Time Squeezed (Squeezed for Time)

Feeling strained or squeezed for time to complete more and more demands and obligations persistently put on an individual.          Having to do more and more with less and less time.

This is a clip from the hit series show “Shameless”, that comes on Showtime movie channel.  I found the clip on YouTube and it is also available on showtime.com  http://www.sho.com/video/25832/time-management-skills

This is an excellent clip and everyday life example of being time squeezed and harried. The feeling of being overwhelmed with so many things to do and less and less time to do it, is a feeling many individuals go through especially working students.  In the clip, Lip ask his boss if he can leave early to go study.  This is something that we all have tried to do before in some way and how my grandma would say, robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Meaning we try to hurry through one task without full execution and completion of that task, just to get to the next task and the next and it’s a cycle we keep doing and going through until we are burnt out and that’s how we begin to feel stressed and harried.

This clip is significant to the term time squeezed because it is an example that everyone can relate to and it gives a quick solution to the term on how not to be time squeezed. That solution is Time Management Skills, which may seem easy but many people struggle with this skill every day.  Having Time Management Skills allows one to organize and keep up with the many things they have to juggle and manage time for.  Lip’s boss mentions in the clip planning, as a way to help him.  I think planning and prioritizing are very important and efficient ways to stay on top of all your tasks, which relieves the burden of being time-squeezed and harried.  It allows you to be more focused and not have to necessarily rush through your time and day.  It actually allows you to make the best of your time.  Which is the true goal of Time Management.  Time is very valuable and essential, it cannot be replaced, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.  That is why time management skills is very important to know and to use because it allows you to use the value of your time wisely and beneficial.

This week’s reading was Pressed For Time by Judy Wajcman. My Critical Media Analysis is on the Introduction of this reading, in which Wajcman outlines the objectives of the chapters of her book. The focus of her study is to examine why we turn to digital devices to alleviate time pressure, and yet blame them for driving it. The key term from the Introduction that I chose is: the Time-Pressure Paradox.

Wajcman defines this paradox as: the lack of congruence between the amount of free, discretionary time available to us and our contemporary feelings of “harriedness.” She describes feeling “harried” as feeling time-squeezed or literally feeling pressed for time.

In the Introduction, Wajcman takes a look at how the common mentality about technology has always been that it will allow for more free and leisure time for the individual, however as technologies proliferate, we have come to find that we do not have more time to ourselves and in fact, many of us have less. She investigates why this is the case, and states that technology is too often seen as outside social relations when in fact, it plays a major role in shaping time in our everyday life. She concludes that if time cannot be separated from aspects of human life, then neither can technology which increasingly marks and shapes time for us.

These cartoons depict the issue that our society today has in dealing with the problem of time as it relates to technology:

These cartoons represent some of the ways in which we mistake free-time with time that is actually either still spent on technology, or not free at all. The first cartoon demonstrates something that a lot of us do when we go elsewhere to be away from work and technology, but really just end up in an alternate situation where we are still just as attached to our devices. The second cartoon mistakes family-time with time that family members actually just spend around one another, but consumed on their devices. The last cartoon illustrates the mistake of technology in thinking that it will make a task easier or less time consuming, when really the non-technological task still needs to be performed.

These short clips from this video also illustrate the concept of time and how it has not always been the same (0:07-1:23 and 2:35-3:15):

Wajcman explains that how much time one has and how it is apportioned can only be understood as a function of underlying social and economic patterns, and rather than time pressure being an individual phenomenon, she states that it is related to transformations in household composition and gender relations over the last few decades. She also mentions the term Social Determination and states that we need to remember that the social determination of time is built into our technology, just like the size of a screen or power of the processor. For example, fiber optic cables between cities are designed and improved in order to take less time to transfer messages. She brings up this term to recognize that time is already a factor when creating a piece of technology, and so we should not be mistaken to think that our free time is separate from the time we spend with technology because both are intertwined. Temporal demands are not inherent to technology, they are built into our devices by all-too-human schemes and desires.

For this week’s reading, I did a critical media analysis on “The Initial Ask” by Aziz Ansari. The key term I chose from this reading is phone self. According to Aziz, “phone self is defined by whatever it is you communicate onto the other person’s screen” (47-48).

