Many of us have experiences about more or less voluntary or involuntary ‘media diet’ or ‘media fast’ in special circumstances: Courses, vacations… There were numerous great stories in response to Amelia’s blog entry on Digital Time.
Recently, the NYT posed the Unplugged Challenge: It asked some readers, ‘ordinary people’, to experiment on being offline. Here are their stories. This seems to be almost a trend: There are numerous bloggers (!), such as this one, who advocate a media diet and let the world know about their efforts. Also, several academic research projects are currently addressing the question, like this and this one (thank you, David).
But what if we tried a media fast on an ordinary day — no cell phones, computers, no games, no movies (or even those old-fashioned TV, radio, and news papers)? Or even a diet for half-a-day? How about that for each of us as an experiment in autoethnography?
Fordham students: blog about your experiences by Fri 10/1. Describe and analyse — think of reasons and possible consequences regarding your experiences in terms of communication. Read some comments on Amelis’s Digital Time post, for your inspiration!
Digital Living: FIN_IND_USA 
Sep 28, 2010 @ 21:49:37
It is quite embarrassing to admit that I could not attempt a Media Diet for more than 2 hours. I like to consider myself a down to earth person who does not need to check facebook 24/7 or text every moment of the day. On the contrary, the reason I could not complete my media diet had more to do with academics than social networking. Being a college student in this day and age, it is not only impossible to go on a media diet but, in certain ways, irresponsible. I receive on average 3-5 emails a day that require necessary responses, from either Professors or the captains of the lacrosse team. This makes checking my email a necessity.
You may be thinking, well facebook is not as necessary. I agree and do not go on facebook as often as I check my emails but I am in a club at Fordham and we communicate primarily through facebook or text messaging. Without checking either of these means of communication, I would not know when or where meetings were to take place.
Say for some strange reason I did not need to check my email, facebook, or text messages. Even under these unlikely conditions I would still need to use a computer to complete my homework or study. All of my assignments for classes, including the syllabuses, are online. To go even further, I have an online text book for my Astronomy class. The two hours of my day in which I was on a media diet, I was in the library studying for a spanish test that required nothing other than a text book and many many notecards.
Thinking of how college experiences reflect technological advances is an interesting topic. I have three older sisters and even the differences in all four of our college lives is drastic. I can remember moving in my oldest sister, 9 years ago, and watching my father lug a bulky Mac desktop up the stairs.
The ways generations respond to new technology is also quite amusing. My mother attended graduate school at Columbia when I was about 12 years old and before hand actually needed to learn how to use a computer. I took this for granted because I had grown up clicking away but it was a big struggle for her. My mother told me a story once that summarizes this struggle quite comically. In her first day of class, her professor assigned a paper and said that it needed to be posted on blackboard by 12:00 that night. Immediately my mother began to wonder how she could possibly commute from Columbia to New Jersey, write a paper, make dinner for her children and get back to Columbia to tack the paper up by 12 o’clock, not to mention, she had to buy thumb tacks. After voicing her concerns with a fellow (24 year old) grad student, my mother found out that blackboard was an on-line website where you can virtually submit papers from home. Perhaps a media diet was somewhat plausible 10 or 15 years ago but at this point in my life, a media diet entails sacrificing certain academic or extracurricular opportunities, for instance the current act of blogging this assignment.
Thank you for giving me something else to think about !
Jackie
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:56:13
Such a great story about the deep generational gap. Thanks for sharing that!
Sep 29, 2010 @ 18:50:12
Yesteday I unintentionally media fasted from about 7am till 9 pm. I had used my cell phone in the morning as an alalrm clock then accidently left it on my bed when i left my apartment.Usually when im in class i occasionally play texas hold’em on my phone to keep me from falling asleep yesterday i couldnt. i got thru my entire fast class w/o noticing i didnt have my cell phone then about half way into my communication class it hit me, i havent watched tv, listend to music, or used my cell phone all day. when i got home last night around 7 i tried to keep the streak going so instead of watching tv i started working on a paper i have due on monday. eventually i had gotten really bored and sleepy. i was out cold bye 9 lastnight.
In the end, going on a media diet wasnt that bad. You just have to keep yourself busy with other things, Last week my lap top screen broke so i havent used a computer since then until today. when i first started typing it felt kind of weird. i can do w/o my lap top and even my cell phone (except when im in class) but i cant live w/o television.i felt so drained lastnight w/o it. So lastnight was the first and will be the last time i intentionally dont watch television.
