though, that is an individual’s fault, especially if they are only chasing the likes. It does enforce what Couldry said about media being something complex and more than just posts after posts for the network to expand and evolve to how it is now.
I believe it is not the internet’s fault for ruining human interaction, but rather the person using the internet. The internet can be used in vastly different ways, but mainly productively and provoking. For those that use the internet to build relationships with others, educate themselves, etc aren’t at fault because they are making good use of their time online. For those who decide to be the “tough guy” behind the keyboard may be rude to others, such as the Donald Trump haters but they are only voicing their opinions and they believe that through the internet is the best way.