Why do I love media?
We are submerged in a world full of media. We are surrounded by a wide range of media from a young age. We would not be able to imagine our lives without media.
I would say I have a love hate relationship with media. However, I let myself view media this way. Being able to FaceTime my family when I miss them, capture a moment on my iPhone camera whenever I want to, or sharing a wandering thought I had while walking the streets of Amsterdam, are things I find natural and normal. It is even beautiful that we have the opportunity to do all of these things. Nevertheless, why do we have the need to do all of this, and why has it become so standard.
When we go to a concert, why does everyone in the crowd have their phone up? Why cant we enjoy the moment, and fully emerge into the experience of having the singer right in front of us, not watching them, yet again, through our screen. If we look at this from a different perspective, we will have the memory of being at the concert, perhaps looking back at the videos, bringing a sense of nostalgia and joy.
I get frustrated and upset with myself when I have the need to share how I am feeling on social media. Am I searching for validation? Comfort? At the same time, it is beautiful that we have the opportunity to spread our thoughts and emotions with so many people, never knowing who it will touch or reassure that they are not alone.
When I was going through a tough time, I decided I wanted to disconnect and detox from social media. I deactivated all of my accounts, however, I still needed my phone to connect with parents and school. I noticed I suddenly didn’t spend two hours on TikTok, but I became more productive in my daily chores. ‘Detoxing’ from social media, however did not let me cut off people, it rather helped me save time from scrolling through feeds and profiles, which at the end of the day, felt refreshing.
Media is beautiful, it connects us, informs up, advances us and entertains us. The way we choose to handle social media is a matter of the individual person. The relationship I have with media helps me stay grounded. I know my limits, what effect media has on me and how i let if affect me, helps me reflect and realize the power media has over all of us, no matter what generation.
Student ID#13592556
Why I Heart My Media 