Sep 29, 2010 @ 19:04:15
Ok, Darryl: What might your involuntary experiment tell you about digital media use by people, by people your age, by people in college, by…? What general interpretations about our ‘digital living’ does it suggest to us?
Sep 29, 2010 @ 19:49:18
This past Sunday, I took part in a full day media diet. I returned home for the weekend, and with my parents out for the day I used the opportunity to essentially “unplugged” myself from the rest of the world. I found that the day seemed particularly long and I found it particularly hard to find anything to do. I did what homework I could without accessing the internet, which wasn’t much and I read a heck of a lot of books. I found myself constantly glancing at the clock and it seems to me that time was enjoying my suffering; what normally felt like two or three hours turned out to just be one. Honestly, however, this didn’t surprise me too much. I had already figured that a day without media in a world so connected wasn’t going to be a picnic. What surprised me was how hard it was to connect with other people while on this diet, and even their reaction to my diet.
Once I had did what I could around the house without breaking the diet, I grabbed the bike I hadn’t used in ages and rode around to some of my neighbors houses in an attempt to find something “media-less” to do. What I found very interesting was that when I got to most of their houses and explained my situation, they were at a loss for what to do. No TV, no music, no video games to help bond? Most were completely stumped. While a few did actually come up with things to do (frisbee, football, or just sitting on a swing-set in my backyard and talking) it was very interesting to see just how dependent the majority of the world is on media communication. It goes back to what was brought up last week: In a world that forces people to stay plugged in it is very difficult to imagine a world that is not plugged in. This leads to my second major observation: the reaction of some people to my diet.
Before beginning my diet, I felt it would be important to tell some essential people what exactly was going on. If my parents, for example, hadn’t known that I was on a media diet, bad things could have happened. However, I didn’t actually tell EVERY single one of my friends that I was doing this media diet. The result was kind of humorous and kind of staggering. All of the friends that attempted to get in touch with me all day thought something terrible had happened to me; I wasn’t answering any phones or touching the internet and they panicked. While I found the whole thing very funny at the time (and still do, come to think of it) it gave me something to think about. Not only does the world push media on you, but the rest of the world expects you to keep up. Everyone (at least our age) expects everyone else to be ‘plugged in’ at almost all times. It’s sad to see that when I went off the grid for only 24 hours I was considered dead or dying. The ‘current’ way is the only way to communicate in the minds of the masses, and people find that not keeping up is a very very bad thing.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:58:43
I have to admit I was a little startled reading your post for the first time — I mean the string reactions by your peers when they could not connect with you. Then that begun to emerge as a tendency in pother comments as well… Very educating to me!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 00:08:11
Yesterday, I completed my media diet. It wasn’t nearly as easy as I thought it would be. I can honestly say that I had never done anything like that. Even when I was younger, I would play computer games to pass the time. I remember being in second and third grade even, and we would have computer time as part of our class. Suffice it to say, technology, computers especially, have been an integral part of my life for a long time. It is as a result of this that I decided to base my media diet around not checking my computer for the entire day. After deciding to base it around the computer, I thought of other media related items, namely, my cell phone and television. Both of these things are communicating devices, despite it being true that the television is more one-sided at delivering information. My goal for the day was very simple: refrain from using any one of these three devices. I wasn’t successful in two out of the three aspects. I find it unfortunate that this was so, but when I thought deeper into the reasons for it, I understood more about my situation.
Unexpectedly, the only part of my diet that I was able to resist using was my computer. I found it relatively impossible to stop from using my cell phone and watching TV. First, I’ll touch upon the two aspects that I did not succeed with, my cell phone and television. At college, it is virtually impossible to not use a cell phone daily. A college student wishes to be in contact with their family and friends daily and without a cell phone it isn’t possible. If it were a case where I would have been able to been home, even a couple of years ago, while still in high school, it would have been more likely that I would have been successful in this part of my media diet. However, as a result of being at college, it simply wasn’t possible. Likewise, it wasn’t possible to refrain from watching TV. In between classes, there is relatively little to do for a college student with a hectic schedule. How many things could one possibly do in the hours in between classes? I attempted to fill my time with schoolwork and reading, but at a certain point, I just couldn’t anymore; I had to relax and turn on the TV. I probably should have seen my inability to follow my media diet coming. However, the thing I could have never seen is my ability to go the entire day without using a computer.
