Media Diet

Monday Feb, 28^th

-          Texting (10 hrs) [all throughout the day]

-          Facebook (6 hrs)

-          YouTube (25 min)

-          Groupwise email (1hr)

-          Reading: Da Vinci Code (2 hrs)

-          Phone Call (10 min)

Tuesday March 1

-          Texting (11 hrs)

-          Facebook (5 hrs)

-          Groupwise email (30 min)

-          Reading: Da Vinci Code (20 min)

-          Phone Call (15 min)

Wednesday March 2

-          Texting (10 hrs)

-          Facebook (7 hrs)

-          Groupwise email (30 min)

-          Phone Call (7 min)

Thursday March 3

-          Texting (10 hrs)

-          Facebook (6 hrs)

-          Groupwise email (45 min)

-          Phone Call (10 min)

-          Jersey Shore TV show (1 hr)

Friday March 4

-          Texting (12 hrs)

-          Facebook (8 hrs)

-          Phone Call (6 min)

-          DVD (2 hrs 30 min)

 I have never really kept any record of my media consumption since probably last quarter in my communications class. When comparing last quarter's media consumption to present days, I find that I spent more time on certain things like texting and Facebook, and minimized other media consumption such as watching television. My current media diet is basically yelling out to me that I am a Texting and Facebook "addict" who needs to go to T.A. (Texting Anonymous) and F.A (Facebook Anonymous) groups. My whole social life revolves around my cell phone and being on Facebook. If I can recall, the last actual conversation I have had with a friend face-to-face has been like two weeks ago because I usually just text people or FB chat them. It isn’t that I don’t want to have a natural conversation with them, but I find it easier to cut people off through texting or online chatting than being in person especially since I have been so preoccupied with school and personal matters.

                Facebook is considered the “thing” right now and I don’t believe in the existence of many human beings without a cell phone here in the U.S. Even my little six year old cousin has a cell phone and text messages. I am pretty certain that my media diet is similar to others with the exception possibly of them being more or less addicted to texting or Facebook (in “addiction” I mean spending more than normal hours). One of my friends is literally always online on Facebook because he is either connected while using the internet on his laptop or the FB application on his iPhone. At any moment of the day, he will get back to you as soon as possible although he kind of lags it on his text messaging. I, on the other hand, only use my cell phone for text messaging and calling family members who don’t have text messaging service. Nowadays however, I am constantly texting my mom and my dad who once complained about not understanding “the new and improved high technology”. After teaching them the basic functions towards text messaging, we decided to get a family unlimited messaging plan. I am very grateful for this plan because I send & receive text messages on average 15 -17 thousand per month which would accumulate to great amounts of money at the normal rate of 10 cents per message.

                American society has well adapted technological innovations into everyday life and especially our generation who are said to be “tech-savy”. My constant access to communication through the use of my cell phone and the social networking sites on the internet such as Facebook shows the reality being that we are all now more connected with one another than previous generations. There no longer exists the concept of hearing about a friend or relative weeks or months later through the use of letters which were transported on horse from place to place. In today’s society, a text message is sent and received within seconds. A FB chat window can also open in the matter of seconds when being contacted by a Facebook friend. Time ceases to exist with all those technological tools that have been developed. Also, those people who for years one lost contact with can now be found on social networking sites such as Facebook because a majority of internet users have created some sort of personal profile online. In my case, I have found friends from kindergarten who I had not seen since I had switched schools in the second grade and it feels good to talk to them once more.

                If I were asked if I want to change my media consumption habits, I would simply have to respond no. I love text messaging and being able to communicate with whoever and whenever I please. Facebook can be a bit of a distraction when I have big assignments due or something to attend to, but I just like the fact of having a window open with FB in the back for when I take my little break from homework. I have found neither text messaging nor Facebook to be a hassle nor a “chore” although my parents and even my boyfriend get mad because I don’t pay enough attention to them. If for some reason my cell phones were to not work and the internet was shut down, I don’t know what I would do.