The American Bubble

I am highly appalled by the way media in America manipulates information for attention. Not only do these media outlets ( television news stations and newspapers) twist and deliver stories in a way that persuades their audience (unknowingly) to think a certain way, but they also deliver one sided stories. When I was younger I really didn’t pay much mind to this, i guess I was just use to the “added details” news anchors focus on, but it wasn’t until most recently that found out to what extend news anchors went to, to acquire audience to focus on them for information. I was extremely upset and appalled by the way news spread across outlets with only one sided of a story. Although legal documents have not been released about any situation, news outlets are the first to speculate on what happened with any hardcore lead what so ever.

News channels and newspapers both contribute to this “American Bubble” that I’ve been talking about all semester long. Delivering misleading information for their audience to remain in the bubble that they are in. Now I’m not saying that the news they deliver is not important nor that they shouldn’t broadcast them, I’m talking about the actual context of the material they are delivering into peoples homes. Before airing a certain story, shouldn’t their be a form of screening stories before they make the nightly news?

How many times have we been told a story by someone, whom might I add probably wasn’t present during the “altercation” yet they delivered the information in such a way that convinces you that the story was true. Yet when you went to confront people that were present at the event they told you a totally different story? This is the exact way media outlets operate. Rarely do they have a first person account of what actually went down. Now yes, the overall story might be true, but the little details that everyone elaborates on is what sells the story. A little “over exaggerated” that one might believe to be harmless is what makes small issues bug issues and big issues even bigger. The overall story might be true, but along the way many might have elaborated to make people like your story better.

In conclusion, don’t believe everything you read or see on the news. It’s old news that media elaborates or portrays news a certain way to persuade you to think a certain way. Don’t be fooled my friends, don’t become some of the many that fall into this American Bubble. Think, investigate and ask questions before you fall into their trap!

Have you ever been with a group of people at dinner and it seems like you’re alone because everyone else is on their phone. We’ve all experienced this at one point or another, yet unless we’re on a date, we don’t really have a problem with it because we’re probably participating in it too. Whether they’re checking Twitter, FaceBook, email or sending a quick text, it seems as if social gatherings don’t have a lot of socialization amongst people at the gathering, but rather, with people over their phones.

This blog topic came about while I observed a group of my friends texting while we were at dinner. Four out of six of my friends were on their phones the whole time and only addressed us occasionally. And I thought to myself … this is normal … but why is it bothering me so much? The answer was that I was outside the circle of phone hypnotism that my friends were. Seeing it from an outside perspective really showed me how rude it really is. People are talking to you yet you rather text with other people, or check your twitter. The same way that this affected my friends, it also affects everyone in this era. Social Etiquette has gone out the window. Unless we are sleeping, we always have our phones in our hands. It actually feels like a part of us is missing when we don’t have our phones on us. This defiantly is a sad phenomenon that has developed from social media and Smartphone. As much as these outlets have changed our lives for the better, it has also affected us in a bad way. We have less face to face interactions but an increase in our online presence. We all understand we have a job and need to check emails (or at least we hope that’s what you’re doing on your phone and you’re not actually tweeting about an event rather than telling the person right next to you) but next time, ask yourself, can that tweet, text or email wait until after dinner?

Many are the tales told of the treachery in the history of a powerful being. How the seductive and addictive new girl in town Social climbed her way to the top of the popularity chain and how she kept it. It all started many years ago when America, the most beautiful and strong all has ever seen started looking for a change. See America, she had it all; she was healthy, at her prime and wealthy as could be. But there was one problem with her, she loved attention. And no matter how much attention she got, she was never really satisfied. America was married to Mr. Tele Vision, TV for short, which was an upgrade from her ex, Mr. Radio. TV made her happy, he was great at showing her new things…but she never felt fulfilled. It wasn’t long until Mr. Cell came along, which at first was husky and fat yet found a way through his words to enchant her. Although she was married she didn’t mind having a new toy to play with. He caught her eye and the rest was history. Just like Mr. Cell many were the new toys America possessed, but she was quickly bored with many and rejected a ton. As her husband found himself hidden among all the shiny new toys, he saw an opportunity, he started to reinvent himself. He got more colorful and learned new languages, which reignited the spark they once had.