I looked for a reason as to why this was, and surprisingly I actually found one. I spend most of my time on the computer doing one of two things: schoolwork and using the Internet. However, with my media diet imposing itself upon me, I decided that those things really aren’t as important to me. Schoolwork I could do without a computer for the most part, but as for surfing the web, I didn’t need it. I found anything I needed with my cell phone and television. If I wanted sports news I just turned on ESPN, if I wanted to talk to a family member or friend, I simply texted or called them. My computer simply takes those two aspects and puts them together with websites such as espn.com for sports info and Facebook for talking to others. Ultimately, my dependence on communication/media devices is a lot greater than I thought it was, but at least I feel justified in reasoning as to why I need such things in my life so dominantly.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:00:31
Yes… Your post is a good illustration about the Generation ‘M’, those whose lives are greatly influenced by mobile tech…
Sep 30, 2010 @ 00:42:04
Yesterday, Tuesday, was my chosen day for this media diet experiment. I originally thought, it will not be that hard. I lived without a television last year and I have a book and homework for any spare time during the day. Well, I was incredibly wrong about not needing those media outlets during the day. Instead of doing a media purge, I chose to cut off Facebook, my cell phone, the television, and online shopping websites. I allowed myself to check email, and that was basically it. Despite my best efforts to control my usage, however, I almost failed. I decided to nap after my 8:30 class because I could not go on the computer or watch television, so what else was I supposed to do? Well, in the middle of my nap a friend texted me and I woke up and texted her back. It was only when she responded to me that I realized I was on a media diet, and therefore not allowed to be texting. Responding to a message was such an automatic thing, I basically did it in my sleep. Then on my way to lunch, I decided to call a friend to tell him we were leaving, and it was only halfway through the ringing that another friend (not even in the class) reminded me I was not allowed to be on my phone. Luckily, those were the only two phone incidents because most of my friends and family knew I was ‘fasting’, and purposely did not call or text me. After those two occurrences however, I found it relatively easy to survive without my phone.
Facebook was a whole other issue. I opened my computer to check my email, went to type in the address, and instead typed in the facebook.com and even pressed enter before I realized this happened, I freaked out and hurriedly closed the page. Eventually though, by the end of the day, I did not feel the need to go on Facebook, even after midnight when my self-imposed timeline was completed.
I think the problem with today’s society, especially college students and business people, is that phone and email communication have become so vital to learning and imparting information. To not have either of those media sources becomes a, literally, harmful way of life. While I completely agree that the world should not have to rely so much on computer and phone-based media communications, the ugly truth is that the world does not just rely on digital media, the world revolves around digital media. Therefore, my conclusion is that trying to stay away from technology, or just media for one day, is possibly detrimental to one’s livelihood (especially those on Wall Street). But, for someone to completely give up all media during a vacation, when relaxation should be occurring, or for at least one week at a time, is completely justified. This media purge is not only justified, it should be required. Everyone needs to unplug for at least one week a year. If not a week, then only at night. Or for a certain amount of time every day. At least in this way, the world will still go on and one will still be a part of it, but people get a mental break as well, a chance to rest and recharge for the next day.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:01:48
Absolutely. Our environments push us to communicate in certain ways. And, hey, we’re blogging now!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 00:54:37
After completing a day (from roughly noon to 5) of media-dieting, I realized just how heavy of a media-diet I have.
It starts with the cell phone. After the 5 hours, I had 12 text messages and 5 missed calls. My girlfriend thought I died because I wasn’t texting back (which I’m normally a good phone manager). Being separated as we are–she’s still in high school and I’m obviously in college–texting is our primary mean of communication. One of the missed calls turned out to be from my roommate, who happened to have locked himself out and was trying to contact me to get him in to our room. Sorry, Ryan, I was dieting.
Next comes the computer. From FaceBook, various e-mail accounts, fantasy sports, and online newspapers, I’m on my Macbook a lot. Around 1 o’clock I realized that I forgot to update my fantasy baseball team’s lineup. Being that the season is almost over, and my team still has a fighting chance at making a run for first, I just had to have my friend check it for me. Turned out I didn’t have to make any roster adjustments. The urge to check FaceBook sprang up all day. Even to the point where I was like, “What is wrong with me? Is my life that boring?”
Finally was television. TV has always been my last media resort, in fact I go days without tuning in all the time. Particularly with television, I feel like there’s really no point to it, unless it’s one of my favorite comedies or sports (and we don’t even get the Yankees here).
