I find it fascinating that technology becomes almost obsolete within very short periods of time. One moment you’re using your new iPad, and then the next month, a new version comes out, effectively rendering yours a thing of the past. I can understand the challenges of teaching a subject that is so prone to evolution, especially in our increasingly electronic society. Because of our dependence on technology, I can see why media literacy is important.

I would have to agree with the fact that the youth of today is losing their ability to have an actual conversation. We are so consumed with facebook, instagram, twitter, and text messaging that our brains are not entertained by an actual face to face conversation. I, however, was still raised to learn the importance of actual interaction with people. My parents taught me to put the phone down and talk. In instances such as the dinner table people are still on their phone when there are people who are sitting right in front of them having a conversation. My generation is ruining the importance of actual conversation and the release of new technology every day is not helping.

As a communication studies major, I have definitely noticed the impact that media has on our everyday life. It is not surprising to me that today’s generation has completely forgotten the printed version of the newspaper. The impact of the media is a lot greater than the general public realizes. Media alone can shape societies and lifestyles whether that is seen in a good or bad light. It is interesting to say the least, that we have media literacy classes at a professional level. There are so many forms of media in our current society, that media literacy is actually something that needs to be interpreted for a central understanding. I believe the approach to studying the nature,purpose and impact of the media on news and entertainment consumers would be beneficial so that a student can then make the connection of the many different delivery styles on their own.

This post definitely makes me question how much we know about the technology we are using. Obviously, a person may know how to access his safari browser on his or her iPhone, but do we really understand how the safari browser affects our lives? We live in a society that has a main goal of learning how to use these gadgets in our life, but there rarely comes a point where a person studies the effect these gadgets have on our lives. My entire family is now officially converted to iPhone technology, and I am absolutely sure that fewer words are being said at the dinner table. The outcome of these devices is not being considered when they should be. I think it is time for people to take a step back and look at how we use these technological devices in our lives. Are we using this technology to better us, or reduce us? It’s becoming more and more clear that we do not own the technology; it owns us.

I believe that the most immense blind spot when it comes to social media, media, and the internet is privacy. We believe that if we have a “username” and a “password” no one can access the information that we put out into the world through our “facebook”, “Twitter”, etc. However, just like the example of Tyler Clementi who’s private life was put on blast for the whole world to see, that potential for is out there for anyone who puts anything on the internet. There is a chance for major interference into a persons private life at any moment if they have put anything up on the internet. Now, this is not said in the idea of scaring everyone into never sharing their lives with people, friends, and family over the internet again. It just is a desire to put forth the thought of who controls the “privacy” of our “Facebook”, “Instagram”, and “Twitter” lives? Who sees the “posts” that we create everyday? What if one day that person or “persons” decided to rip open your life through media and shed light on you in a negative way? Now just remember, this is a thought. This is not to say social media, or media, or internet is bad. It is simply to evoke another thought process in someones mind.

Personally, as a college student when I register to take a communications course, I think of it as an opportunity to educate myself about the impact of media and to try and grasp at the “bigger picture”. 18-21 year olds are typically known for having tunnel vision and for seeing only what is right in front of them at that moment. It’s harder for us to think about the consequences and implications that come with each and every youtube video we upload or comment that we post. That becomes somewhat more relevant to students as they are starting to find that employers are beginning to use Facebook as another way of interviewing them or doing a background check. As for those just trying to get through school why should that effect them when they aren’t even concerned with finding a job yet? We need more classes that can teach us about the power Media can have and ways that it can be used properly. We are a tech generation, and we really have been given a loaded gun. 48 hours learning about the power and consequences of the Media is better than none.

To me, the problems, or rather, concerns mentioned in this article don’t exactly exist within the definitions of each form of mass media, but rather within the generations trying to understand them. In today’s day and age, there are so many different forms of media and mediums in which they are expressed to the public, but each one is not an exact black and white thing. TV can be defined as something people do when they are sitting in their living room looking for some entertainment, but this has now been expanded to be capable online as well, thus making it accessible outside the home. Does this then mean that it is a form of media in television or the internet? It is in these circumstances where I think clear definitions are irrelevant, and instead the conversation should move towards the generations discussing them. Today, we now have two “sides”: ones who grew up as native technology users, and ones who had to learn the ways of technology. This is where the concepts of each form of media and mass communication differ. A “native technology user” might view something different than a “non-native.” In either circumstance though, it is sure to offer great discussion, or debate, on a topic that is ever changing and so present in our world today.

