24 hr Media Deprivation

I attempted and achieved 24 straight hours of media deprivation. I did not watch television, use my laptop, cell/home phone, listen to the radio/ipod, or use any other types of modern electronic media devices, such as videogames, to entertain myself for one whole day. I was extremely apprehensive at first, as most students were after being assigned this task but I was able to overcome my “fear” and complete it. I chose to start the assignment on Friday, November 28 at 7 am.

I had swim practice at 8 am on Friday, so instead of usually being awoken by my cell phone alarm, I used an old clock. I also did not listen to any music to and from practice, but it was peaceful since I was still half asleep. Once I got back, I ate and took my usually 2-hour nap after practice. After being well rested, my ‘media deprivation’ really started. I didn’t realize how much I used my computer and TV until I was deprived from it. I naturally just go in my living room, get comfortable, and turn on the TV without any hesitation. But I soon realized that I couldn’t do this and stopped myself before I picked up the remote. Usually if nothing is on TV, I will log on my computer and just browse the internet or Facebook, but I, too, couldn’t do this either. Instead, I started some homework that did not require my laptop. I actually got more done than planned in a quicker amount of time but I still had about half left that needed my computer (papers, online assignments, this blog). I then started to briefly study for my final exams, which was a great jumpstart and I know I would not have done this if not given this assignment.

            Since I couldn’t do schoolwork all day, I decided to cook a cake. That ate some time up and after I caught up on a book I started this past summer. I rarely ever read during the school year, unless of course, I must for a class. It’s a bad habit, but I am so busy with school and swimming that I barely ever have time to just read a book of my choosing. So being able to do this was satisfying and relaxing. Later, my whole family actually went on a walk together. All four of us rarely EVER do this all together, maybe once a year. My mom suggested it the day before and I basically followed through with it because of this assignment. I had to convince everyone to go, especially my sister, but we eventually agreed and took a nice, mid afternoon walk around my neighborhood. The rest of the night my sister, mom, and I played Trivial Pursuit together by our fireplace and then we all had a nice, TV-free family dinner. I then continued to read until falling asleep. 

            The whole process was difficult but I prepared myself mentally and got through it better than planned. I first hid my cell phone because I knew I would be tempted to check my text messages after an hour into the project. I also realized how much my mind just naturally is use to pushing a button for entertainment. The TV remote and radio ON button has influenced me so much that my natural inclination when around them is to turn on, even when I don’t really crave watching TV or listening to music. I guess it is how society is today, when in a room with comfortable chairs and a TV, you turn it on; when driving in a car, you turn the radio on, no hesitation. I expected to be able to accomplish a whole day without any electronic media sources, but I thought it was going to be much harder to occupy myself when in fact, I found many things to be entertained by. The roughest part was not being able to use my cell phone since I constantly text my boyfriend all day. I think after the first couple hours I got use to not having my phone but by the end, I was feeling a major need to check it. It’s almost scary to me that I rely on my phone so much, for instance when I hear that I have received a text message, I NEED to read it. It’s almost a satisfaction when I do, because I know when I just let it sit there, all I think about is who just texted me and what did they say. Like Mr. Snyder said, usually it’s just a friend saying “what’s up” but my mind is thinking it could be some juicy information or something crazy that no one else knows.

            How I “needed” the satisfaction I got from reading a text message goes along with Walker’s theory that electronic media acts as a “physical nourishment” (2). One of her students joking asked if they were allowed to eat- comparing ipod and cell phones to food on a survival level. Since I have grown up in this period of time, I am used to all the electronics around me therefore I need them to “survive.” 

It’s funny to think how much the public relies on media technology, especially cell phones, ipods, and laptops. I see people using ipods while working out because pump up music inspires people and takes their mind off the pain. I also see many students walking to class with their ipod in to shorten the journey. I think we do need these technologies in some cases, like in emergencies- cell phones is a godsend. But then there is the flip side where people do not need to be on them driving or constantly 24/7. The Internet and news on TV is also a great, safe way for people to be informed about the weather, crime, government decisions, etc. It is extremely important for people to know about things happening in the world and our media technology has allowed us to do so.

Overall this experience was definitely eye opening and was a difficult task to accomplish. I think I realized that I depend on my phone and laptop way too much and maybe need to ‘deprive’ myself from it more often so I can focus more on schoolwork and other important things like family time.

Walker, Danna L. "The Longest Day." washingtonpost.com. 5 Aug 2007. 30 Nov 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/01/AR2007080101720.html

Television vs. Print

The book and the television are two distinctively different ways of life, both portraying a “story,” whether true or not, but in two totally different ways. Many can and will argue that watching TV makes one dumber and reading makes you smarter. Other people will take the stance of television producing no harm to the public and reading is either just another hobby with no real intellectual booster or can even hurt one buy secluding themselves from the world. Neil Postman argues that the book is the correct way of life. He claims “reading teaches us to reason” (283) and that television hurts our thinking and disables us to achieve what we could by reading over watching TV. Camille Paglia, on the other hand, defends the television by saying it “is the culture” (238) and it has a great, drawing power over us.