All in all, 5 hours of media-dieting was about all I could handle/do. My generation has become to accustomed to media: all day, every day. Our dependency is just that, a mental and physical reliance on always being connected. Is this necessarily a bad thing? I really don’t know. Because not only has it taken over my life, it’s taken over almost everyone’s life who has access to media. What I can say, is that I don’t plan on media-dieting anytime soon.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:05:15
Well, be proud of yourself, you tried it. And a point taken. Because of the rapid technological changes and related changes in users/communicators, we can’t know whether the long-term effects are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ –also, of course, depending on how we would define such attributes and assess such things.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 01:31:53
For me, the most challenging mission to accomplish is being on a diet and not cheating. Perhaps a week or a little less will be the greatest amount of time I can stay on a diet before my body goes into autopilot and grabs the nearest candy bar in sight to gobble down. This Sunday, I experimented by trying a different kind of diet. Not a diet restraining me from eating the fattening foods I love but a diet that restrains me from communicating with my electronic devices. For a whole day I fasted my mental health from my blackberry, facebook, emails and instant messaging. How hard can it be, right?
At 10:30 Sunday morning when I woke up to my “Fly Like a G6” ringtone, I had no choice but to stare at Alyssa’s name flashing on my blackberry screen when she was trying to get in touch with me. Big deal, it was one missed phone call. Usually when I wake up I check my facebook and emails to see what’s going on. This morning I had to hold back and step away from my computer. I had to think to myself… what else can I do? I had to curb my craving to check my emails and try to find something else to occupy my mind. That made me realize how pathetically dependent I am on my cyber resources to entertain me and to connect me with the world.
Throughout the day my phone was going off with bbm’s text messages and phone calls that I had to force myself not to answer. By 6pm, I turned my phone off and made my mom hide it. Knowing that I couldn’t respond to any of my friends’ messages and check my facebook notifications or emails was driving me crazy. I felt more deprived of communicating in less then 24 hours than the way I would feel on the 4th day of a food diet. Why do I feel this way? My generation grew up with these resources so we don’t know how to live and communicate without them.
I can be very confident to say that most young adults who try a diet like this one will feel similarly to how I did. This is because the way people communicate today is based around networking with our phones and computers all day and without them we feel lost, deprived and seem to have no idea how to get in touch with anyone, any other way. It’s unfortunate to say that in the present day, eliminating cellular phones and computers from a person’s day would almost be impossible.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 02:25:45
People: I admire your braveness. Thank you for doing this. I know it was hard. Yet, reading your posts, LOL 🙂
However, think about it. You’re the first generation with such an intensive way of communicating, in human history. The change in modes and ways and technologies of communication has been dramatic and fast. And think how fundamental communication is: in understanding ourselves, others, the world. So the experiment really is important. More on Fri.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 03:19:21
Today, as my media diet I did not go on Facebook for 12 hours. This was done quite easily, because for the most part of the day I was not in my room using my computer. Therefore, I was not tempted to check my Facebook. If I did stay in my room and not visit with friends today, I know it would have been so much harder to control my habits. Once I finally used my computer to type up some homework, it was too tempting to check my Facebook. Throughout the day, I did not feel the need to run up to my room and turn on my computer. I was perfectly fine catching up with friends.
Usually, on a normal media day, I have trouble refraining from going on Facebook while being on the computer. I spend/waste too much time checking the activity of my own and other’s pages. It was nice to have a day off from being glued to the computer. Catching up with friends by using face-to-face was much more relaxing and concentrated. We all swapped stories and had each other’s full attention.
If I did not use my cell phone today I would not have been able to connect with my friends. With the use of my phone, I could call/text my friends and make plans to meet for dinner and visit in their dorms. Without this communication, I would have to take a nonthreatening risk and just show up at their door. Since they are my friends it would not matter if I did this, but if I needed to get in touch with another person, that would have been more difficult.
I did check my email twice today, while I was using the Internet for homework. I haven’t checked my email in a while so that part did not really effect me. Through email I communicate to my family, friends and professors. I had nothing urgent to tell them so my time spent away from the computer was not troublesome.
The only communication mediums I use are my cell phone and computer. I never watch TV, so that part of communication was not missed. It is quite unfortunate that I needed my cell phone to function today. When I forget my cell phone in my room when I have commute to Lincoln Center classes, I feel lost. My fingers almost miss texting people, making dinner dates with friends and figuring out what Ram Van we should take back to campus. Computers and cell phones are a major part of my life. If I did a complete media diet I do not think I could handle not being in contact with the world.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 03:37:56
Nicole: Thank you for seeing your FB diet through. How (if at all) do you think your experiences could be generalised to represent your generation? Is it NOT about digital life but mobile life?