I find your story on the student and the newspaper to be very surprising. Although we are definitely moving away from newspapers as a whole, I still find them to be very informative and interesting to read. In my readings, I have started to comprehend just how much time I spend being influenced by media, with social topping that list. It is remarkable how fast the influence and scope of all kinds of media have grown.

Well I don’t know if my last comment went throuh because it said the captcha code was off and then it was all blank so i’ll post again. What I was saying was that I believe our problem with media is very similar to the common problem of saying words you don’t mean or being careless with them out of anger extc. THe only difference is that the valves of communication are more broad now with social media sites and email and texting. It is the same root problem but with a different channel of communication and this is a communication that has just happened recently so were the only generation faced with it and the generation before us don’t know how to prevent it or even know it exist in some cases. I believe that there are two factors that contribute to this directly. First with this new communication that has morphed into a casual almost daily non face to face communication. It has created misunderstandings and a lot of room for own interpretation and errors. Computers may have an error and spell something wrong or the message may be taken in a way that was totally unintended. Also there are now concrete ways to gain social satisfaction on social media pages. For example facebook likes, thumbs up or down on youtube, views, comments on videos or blogs, and even monetary gain for frequent viewership. This makes it easier to gain some sort of “satisfaction” online. People will be more willing to post an embarassing video of someone else or say something mean to someones status if other people will support them or entertain their ideas. It works just like an audience laughing at a comedians jokes or roasting of a political figure. These are all shaping the way people interact now days and will change it forever.

What stuck out to me most was the thought about gun control. Everybody nowadays is able to post anything they want, and these posts can be seen by virtually anyone if they go looking. We have this ability to be heard by the other 7 billion other people in the world at any given time, but we have no concept of what that means. I’m, actually, not sure that anyone is able to comprehend the scope of that power. And literally anyone can use this power. It’s a very scary thought.

During the past decade we’ve seen how much technology has grown and evolved. What frightens me is how much dependency we’ve developed for computer, iPhones, iPads, etc & how much the govern and direct our lives. GPS help’s us get to one place to another, smart-phones give us the chance to check our emails instantly and so-forth. The need society has for fast and insightful information has grown; and because of this companies such as Apple and Windows have grown to a worldwide level. In just a click of a button, we can see what goes on in remote countries such as Vietnam, Africa, and the Middle East. But what truly sticks out to me is how much power we have because of these machines. We have the ability to either use it for something positive or contribute something negative to society. It is just like the analogy of the gun, we need to educate younger generations on how to use technology in a positive light. It literally is all at the push of a button.

After reading this blog post, I began thinking about how much media actually influences our lives. Most people can not go 24 hours without tuning into some kind of media whether it is a billboard on the street or a song on the radio. I believe that all media shapes our lives and what we think about the world around us. It scares me to think about how much the media can have an impact on the lives of young people when they don’t even realize it themselves.

We live in a world consumed by media. It’s everywhere, and it’s undeniable. Yet, even with so many different devices, and gadgets, and settings, we are able to find exactly what we need at any given moment. Our generation has the ability to access any piece of information from the tips of our fingers and the skills to do it from just about anywhere. As the older generation is trying to accommodate themselves with the relatively new concept of mass communication, we young people are doing it at an incredible rate. Just over a decade ago, people lived in a world of “who knows the information the best.” Today we live in a world of “who can find information the best.” My high school recently went through a drastic change and began to implement the most recent and modern technology into the everyday teaching curriculum. In doing so, they began the first ever one-to-one iPad use. Instead of simply teaching students about information, the focus shifted to teaching students how to find the information. I find it fascinating how mass media/mass communication has not only changed the way we live our personal every day lives but how it has also affected areas such as education as well. Education has evolved from the traditional subjects of history, math, and science, into the training of young people in media literacy and media communication. This generation is quick to incorporate the use of media (ie: facebook, twitter, youtube, etc), into daily habits; however, it’s a concept that we young people do not think much about, just as the article by Mr. Willis suggests. It serves as a loaded gun because people do not understand the depth and the importance to the freedom of media that they posses; which can have powerful effects, either positive or negative, on – hypothetically – millions of people. Therefore, although media is such a massive part in human everyday life, it is still something that we need to be educated on.

With all of the everyday changes to technology, sometimes it becomes difficult to keep up. At least one a year, there is a better smart phone, or a new laptop, or even software updates. All of these advances are making it hard for the world to stay a old-fashion communication place. It’s too the point where the main way to contact a person is by texting, tweeting, or facebooking. Everything is moving so quickly, and it is also corrupting our generation, and the future ones. I’m not going to act like i haven’t conformed to the world of technology, I just don’t know where it will put us in the future….