Each of the authors has their valid arguments, but on the whole, Paglia won me over in the reading “Two Cultures- Television Versus Print.” The example she gives about the Catholic Church was really what sold me on her. I totally agree with her, I know my childhood memories were of images, not something profound that I read. I think it is easy to understand the Catholic Church in images, statues, and other visual ways because it has such depth to them. Yes the Bible and other words of Catholicism are still extremely important, but I think for a younger person to fully grasp a concept, seeing a visual is easier. Also, she stated how minor the Virgin Mary was in the Bible and how the Father, Son and Holy Ghost were clearly dominate over any woman figure. But with images, Mary can be depicted anywhere and her small role in the Bible is a drastic difference from her more obvious visual. When I really think about it, I do realize how much of a difference Mary is portrayed in the Bible versus a visual of her. When I think of Catholicism, I think of God, Jesus, and Mary instantly. But when reading the Bible she is not one of those ‘characters’ that pop out so profoundly like the way my mind makes it in the visual sense. Paglia’s argument on this is very interesting and I totally see where she’s coming from in regards to it.

Paglia also points out the 15-year difference between herself and Postman, who is the older of the two. She explains how this generation gap makes a huge difference between their thinking because of the change in American culture during their times (287). They both view the mass media in different ways, making their argument on the television and print capturing. I agree with how she justifies how symbols used in television commercials and ads reinforce their deeper meaning. People will see an ad and a symbol used along with it, say for instance Martin Luther King Jr., and in their mind will rethink everything MLK Jr. stands for and what he has done for African Americans nationwide. It brings a sense of history to the product or whatever is being sold and, to me at least, reinforces what it means and makes more people aware of problems. I think symbols are great to be used in the media or in marketing because it ‘re-teaches’ a person about their history and the symbol becomes more meaningful and sometimes even more personal.

Paglia and Postman both give valid arguments as shown in “Two Cultures- Television Versus Print” and have insightful information regarding the influence of the television and print. Though I understand where Postman comes from and I agree with him on a couple theories, I feel Paglia shows the better defense of television, and being a post war baby, I stand by her notion of the television. Print and the TV are two extremely important events that have occurred in American history, making them to cause such argument over their impact on our culture.

 

 

Postman, Neil and Camille Paglia. "Two Cultures- Television Verses Print.” Communication in History. Ed. David Crowley and Paul Heyer. 5th  ed. Boston: Pearson Education, 2007. 283-295

An Historic Election 2008

This was my first election that I was able to vote and it was pretty exciting to know that I was able to be a direct part of this historic election. I chose to watch both media coverage of the election on FOX News and MSNBC. It was interesting listen to both the liberal side and conservative take on this election. I didn’t want to just stay on one channel and receive only one side of the story.            

            Watching FOX News, I found it different than MSNBC. I think each channel, even though one is clearly republican and one is democratic, should not be totally one sided and should give the news without too much biased. I don’t think the channels were too biased on the election but there was definitely some making it difficult to figure out what was the truth or what was just blatant opinion. I did like, however, when MSNBC interviewed a Republican Strategist and how FOX interviewed a Democratic Strategist, it helped give a mixture of both sides from each station.  I also noticed was how each news program represented the gradual results coming in. I enjoyed watching MSNBC because of how they  showed different maps of each state and overall how they had the TV screen set up, it was just easier for me to read and see who was winning what state and how close states were. I also saw a brief clip of the US map with the different states, either colored red or blue, on an actual ice rink, which I thought was pretty cool and never saw anything like that before.

            MSNBC continuously told what states voted which way during the 2000 and 2004 election. This made me understand it easier because I don’t know what states are republican or democratic, so comparing these 2008 results with previous elections was interesting and easier to understand why a state voted Obama or McCain.

            Every channel I put on, whether MSNBC, FOX, a local channel, etc, the election and results were up. Once Obama won Ohio, many of the stations basically said he won the election- I think the media gets ahead of its self sometimes by saying things like this. Yes, winning Ohio and Pennsylvania was huge for the Obama campaign, but too many stations were calling the election before it was close to over.

            After hearing that Obama won the election I put on every channel to see each reaction. Some were filled with balloons and pure excitement while others showed rooms clearing out since their candidate did not win. It was an exciting election to watch, in my opinion. I have never watched so much of the media coverage and I overall enjoyed it. But I don’t think one can watch too much of it, I know I got bored after a while when no results were coming in but I felt the need to keep watching because maybe any second something big would happen. I think the whole hype and it almost acting like a game with the different electoral votes acting as “points” draws a lot of the American public being drawn to watch it even when though don’t really want to.

            I was switching through the channels and came across a show, Privileged, with something that caught my eye.  This show is about two bratty rich girls, nothing to do with the election, but the characters on the show all had “I Voted” stickers. It was patriotic to me that they did this and I think it brings more people, especially the younger public who watches this show, to realize that voting is so important and everyone who is able should.