Sep 30, 2010 @ 03:35:58
When I set out on my media fast on Tuesday, I settled on a few parameters for myself. No computer, iTouch, texting, calling, or television for as long as I could handle it. However, if someone contacted me (essentially my mother) I would respond because I didn’t initiate the communication. Admittedly I selected Tuesday for my diet purposely: it is one of my busiest weekdays (limiting time in my dorm with technological temptation) and one that requires the least amount of media for academic and extracurricular purposes.
One of the first things that became clear to me is that although “technology” and “media” are often used interchangeably, there’s is a difference between using your cell phone as an alarm clock and using it to communicate. If we truly wanted to purge ourselves of technology, well, we’d have to join our friend Mark, The Moneyless Man in the forest. My classes did go by quickly, because I also had forgotten my watch, so I really had no concept of how quickly (or slowly) time was passing. I do think it’s worth pointing out that two of my professors used powerpoints during their lectures and a third screened a film in class. Only so much was in my control, media-wise.
I grabbed a late lunch in the caf. Since I wasn’t meeting any of my friends, I did what I always do- sit in front of the big screen tvs. It wasn’t until I was halfway done with my meal that I realized that I had unintentionally watched tv! There was a lot of breaking news (UT gunman, Carter’s hospitalization) but by the time I got back to my I had already forgotten them and my urge to read up on the headlines. I preoccupied my time by painting my nails, writing letters (yes, actual hand-written letters), and doing some reading for a class. However, the silence became deafening at a point, and I decided to put on some classical music. Turns out, I need white noise, otherwise my mind wanders and it’s impossible to focus on other tasks.
Overall, my media diet wasn’t too terrible. Even though I had my phone on me most of the day, I only sent one text (oops) and received one phone call (thanks, mom). I didn’t turn on my tv or computer until nearly midnight. I only wanted to check my Facebook and the weather quickly, but when I opened my e-mail, I had 43 messages!! Most weren’t on pressing matters, and that was reassuring. I guess the internet didn’t miss me too much. Two things helped me manage this little experiment. One, I put away most of my tech devices for the day. “Out of sight, out of mind” really applied here for me. Also, I kept myself very busy. I feel that our generation dislikes boredom so much, we would rather sit there looking at a screen than stare at an empty room. We need to be doing something nearly at all times to satisfy our energy and short attention spans.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:09:15
A poignant observation about boredom, related to the idea of time and efficiency, as we discussed in the first assignment. Also, your account of your day made it very clear how much media dominate us in our environments, without us needing to be active participants.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 03:59:27
Yesterday, on September 27, 2010, I attempted my own media diet. Although I am proud to admit that I did last the entire day, it is definitely not something I would try to do on a regular basis. First of all, I chose to go on a media diet on a Monday since Monday is my easiest day of the week, and I knew that I would not have had to rely heavily on my computer or cell phone in order to do my school work or answer emails about upcoming classes. Normally, I am done with classes at 11:15 AM on Mondays, so I have a lot of free time. My free time usually consists of reading for my other classes, browsing the web, updating my Facebook a few times a day, and playing video games on my XBOX360 or PSP. However, due to my media diet, it is easy to tell that I had a lot of time that opened up due to the lack of my using technology for the day. At first, I thought it would be a piece of cake to just fly through the day while on a media diet since I had taken the necessary “precautions” the night before. In order to take some of the concerns off my mind about taking a media diet, I called my close friends and parents the night before in order to inform them that I would not be able to talk to them since I was doing an assignment for class. I did this so that if anyone had tried to contact me during the day, they would not be worried that something had happened to me due to the fact that I was not going to respond. I also updated my status on Facebook so that it said the following: “I am taking a media diet for my Communications class so if I don’t respond that’s why”. Again, I did this in order to alleviate some of the concerns that were on my mind before taking my media diet, since I felt that if I knew that people would not be trying to contact me every second, my time spent during my media diet would be much easier.
