- Oct 2024
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books.openbookpublishers.com books.openbookpublishers.com
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For many of the people in the Western world, everyday life is completely entangled with media technologies, so much so that these technologies are no longer in the forefront of our attention; they have faded into the background.
#mindless media concept!
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often they are looking down at some technology rather than looking around and engaging with their immediate environment.
I resonate a lot with this quote. I try and make intentional choices to be present in my everyday life and surroundings. I hate being at a restaurant where everyone is on their phones. My friends and I often put our phones in a pile in the middle of the table to "unplug" and be present in the moment. We frequently find the best times are when no technology or media is involved!
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So, while it is important to analyze the content of media as critical media literacy does, it is also fruitful to analyze the medium itself.
This makes a lot of sense. Most forms of social media are permanent- people could have screenshots, old videos could resurface, or people could always associate you with a specific thing. However, I would not consider the radio to be a permanent platform. With this, it is important to analyze where you are posting, how you are posting, and how you are engaging with that medium.
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While this is important, I believe that if the borders of media literacy can be expanded to include the influence of the actual technological medium as well as the broader context within which the media are used, then a space is created for media literacy to be even more inclusive and effective.
This sentence helps build my understanding of the term "media literacy" as more than just what we engage in, it includes how we engage with it.
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In addition, we are always located within a specific time and place, both of which relate to media technologies (Innis, 2008).
The idea of "located within a specific time" related to media technologies caught my eye. I can relate to this in that I have unofficial "designated" times when I can scroll on social media like Instagram and TikTok, almost like a brain break. For example, before I go to bed, I associate this with "scroll time."
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In this saturated media environment, the media tend to disappear into the background of our awareness.
#mindlessmedia trend once again!
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We are transformed by these media, whether we have invited them into our lives or not.
I find it interesting that, as a society, we have universally accepted that social media has transformed our lives whether we directly engage in it or not. For example, social media has changed politics positively and negatively, impacting everyone regardless of age or involvement on social media platforms. Interestingly, we know social media somewhat controls us, yet we do nothing about it... #mindlessmedia
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