In this age and time, our cellphones are big part of our lives and how we act when using our phones to communicate might not necessarily match how we act in the real world. By having this extra barrier between us and the other person we are communicating with, sometimes we feel more comfortable or braver to say things we would never say in-person, whether it be because we do not want to see how the person reacts, how their voice might sound in a response, etc. However, even though many people find this way of communication easier and more convenient, not everyone likes what others become when they use their phone.

In this video above, we see some sons who have volunteered to allow their mothers to go through their phones. Most millennials I know, including myself rarely let other people look through their phones. In a Vanity Fair article, Aziz Ansari mentions that your most intimate relationship is with your phone, and I agree. You may not have any scandalous things on your phone, but you can tell a lot about a person from their phone: who they talk to, what do they talk about, what do they look at, what kind of apps they use, etc. In the video, a lot of these mothers are shocked and appalled to see what their sons text their dates or girlfriends. How the sons speak to their partners through their phone is not going to be the same as when they speak to their partners in-person.

Everyone texts differently depending on who is the recipient, but you can also act differently with the same person offline and online. This idea that you can say things you would never say in-person is an idea that we have been talking about throughout the semester. Also, I think this key term can be used in the other contexts that we have spoken of, like communicating via a computer or laptop. It can be any digital medium, not just a cellphone. In the context of online/phone dating, you are technically not anonymous, but there is no guarantee that you are who you say you are or the way you message is the same way you talk in-person. However, when you are your “computer self”, you can be anonymous, and some people take advantage of that. Some people post negative comments, some take on different identities to see what it feels like (identity tourism) , etc. All of the discussions we have had about our readings have pointed to the fact that we have two selves, a real world self and a digital self.

Richness V.S. Leanness / Media Richness Theory

Richness

The abundance of Nonverbal cues that add clarity to a verbal message

Leanness

Messages that carry less communication due to a lack of nonverbal cues

1:53-2:50

Communicative richness and leanness is something that has been very prevalent in our culture today with how immersed everyone is in their phones at all times. According to Business Insider, US smartphone owners aged 18-24 send 2,022 texts per month on average– 67 texts on a daily basis.

That is a lot of texts a day. As a clear medium of communication between people, we should understand how it differs from the face-to-face communication we’re used to. When we’re communicating face-to-face we have very rich messages, meaning we talk with not only our words but with our tone, with our body language, or any non-verbal cue. For example, if someone tells you they feel great but you can tell from nonverbal cues that they are uncomfortable based on the fact that they aren’t smiling, or their body isn’t facing you, or if their voice seems solemn, then you can tell that they aren’t telling the whole truth and those are the cues that you wouldn’t receive through a text message. Not only do we have less information to work with lean messages, but we tend to construct our own messages when the messages themselves are lean. For example when your partner or significant other sends you an ambiguous  message like “whatever then,” you might fill that message with your own reason of why he or she sent that message. Misinterpreting a message can lead to fights and a poor relationship. Just like the video said, if our brains are looking for a fight, then everything will look like a reason to fight, even if those incoming texts are harmless. Of course, texting is invaluable for all of us, it provides us with a means of communication that is so easy and quick, but we should be mindful about what we decide to communicate over text and what we decide to communicate over person. Even in Aziz Ansari’s experience when texting another, 

he encounters trouble when there are time gaps after a significant question. Perhaps the other person was just busy, or maybe they wanted to convey the feeling that he or she did not want to hang out. There are a lot of missing clues for us to take in and based on what we do have, we might come to the wrong conclusion. Another part of the video that was particularly interesting is the point that even though women try to be more constructive with their texts, their relationships in general still don’t end up being any more successful than those who don’t use texting as a medium to maintain the relationship. It conclusively seems as though that you shouldn’t let texting become a big part of your relationship as it is difficult to manage the real messages that want to come across. When in any kind of relationship you want to have great communication, and the key to healthy communication point to rich messages over lean messages.