That morning, after I finished class, I was very optimistic about my media diet. When I got back to my dorm room, I decided to do the one thing that I usually do on Mondays that does not involve using any form of technology, I did my homework that was due for the next day. After I had done this, I looked at the clock and realized that only about an hour to an hour and a half had passed by, and it was then that I got my biggest dose of reality since there was so much time left in the day. It was at this moment when it truly hit home for me, that I, like almost everyone else in today’s day and age, rely so much on technology in order to get through my days. I did not know what to do, I could not watch TV, play video games, go on my computer, or even text message someone since I was on this media diet, a diet that makes things like Weight Watchers and the Atkins diet look like they are easy to follow. I began to think about the first position paper and Emilia’s blog post, that digital time seems to be distorted due to the use of technology. Everything about Emilia’s theory is 100% true, time really does feel much slower when we are not constantly absorbed in technology such as our phones, computers, and video games. I decided to just sit there for a little while and gather my thoughts since I knew I was to have a stressful week ahead of me because I have a lot of work due. When I looked at the clock, only a half hour had passed when I was certain that I had been sitting in my “void” for at least double that amount of time. I began thinking that people were constantly trying to get in touch with me and that I was missing vital emails, which I would need for my classes. This media diet also caused me to develop another theory. I now believe that the world is so obsessed with media, we constantly fill our time with technology and things to do, that if someone does not keep up with the pace of everyone else, they get left behind and are alone. I experienced this because when my suite mates came back to the dorm, they usually play XBOX or watch the television. However, not wanting to cheat on my media diet, I did not want to watch them play video games or watch TV. As a result, the only place that I was able to go to was my room, where there is no TV. Hearing them all laughing and having a good time in the living room, I felt disconnected from the group and almost in another world, since I was not using technology as everyone else was. It seems almost like technology is a necessary evil since I felt like my phone and my computer were staring at me in my room, just begging to be used. Unfortunately, we as a culture have become so obsessed with using technology that it seems as if we cannot live without it.
At the end of the day, I wound up going to sleep at about 9 or 10 at night, just begging for the morning to come so that I could “begin my life again”. However, what I had realized the next day, that aside from a few comments on my Facebook, a few emails, and a few missed calls, not using technology for one whole day did not affect my life as significantly as I had thought it would. I did not miss anything important for class, and everyone who I usually communicate with through technology was there the next day, as I had known they would be deep down inside. However, I feel that my media diet is able to truly parallel what our “tech-culture” as a whole would feel like if technology suddenly went missing. We all make it seem worse than it really is, time does not move any slower or faster without or with technology respectively (no matter how much we truly believe it does), and we are not outcasts when we do not use technology. Although I would not go on another media diet anytime soon since given enough time, I would miss things of vital importance, since college students do need to be connected because we are always receiving emails form professors, the university, and clubs. I feel that we, as a culture, need to rethink our values, and realize that sometimes we put technology on a pedestal, and believe that without it, life itself seems to come to a halt.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:10:55
GREAT theorizing: proving Amelia’s point, and your own theory about social belonging/social anxiety, echoed in many other posts as well!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 04:43:41
On Monday I began my 24 hour media diet and it was by far the longest day of the year. I can not believe how simple objects such as my cell phone, computer, television and iPod play such an important role in my life. I actually thought I would be able to pull off a two day media diet but I barely made it to 24 hours.
Every morning I wake up to the same routine and turn the television on to the morning news, listen to the radio in the car on my way to school, check my email and text my family and friends. On the dreary day I took on my media diet everything changed. I did not wake up to the voices of Harry Smith and Julie Chen on the Early Show, my drive to school was music free, I did not read my emails nor did I contact my mom to tell her I got to school safely. I was so committed that I had to pretend to have accidently left my cell phone at home. I found it ridiculous that I had to lie about leaving my phone at home just to avoid cheating on my diet.
When I got home it hurt me so much when I could not make use of my television or computer. Resisting Facebook for a day was not as bad as I thought but of course after my diet I was welcomed by a bunch of messages. I didn’t mind so much my cell phone either because I was already surrounded by family but I had to discipline myself to not get online or watch TV. I felt taunted by my family members laughing at the television screen in the living room while I had to stay in my room and read. Not only was I bored for the rest of my evening but could not even work on my class assignments that required either typing up a paper or looking up some piece of information.
What seemed like a long and useless day was actually an enlightening day where it taught me a great deal about myself. I learned that as long as I’m surrounded by the most important people in my life I don’t need my phone. I rely on television a lot as way to escape from my daily stress and concerns and as a citizen I feel the responsibility to stay up to date with current events and keeping myself informed. Being a college student I also found it imperative that I use the computer for papers and emails.
