Instead of using the term ‘double-edged sword’ as I have seen many of my peers use, I opted to use ‘dysfunctional’; I chose to do this because referring to media as a double-edged sword would mean that media itself is hurting me but I believe we are just hurting ourselves. Its a bit like saying ”guns don’t kill people, people kill people”. The problems we have with today’s media such as bullying and the problems that come with it like depression and body dysmorphia, isn’t due to the platform but rather the individuals using it but the platform receives the hate.
As I mentioned before, my relationship with media isn’t perfect, its dysfunctional. It’s like a toxic relationship, we both depend on each other to function but it hurts. It has become an unhealthy addiction to the point where I wouldn’t know what to do if my wifi and 3g suddenly stopped working. I would feel frustrated, hopeless and unimaginable bored. I can’t remember the last time I was truly disconnected from everything.
Despite everything, I think media is great. Its amazing. It cures my boredom, offers me any bit of knowledge I could want and connects me to my friends and family all around the world. Media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have become vital infrastructures for many societies and have essentially become extensions of myself.
Alex Azzawi, 13885766
Why I Heart My Media 