In the year 2016, the media has definitely become a large part of my life. I am constantly surrounded by sources of information each vying for my immediate attention. And it would be a lie to say that I am immune to the pull of technology. But, I still think it is fair to say that I am able to resist its charms and seductions a lot better than some of my piers.
There are so many forms of media out there today. On the Internet there are websites like Facebook, Tumbler, Deviantart, YouTube, Twitter, Grinder, Snap Chat, and Tinder—to name a few. On television there are almost 2,000 channels in the United States alone. Not to mention the hundreds of different magazines available in the U.S.
With all of these options to choose from—and not being required to choose just one—it is pretty amazing how little I partake in it all. I tend to ignore most forms of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, dating sites, and Snap Chat. I suppose the main reason for this is that the majority of the people I know, I see everyday at school, so I don’t need to check up on all of them every five minutes to see what is going on in their lives. If I really cared, I would ask. Also, I don’t see the appeal of getting involved in the lives of people you may never meet. They are complete strangers and yet I know what they had for breakfast.
But, as I mentioned before, I am not totally secluded from the world around me. I do enjoy watching YouTube videos, I do have an email account, and I almost regularly check on Deviantart to keep up with my favorite artists. I also use Google frequently whenever I need the Internet for homework purposes or if I have a question that no one knows the answer to. I have also found a website that allows me to read novels for free!
All-in-all, my relationship with media and technology could be worse: I have some classmates who have admitted to feeling “phantom vibrations” in their pockets when their phones are in their backpacks.