Now one day America saw that a complex owned by Mr. Computer was being sold. As snoopy as any girl is, America tried to get some scoop on who was moving in by asking the town’s most notorious gossiping lady, misses Internet. Now misses Internet knew everything about everyone, so it wasn’t long before she found out who moved into the neighborhood. She told America that Mr. Computer rented out his complex to someone named Social Media. Now Social Media was different, one look at her and you were captivated, memorized and if you got a tasted, you kept coming back for more. But Social didn’t come alone, she was more like the queen bee with her little worker bees trailing behind. There was Mr. Space, which was extremely hot and everyone knew who he was but quickly faded into darkness when Mr. Book came to town. But none were more powerful then Ms. Tweet. She was short with words, but aggressive in power. She not only told you what she thought but she proved it in numbers. Now Social’s entire worker bees didn’t sleep for they knew they all competed for her heart. And Social did not disappoint. Many were the people who went to the complex, arriving skeptical and uncertain but left awfully satisfied after a visit…or two…or three. Social’s empire grew in numbers but more in power. It quickly overshadowed America and had everyone around the world crazed about her reputation and fought to try her out. As Social was moving from town to town captivating all in her site, it wasn’t long until a great illness possessed her. This illness wasn’t deadly but it sure had the power of a double bladed sword to destroy. Many talked about its power and how it blinded people but only a few were able to actually beat it and stay alive. For all of those whom visited Social’s many worker bees, some are still blinded and consumed with its deceitful beauty that they fail to recognize how deep in the bubble they actually are.

Well I guess the whole purpose one reads blogs is to get information on a topic of interest. As any work of literature, we expect the person writing it has some type of credibility in the topic.  Well here’s a little background on myself. My name is Jennifer and as you might have guessed I attend Baruch College. I’m 24 years old, and consequently part of the notorious Millennial Generation. The Millennial Generation is the group of people born from the years: 1980 – 2000. The millennial are characterized as a generation that is constantly pushing the limits. Jean Twenge, author of the book Generation Me refers to the Millennial’s as the “Generation Me” people. We’re all about, well, about ourselves. As Twene puts it “…[millenials] also have a sense of entitlement and narcissism based on personality surveys…” We are also a generation of influence and categorized as a generation of change. Might this epidemic of being in the “American Bubble” be a trait we millenials were born with? Being born in the middle of this great generation I think I have a much better insight because I am apart of it. This is my advantage and my credibility when writing this blog, I have a front row seat and am a primary source of this ever so great generation…. Now wasn’t that just a great narcissistic sentence.

If you’ve read my previous post than you understand what I mean when I say bubble. But for the sake of those who have not read my previous post here’s a quick summary:

We’re all busy in our daily lives, work, school, kids, somewhat of a social life that sometimes we don’t even know what going on in our own lives! But for some strange and peculiar reason, it seems like “everyone” is up to date with “non important” information like what happened in the show “The Walking Dead” last Sunday or what’s happening with the Kardashian family … Are they really getting a divorce? It’s hard to admit it, but this is what America cares about. Not about politics, or global issues, or headlining news, not even about local issues in your own community! I call this the American Bubble.

We have become so oblivious to what’s actually going on around us. We have lost the importance of keeping in touch with what really matters. And what’s worse is that media outlets cater to this! Have we forgotten that we are STILL at war? …. Well I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know! This is exactly what I’m calling to attention! America is so uninformed and frankly not as educated as we “appear” to be. When was the last time you sat down to watch the news? And I’m not taking about local news to get the weather report; I mean a real news station that reports about the country, about national issues, about global issues? Well let me ask you another question, when was the last time you turned the TV on to indulge yourself with some reality TV shows? Or how about an action packed television series?

            You see, I’m not saying watching reality shows is a bad thing. But I feel like the media is rotting our brains (or better yet, we are letting the media rot our brains) with so much garbage that we lose track of the bigger picture. Every day we become so unattached to what’s happening nationally, even globally, that we have unknowingly become part of a bubble. And it’s needless to say with us being so uneducated on national and global issues, that when we finally snap back into reality for a bit with some headlining news; we speak and choose sides about issues we know nothing about. Without facts, without much information, we make judgment. Yet we are quick to jump on Google to search the history behind something of so little importance.    Ask yourself…”Am I part of this bubble?”

With all the hustle and bustle in our daily lives, it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on in our own lives; let alone what’s going on around us or across the world for that matter. The term “Current Events” use to be a subject taught in school every week. Typically a current events topic would pertain something across the lines of political campaigns, environmental awareness, global headlining news… things of that nature. Yet it seems that in this day and age the subject “current events” is practiced less and less in schools. How is it that in the 21st century, with technology at our finger tips, we as Americans know little of what going on in our own country? Let alone what’s going on across the world? How is it that many cannot describe the difference between the two major political parties in the United States, yet can explain (in detail) the reason for the civil war occurring in the ever so popular fantasy television series “Game of Thrones?” In this blog, I will do my best to tackle this very issue. Has Americans created and submerged themselves in their own bubble?

Here is a link to watch a video clip of SNL bringing this issue up in one of their skits. Click here