 

This week, I did my Critical Media Analysis on the reading, “A Million First Dates” by Dan Slater. After my analysis the key term I chose was “Monogamy”.  The original definition of Monogamy was being married to only one person in his or her lifetime. However, ever since the times have evolved the definition has changed to the practice or state of having a committed relationship with only one partner at a time. Technology has had an especially profound effect on the way we connect and converse with others in our society and its effect on the dating world is no exception. We as a society all have the desire to meet with new people. Now that we can easily get access to online dating apps or websites, we have even more opportunities to meet and choose a suitable partner. Online dating websites may provide us with choices in searching for our desired partner but they can also have a negative affect. While some hope to find “The One” and plan for a monogamous relationship, others use these apps and sites to their advantage by using them to date, see and enjoy themselves with several partners. They aren’t open to committing to just one relationship. Breaking up with a significant other isn’t as big of a deal anymore because they can easily go online and meet new people and go on dates and perhaps be in another relationship at anytime. Now that online dating is so common, most people don’t find it necessary to be dating just one person.

This video that I would like to share with you explains as to why online dating will not work out the way we would hope it to.

We constantly search for better relationships until we are completely satisfied. But we really need to realize that online dating is not the only solution to achieve a better and satisfied relationship. It often leads to people getting greedy which never ends well. These new apps and sites will cause us to constantly be looking to meet new partners, instead of being committed to one relationship. Unconsciously, we will be getting ourselves into multiple unhealthy relationships that will eventually go downhill.

Cyber Social Justice is the way in which human rights are manifested in the everyday lives of people at every level of society using the internet and social media including Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

As shown in the first image the idea of people standing together in different platforms of social media and taking a stand is what cyber social justice is and that is how it makes a movement in the community. This particular photo showcases how the many different social media platforms have a way of showcasing human rights. In all they are equal and like the article mentioned Tumblr is one of them.

We are using social media as a way of fighting for what we feel is right which is exactly what cyber social justice is and stands for.

In the video clip that is showcased it is mentioned that people who fight for what they feel is right and what they feel is necessary hide behind the screen because that’s what they feel is right. They use the digital screen as a mask to possess anonymity. With the anonymity we are able to state what the authorities lack in saying in the real world. We are able to step into the world of internet and allow ourselves to step up for what we want to be done instead of what the government for example feels needs to be done.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llk2N1wWlP4

#Hashtag movements are an example of cyber social justice because we make a certain cause become known. #BlackLivesMatter is an example of people coming together and showcasing what really needs to be showcased in this day in age of America. Black lives are taken and with the help of the internet we are able to spread the cyber social justice and like in the article are able to showcase other things that many people don’t tend to realize halfway across the world.

 

Hashtag activism plays a major role in digital activism landscape since it has the ability to reach a countless amount of people. This massive reach has brought people together and united them under a cause, but in an unstructured manner which is something that traditional society is still getting acclimated to. As Jen Schradie mentioned in her article, “building and sustaining a political movement, even an online movement, still requires organization.” Even though this is a fairly new outlet for activism, it still requires some structure to function effectively. Hashtag activism is a medium and stepping stone into the creation of more structured online movements. Social media is optimized for the delivery of short messages which is why “hashtagging” can be seen as an ideal way of protest. The key thing about hashtags is that they are memorable. When people see a hashtag pertaining to a movement, they will automatically recognize it and it attracts more people to a cause. #BlackLivesMatter has been a major breakthrough in the hashtag activism and social media scene. People from around the world were given the opportunity to defend their opinions through a unified method: a hashtag. This type of activism has even opened the doors for celebrities to voice their opinions on certain issues.

In the photo above, FLOTUS Michelle Obama openly shows her support for the #BringBackOurGirls movement which sparked from the kidnapping of Nigerian girls from a boarding school. It is interesting that she chose to use the hashtag to show her activism as opposed to using just posting a video speaking about the topic or just posting a status on Facebook about it.

Another example of activism is what is happening at the moment with Trump winning the election. The hashtag #notmypresident arose after the controversial election results. Young millenials are taking to Twitter to express their thoughts on what is happening to our country politically.

People are emotionally invested in the election results since this is a major change in the U.S. political climate. Currently, there are many cities protesting the outcome of this election. People are living in fear of what’s to come from this presidency. It is promising to see that people are organizing and uniting through social media to promote activism as this response is being written. Most of these protest groups were organized primarily through social media and hashtag activism. The power of social media activism is prevalent and effective since platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were able to unite people in less than 24 hours.

