A New Level of Addiction

Emma Stein wrote an article titled "Social Media Dependency Has Become a Mental Health Issue", and I have such a variety of emotions after reading it. Considering I don't live under a rock, I am very aware of the rapidly growing addiction to social media. Little did I know that "those who interact via social media on a daily basis are five times likelier to use tobacco, three times likelier to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana." That statement is astonishing! I clearly have underestimated the power of scrolling through photos. 

Yes, I am a social media addict. You shouldn't be surprised. But how did this happen? I wonder how often I have been influenced because of something that I saw was posted by a friend. Social media networks were intended to keep contact with friends from our past and present, and to make more connections that otherwise wouldn't have been possible. And now it's becoming the source of ideas for young people to try drugs and alcohol? I don't doubt that these people wouldn't run into the idea another way, if not a different source of media. But do people post pictures while drinking or doing drugs in order to glorify the actions? There is also the point that Facebook now reaches a very young audience, and if these impressionable minds didn't have access to the photos of people they know doing drugs- would they be as inclined to try it themselves? 

The article covered many more points about the dependency on social media, and how it has proved to be detrimental to the mind. Interested in reading? Click here.

 

How Do You Read?

Our millennial generation is already known for not reading books for pleasure as frequently as previous generations. My parents were avid readers when I grew up, so reading became a natural hobby for my sister and I. I know from experience that many of my peers despise reading novels for enjoyment, and I can't begin to tell them what they're missing. But with the internet now...who needs books?

I think we do. Even though information on the internet is a lot cheaper and faster to obtain, there is something special about cracking open a new book with a new adventure to lose your mind in. I'm not totally old school though, and I do use an Amazon Kindle more often than buying new books at the store. It's more portable, costs less, and doesn't crowd my shelves. Some people refuse to use electronic forms of reading books, but I find it extremely convenient. I wouldn't want to stare at my iPad for hours on end, and the Kindle almost appears like a normal book page. 

I think reading is a valuable hobby that should not be forgotten. Even if it has to be done on an electronic device. 

The #Selfie Generation

I recently read an article on ABC News about the new "selfie" obsession, which is very prevalent on social media these days. A day doesn't go by where multiple selfies pop up on my News Feed, and people are constantly taking photos of themselves. Whether it is for social media, personal messages, or for the Snapchat app, the users take multiple pictures until they are satisfied with their hair, makeup, pose, etc. The ABC article gives multiple examples of phone applications where people can even airbrush their bodies to look "perfect." What happens when people encounter the person instead of the picture; aren't they afraid of looking different or not measuring up?

Why are we so obsessed with selfies? Do we like the affirmation we get from the number of likes or comments? I think attention definitely is a contributing factor, and people feel like they are connected or admired by others if their pictures are acknowledged. Who doesn't want to be noticed? But it should be known that there are many other ways to get noticed by others, and Instagram photos don't have to fit the model form. There are so many different types of beauty to appreciate, and selfies without makeup should not be such a rarity.

This article opens up the discussion about editing advertisements or magazine photos of celebrities as well, but it comes down to how women are perceived through media and how the standard has become unattainable. This post won't be my first on the topic, but this article shined some light on our generations priorities.

If you want to read the article, click here.

Why Do We Google?

Google is one of the most powerful media conglomerates of our time, and I am guilty of using the search engine over ten times a day. In my opinion, there are many factors that make Google superior to its competitors like Bing or Yahoo. Long ago I downloaded Google Chrome because I thought that Internet Explorer was too slow in loading every page, and we look for speed in our quality technology. I also thought that Explorer was too cluttered with the tool bars and various pop up windows. I attempted to open Explorer while writing this in order to look at an example, and it failed in loading and proceed to shut down. My point exactly.

Chrome also allows for the user to personalize the background of the web page, so we can choose how it looks. I have definitely taken advantage of this feature, and it adds to the overall look of the browser that each user can make their own. Bookmarks are listed right under the URL tab, and the browser itself is not overcrowded. Firefox never loaded any applications or pages for me...so it was never in consideration.