The part about the newspaper is really unfortunate to hear. There is something so much more refreshing about reading a newspaper in the morning rather than looking up news on your phone or computer. I think technology has hurt us in some ways rather than improve our lives. Everything was so simple until social networks first started to consume our lives. I hate to see how the following generation will develop with all of this new technology coming about. I think we forget that media doesn’t have to come through an iphone or macbook. As college students about to enter into the “real world,” I think it’s important to learn to step away and live without all the newest gadgets.

One piece that really stood out to me on this week’s blog post was the quote by John Vivian. I think that he is completely right. I did find it shocking to read that we spend about 68.8 percent of our waking hours to media messages. I do not think we realize how much we rely, and almost depend, on technology on a daily basis and are constantly disregarding its impact on who we are and how we live our lives. I spend hours on the Internet looking up something for class, wasting it on my personal blog, other social networks or even just looking up random things. I find that technology has become a huge distraction for me in my life but would I be willing to give it up? Or at least give up the things that are the least productive?
Another point I found really interesting was about the student who asked the question about the newspaper. I have noticed many students on campus who no longer purchase textbooks in paper form; instead they purchase the textbook as an eBook for their laptop or eReader. It is almost as if paper is not the “in” thing anymore and only items that have screens are.

It is a really interesting and humbling thought to think about kids younger than you being more literate at social media. Kids these days are learning more and more about media at and starting at younger ages each year. Just a couple months ago, my aunt handed me her iPhone so I could find the game Angry Birds for her kids to play. Apparently I wasn’t going fast enough for them, and her 5 year old took the phone out of my hands and said, “It’s okay, I can do it.” He proceeded to find the app on the home screen, and start it up and then played the game for a while. It hit me that these kids are being bombarded with games, media, and technology at younger ages, and are growing in proficiency. Younger kids know a lot more than we give them credit for when it comes to technology. It is interesting to see what will happen in the future years, and technology will continue to shape learning and growing.

When discussing the concept of “gun control” and how it relates to social media, many thoughts come to mind. The internet has become so accessible and so expressive, that the freedom of social media has proven at times to be rather reckless and consequential. Social media has become a targeted weapon of choice especially to tweens, teens, and young adults, everywhere. It has become a source of bullying, advertising, pornography, and exploitation. While the utilization of social media can prove to be used properly in a constructive manner, most issues arise from the previous. All in all, it is important to remain cautious, gracious, and respectful. People not know the power that lies within their fingertips.

Coming from the 20-aged-crowd that you speak of, I find it very exciting and a bit frightening to be on the brink of something quite so revolutionary as this new form of mass communication, the internet, spreads across this generation.

We don’t really know the extent of the impact both positive and negative on us yet, as the world becomes farther and farther submerged in this new realm daily. Similar to how popular cigarettes were before the horrific health issues came to light, at the start and in the middle of this new phenomenon it is hard to see clearly, any negative effects, perhaps until it will be too late. This unknown creates a larger divergent in the generations than before not only because of the two completely different languages and worlds created by this new media, for example where we get our news from, but because of the fact that we simply don’t know the effect this media is going to have in the long term.

As i was reading this I felt like a hypocrite. When the story was told about the guy who didn’t even know there were newspapers being sold outside I thought to myself, “How could you not know that?”. But then it hit me that I couldn’t tell you where a nearby newspaper stand is. I think I know in the back of my mind how obsessed our culture is with the media and how it affects us but I am afraid to admit it because I know deep down inside that it can have a big impact on us. There are positives and negatives to being “media literate”. Technology has exploded that last couple of years and because of it we were able to create new objects like iphones, iPads, etc and it has made research much easier. But there are also many negatives that go along with technology. The deal with technology is that you can basically see anything you want to and figure out information whenever you want, wherever you want to. This can be negative because you could get involved with porn, bullying, etc. These lead people to commit suicide so this is a big downfall to the media. It can also lead us to believe that the world is perfect and that we have to be perfect, but in reality, thats not true at all. I am very interested to learn more about the media and how it can affect us.

I such would have to agree with the fact lots of people mainly young people as the youth are loosing their ability to hold actual conversations. because of social networks such as myspace,facebook,twitter, and text messaging we have
become more dependent on these sites for communicating. but my time came before all this i taught to interact with by conversation before all these social networks came along. i didnt have a phone until i was about 14. and i didnt have a social network profile until i was 14 (Myspace). but as time wwent on i do see how more people from my generation started drifting away from these old ways. and with the new emergence of technology and new social networks trying to imitate twitter, facebook, and myspace its not helping as a matter of fact its hurting this upcoming generations ability to hold conversations.