This week I did my Critical Media Analysis on the reading, Bringing the Organization Back In: Social Media and Social Movements by Jen Shradie. The key term I chose was Internet Activism. Internet Activism aka #Hashtag Activism aka Clicktivism simply means using any from of electronic or online communication to spread a message and raise awareness about a social/political issue to a large audience, FAST. Whether people agree or disagree with you will determine whether or not this act becomes a social movement- where you see this message reposted or retweeted all over the place. The media I chose to represent internet activism is something that hits quite close to home considering its the day after the election, and this photo has been posted ALL OVER the place. I first saw it when I woke up this morning on my Instagram feed, and then I saw it on Facebook, then it was on Twitter and it kept popping up all day long. The photo reveals what seems to be a response to an interview question from People Magazine, Trump replying with the message below. This is a form of activism because by people reposting this photo, they are trying to reveal the character of the man we elected to be the president of our country. They want those who voted for him to feel some type of way and expose him for what he really is. Usually internet activism only goes as far as the internet. People feel that if they re-tweet or re-post they did their “due diligence” and no longer are obligated to the issue. However, today, along with this photo, were captions like “Meet tonight in Columbus Circle for a protest” or “Meet tonight in Union Square for a protest,” proving that the people who are campaigning online are also campaigning offline- which is unique to this type of internet activism. This is just one example of many forms of online activism but I thought it was especially relevant considering the time and I found it interesting that this happened post election rather than prior.

Social learning theory: This theory was made famous by Albert Bandura and states that social behavior is learned primarily by observing and imitating the actions of others.

Some may know him as the behaviorist who conducted the Bobo doll experiment in 1961.

 

 

In this clip, Sonny can be seen playing a prank by placing a stick on the ground where a person rollerblading is bound to cross over. The man falls into the lake to Sonny’a amusement, and this is all taken in by Julian. In the next cut, Julian is seen following Sonny’s lead and trips the man rollerblading by placing a stick in his path. Like Sonny, he finds it funny and cheers after the man falls, and is even further encouraged by Sonny saying, “That’s my boy.”

These clips from Big Daddy illustrate the social learning theory. Julian is a young child and at that age, children learn by observing others and imitating their actions. Observing a role model encourages people, especially children, to be more likely to engage in the same type of behavior. Being rewarded increases the likelihood of repeated actions. Sonny is the only adult figure in Julian’s life at the time, so he is constantly taking in information and learning to act in a similar way. He doesn’t know what is right and what is wrong unless someone he looks up to tells him so. Since no one taught him that tripping someone is a bad action, he feels no remorse for his actions. By copying Sonny’s mean actions and being rewarded with a smile and favorable comments, Julian is encouraged more and this is essentially the social learning theory. He is engaging in behavior that he learned in a social setting and from a figure that he looks up to.

This is seen often in today’s society, where people copy the behavior of others because they were not told that it is wrong. Common examples are stealing, making fun of others, and cheating. If the person is not caught, they are also more likely to engage in the same behavior. Social learning theory can encourage both positive and negative actions.

This chapter explores into the development of prejudice and discrimination on the internet, also the review of course on how online prejudice influence offline behavior.  People have projected that the internet has the possibility to se a surge in prejudice, while a decline in discrimination. The opening part of the chapter discusses the differences about who is using the internet and for what reason. It explains that the “digital divide” happens to have turned over from a simple approach and toward utilization. When technology became more affordable and available, a “digital divide” between the rich and poor is still present. The rich and educated are still more likely to have better connection to digital resources. “Digital divide” is the gap between people who have accessibility to the internet and those who do not. Having a shortfall of the internet is a disadvantage to the people who cannot get access to the internet because of the extensive knowledge that can only be found on the internet.

The digital divide causes a major problem in countless parts of the world. The parts of the world with the most access to the internet are the United States, Europe and Northern Asia. Where as Africa, India, and southern parts of Asia are limited.

The reason for limited internet access in these parts of the world, is that these nations are not able to afford the basic start up cost to be able to invest into technology. Techno-activist Aleph Molinari has created a way to closing the “digital divide” gap by creating spaces around the world for kids to have access to the internet and teach them how to use computers. Here is a TED talk with Aleph on what he did to bridge the gap of the “digital divide”.

Access to computers and the internet and being able to use them are becoming a crucial part of our lives. Technology creates an impact on the way teachers are teaching children in the classroom. While children are being exposed to these technological advancements at a young age. It will will help them in the workplace, where technology is becoming imperative.