Clearly I'm a Google advocate. But the company has many different properties with YouTube, Gmail, Google+, Google Docs, etc. I have used all of those apps, and millions of other people have as well. Does that mean we are addicted to Google? Not necessarily. I said earlier that I use Google over ten times a day, but they were for various reasons. I Google to find restaurant hours and phone numbers, ingredients in food products since I have an allergy, the lyrics to a particular song, etc. Google can be used as a translator or a calculator, and it can be used to find breaking news or book previews. It has become such an incredible resource, and when people don't know an answer to something it is a quick and reliable with credible sources.

If people didn't have Google or internet, they would have to search books or newspapers for their answers, which is takes much more time. Books and other print materials are a wonderful source, but we often don't have the luxury of time to head to the library every time we wonder about a topic. Google gives us the information at our finger tips and allows us to be informed in the matter of seconds. It's not dangerous; it's an opportunity. If not Google, it would be another internet source that we would use consistently because we are carrying smart phones and not libraries. I think we have enough knowledge about privacy issues to make our own decisions on what we want accessible to other users. In a way Google allows for our independence on forming our own opinions and having access to information on current topics. What's wrong with wanting to know more information on a certain subject? Google urges us to be curious and ask questions, so we might as well ask them.

A Blogger Reviewing Another Blogger

My Reaction to an Interview with Veteran Blogger

Rebecca's Pocket talks with Tiffany B. Brown

Brown's blogging career began in 2002, when she created her own home page at tiffanybbrown.com. This site covered design, technology, and whatever rant she felt like expressing. She later created blackfeminism.org to discuss political happenings, race, and gender as well as culturedwino.com to discuss her experiences with types of wine. Brown clearly has a variety of interests that she likes to make a public forum, all thanks to her journalism degree from American University. 

Throughout the interview, I really appreciated Brown's honesty in her answers. She began to blog in order to promote herself and her interests professionally, and she was also inspired by other's blogs that discuss similar topics to her. Since I'm new to the blog world, I'm not sure how many views the average blog accumulates a day. But I was pretty impressed with Brown's numbers, as she stated that she gets around 400-600 views a day! It's not difficult to see why she gets so many views, considering her posts are more original and comedic about the black community when compared to others. I find it humorous that she wishes she didn't need a day job, because it simply takes those 8 hours away from blogging. That must be real passion in blogging!

I respect Brown's blog and its contents because it is a free forum of her opinion on current events and politics, which naturally can spark heated conversations and be controversial for some readers. But she considers all the comments that are made, and I don't know if I could state my opinions about big topics so openly. I also love that Brown is currently a web designer and has never written anything professional. It has made her writing raw and quirky, and she is able to showcase her style and personality so easily in her writing. Brown isn't afraid to talk about how she's grown throughout the years in her blog writing, and she acknowledges that her writing has improved and she now has a lot more connections. My favorite blogs are those who are strong in their opinions because they clearly write for their own enjoyment. Tiffany B. Brown is definitely one of those bloggers who is unafraid of what the readers may think about her posts. She lives for debating, and I think her blog is the perfect forum for that. 

Brown may not have a lot of male readers at the moment, but her following is growing each day. One of my favorite quotes from the interview was, "Never underestimate the power of comments and community." Brown has certainly created a unique blog under her own rules and reasoning. Her blog is not one to miss! Especially if you love reading about what pisses her off and makes her ask questions.

For more information about Tiffany B. Brown, check out her blog here!

And so it begins...

Hi friends!

This is a new blog created by yours truly for discussions about various types of new media. This is also my very first blog, so it's pretty exciting! Our world is surrounded by media and technology, and we all cross paths with these elements every day. Why not talk about it? Also feel free to comment on any post I make, especially if you disagree. We can talk about it.

Just a few things about me, I am a junior at North Central College studying Theater, Communications, and Dance. I guess you can say I like communicating with people in a variety of ways! I am always on the run to the next rehearsal or class, but I thoroughly enjoy being busy. What is life without energy, enthusiasm, and passion? I wouldn't want to find out.

Basically if you enjoy reading and discussing media topics, this is one of those blogs that you should visit quite frequently. Let me know what you think.

Enjoy!