Reflection

As technology becomes more advanced, so does the media, and over the years, we’ve become dangerously addicted to it and what’s presented to us through it. I don’t spend a day without a device of some kind, whether it be a phone, TV, or laptop, and I know the same goes for most people. I check my social media every day, some days it’s more than others, but regardless, it’s probably become a part of my daily routine by now, and I know it’s not good, but our generation has become addicted to the media. This much consumption definitely has its pros and cons though—unfortunately, it makes me more attached to unnecessary technology use, but I feel like I’m also exposed to very diverse viewpoints and I think it’s helped educate me and form my own opinions on events around the world. Because I have become more aware of my media consumption, I feel like I am always connecting what I see in the media now to what I’ve been doing in school, whether it be in advertising, TV shows, etc. After this unit, I realize how much time I spend consuming media, and I keep telling myself that I need to set limits, but my progress in doing so is coming along gradually, but I think I am starting to make a change in my habits. While consuming different types of media, it’s important to have media literacy so that you know what’s presented to you, why it’s presented to you, and what it means to the consumer and the advertisers. Having the ability to understand the meaning behind what you see in the media can help you filter what’s true or fake, or significant or not. Media literacy relates a lot to being an educated consumer too, which is equally as important. Educate yourself on what you see in the media in order to judge what’s credible and what isn’t and the motives of the people responsible for what you see. Although it was certainly not my favorite activity, keeping my logs wasn’t just another assignment; I feel like it really helped me understand things I see in the media that I wouldn’t even think twice about before starting this unit. I became more aware of how much the media and technology has affected our social norms and culture in general, and I’ve learned the huge effects that it has on us and our development and well-being—both good and bad.