After surviving my one day media diet I realized that in our day in age it’s impossible to not use some form of communication. As much as I don’t want to be as media dependent I think I have no other choice for I must keep up with this technology driven society.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:12:50
Great reflections. The imperative of communication technologies in our lives, in terms of work and social relations, apart from the very closest ones.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 04:52:59
Sadly, my digital diet was NOT a success and my digital “nutritionist” would not have been pleased with my results! Yesterday morning, I decided to leave my phone in my room in my desk drawer and try not to touch it until 7PM at night. As soon as I left for class, I realized that I was going to somehow need to get in touch with friends on when to meet for lunch. I thought about shooting them a Facebook message, knowing it would immediately reach their Blackberry, but I realized that not logging onto Facebook was also part of my diet as well! After class, I went to the gym and did not miss my phone because I never bring it to the gym anyway. However, I HAD to cheat and bring my iPod because I find it physically impossible to work out without listening to music. After the gym I usually forward to checking my cell phone for text messages, but I could not do so. After a few hours, I had to get my phone in order to arrange lunch plans with friends. The few hours that went by without it seemed so long.
Whenever my phone breaks or I am in a situation in which I don’t have it, I feel anxious or stressed out. It’s almost comical because it’s not like I am some celebrity or corporate C.E.O. However, I chronically have this notion in my head that people are constantly trying to get in touch with me and I need to respond immediately. I can’t even fathom the fact that my mother, who is constantly texting and calling me, grew up without a cell phone. She once told me a story that she was on spring break one year with her friends in college and got separated from the group at a night club, with no way to contact any of them. She was about to leave by herself when, by chance, she ran into them! She recalled that it was a traumatizing experience and almost ruined her vacation. That situation could have been so easily solved if cell phones existed.
It’s amazing how our entire world functions with the assistance of digital communication. All my professors communicate with me via e-mail. The clubs I am a member of announce meetings and events via Facebook groups. I am a hostess in the summer at a restaurant and when we are on a wait, we take down patrons’ cell phone numbers and call them when a table is ready. A situation once occurred when two women approached the hostess stand and did not have their cell phones with them because they had decided to not bring them out in order to enjoy their night (aka two digital dieters). I’m sure it was a nuisance that they had to keep coming back and forth to the hostess stand to see if they were up on the list.
People really do get so lost and distraught without their cell phones. Maybe they’re worried that there will be an emergency in which they need to be contacted. Or maybe they need to constantly be in contact with their significant other. Regardless of the reason, the cell phone/Facebook craze in here to stay!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:17:59
Yes, the craze is here to stay, and the success of FB has been attributed to the multi-communicational modes it offers — as you noted: groups, messages, IM, status updates… We know. And, as you noted it’s interesting to see how entertainment and work gets mixed, also perhaps time-wise when multitasking 🙂
Sep 30, 2010 @ 05:22:06
Yesterday, I successfully completed a 24 hour media diet. I did not once use my cell phone, go on facebook or check my emails. However, I have to admit, I am guilty to having watched TV (but 20 hours into the diet, so I was close!). To be honest, I was excited to be free for one day. Until yesterday, I never realized how often I used my cell phone. I would text or call people who were in the same building, why didn’t I just walk to their room?
I try to claim that I am pretty grounded for a 19 year old; I don’t excessively text or check facebook or emails, but yesterday I realized that technology and media is part of the definition of being a teenager in 2010.
On average I talk on the phone about an hour a day and probably send/ receive 50 text messages. I check my email at least twice a day and facebook about once a day. Yesterday I found that without these media forces distracting my life I had more time to relax. Yesterday, I cleaned my dorm room, talked to my friends (in person), went for a run, went to the grocery store, did my laundry, and read for a class, a lot more than I would ordinarily accomplish on one Tuesday.
In some sense, I felt lost without my cell phone and email. I was not aware of news that occurred in the world and on campus. It never fully occurred to me that before television and radio and internet, people would wait 24 hours to hear their news in the newspaper the following day. This idea seems crazy to us in modern times because we are instantly updated. Just this morning, I wanted to learn more about a death of a teenager from my hometown, I googled his name and the first link was a story posted 13 minutes prior to my inquiry, an unthinkable concept just 30 years ago. It is amazing how much technology and media affect our daily lives.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 11:26:21
Nancy: IMPRESSIVE!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 14:47:39
It was my goal that yesterday, Wednesday the 29th, I would not use my Itouch, computer (except for e-mail), television, cellphone, or any other means of communication if possible. I found very quickly that I was making excuses in my head as to why I needed to use my devices. I was thinking “well, music relaxes me before class,” and “what if a teacher E-mailed me? or a friend Facebook chatted me to ask something?” and “what if someone wants to talk but doesn’t want to text me first?” I realized that my dependance and reliance on communication is much worse then I thought.
