W1 - Social Media and Culture

What is something new that you learned? What did you find interesting? All three videos reminded me of a movie on Netflix called "Social Dilemma" that I just watched last year. Flashing back to the phone I had when I graduated from high school in 2005, a TracPhone I had to purchase minutes for that had no way to connect to the internet, and the phone my 14 year old sister has now is truly alarming. Advances in technology are astounding and interesting, but the impact that our screen time has on our day to day lives seems likely to continue. When I got lost driving around in the city of Buffalo at midnight when I was 17, my options were to stop at a gas station and ask for directions or call my mom and admit I was out when I wasnt supposed to be. There wasnt a Maps app to save me and send me back home at the click of a button. Thats such a basic and boring connection to make, but being able to go anywhere I want without having to look at a map isnt something I would ever want to give up, and advertising, social media and technological advances make that possible. 

What do the videos have in common? Each video is strongly focused on social media and its affect on human relationships and culture.

How do you interact day to day with visual imagery, advertising, memes? Even on days when I barely pick up my phone or use the computer, visual imagery and advertising are everywhere. A trip to the grocery store is heavily saturated with visual imagery and advertising, the way the shelves are stacked and the order of the brands and products. Its unavoidable at this point unless you're "off the grid" or stuck on top of a mountain. Sometimes it has benefits, but its hard to say if the negatives outweigh the positives of social media and visual imagery. Social media means its easier for me to keep in touch with friends that live out of the area or to really dive deep into a restaurants menu and reviews before committing to going, but also means that the shoes I picked up at the store today are now being shown to me in an ad on Instagram.