I would call myself an average teenager in terms of my communication in the sense that yes, my phone is attached to me at all times, but I refuse to get a “smart phone” because I don’t want to be on the internet all the time. I love facebook, but I try to check it only two or three times a day. My biggest guilty pleasure in terms of media is definitely TV. I broke my diet to watch the 4th episode of Hellcats (a show in the CW) that premiered last night!
One really interesting thing that happened during my media diet was that without the use of my IPod, I found myself smiling and interacting with people I saw before, during, and after my walk to and from class. I never realized how isolated I usually am when I’m listening to my IPod. I think the same is to be said about the internet and TV. While these things can be group activities, I find I do them alone more often then with people. When I couldn’t use my computer, my roommate and I talked a lot more (and I got a lot more of my work done faster, too!). I realized that I spend a lot of time doing pointless things on the internet, time that I could spend getting to know people better or doing group activities with friends. My friend and I even took a ballroom dancing class for fun, which I would have never had time for if I had procrastinated all my homework time on the internet.
The biggest problem I had during my diet was being without my cellphone. I decided it would be easiest to not use it if I went to lunch and classes without it. When it came to lunch, I had no idea where my friends were sitting or where we were supposed to meet, and I honestly felt lost- I could not hide behind my IPod or text to feel secure about where everyone was! It sounds bad that I could not survive even lunch without my phone, but it was very scary to feel that disconnected!
If I had to, I could go without the internet or TV for a few days. But without my phone I felt disconnected, annoyed, and quite frankly, scared! Without my Ipod and music, I felt more anxious and less relaxed while walking and sitting waiting for class to start. I talked to my parents about this to see what they would say (for research interests.) They both laughed at my dependancy on things that either weren’t in existence when they were my age, or at least not as big of a deal. My dad, who is involved in politics as a councilman in my hometown, even said that he leaves his cellphone at his desk or in his car often because he does not want to be bothered! To me this was incredibly crazy because it made me think I use my cellphone so much because I do want to be bothered (perhaps “connected” is a better word for that..).
To think that there are studies going on now about teenagers being “too dependent” and even addicted to texting, e-mailing, facebook, etc., when twenty years ago google wasn’t even existing yet, is crazy to me. I went to a meeting that gave some fun facts about the exponential growth of social media, and it says that the amount of time it took a social media to grow to 50 million users, the radio took 38 years, television 15, internet 4, and the IPod 3 (socailnomics.com). The fact that it took the internet only 4 years to achieve 50 million users (and this was back in the slow, dial-up days), whereas the radio took 34 more years to reach the same amount of people just shows that people were ready and willing towards the internet, and it’s features drew people in to make it the phenomenon it is today!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:27:41
Great facts. The incredible speed of development: Exactly what I was referring to in my earlier general comment. I’m advocating no nostalgia to any ‘Amish-style’ (referring to Isacio’s post here) non-digital living, but think about the fundamental role of communication in our lives (also regarding to our individual cognitive processes, not only social interaction). How crackberries and the like will alter us in that respect — hard to predict yet. But so interesting.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 17:47:04
Yesterday I began my media fast… and lasted a mere 4 hours. This failure of a diet (I wanted to go at least 8 hours or so) was an extremely eye-opening exercise for many reasons; for one thing, after I turned off my phone I caught my eyes drifting towards my Blackberry and hallucinating that the red light in the upper right hand corner that signals that I’ve received a new message was blinking. It was laughable how I would catch myself glancing at my phone even though I new that it was turned off. This tendency revealed to me that I rely on my phone entirely too much. Not only do I employ it as an alarm clock, a phone, a calendar and a means of receiving messages, I also use my phone to browse the internet or look up my location if I’m trying to navigate my way through the city. During the fast I found myself grateful that I was just hanging around my dorm and not on the streets of Manhattan – I cannot fathom going to the city without a means of communicating with the people in my phonebook. It would undoubtedly be a jarring and perhaps scary experience.
Another discovery I made during my fast was just how necessary a computer is i the life of a college student today. Syllabi are posted on Blackboard, my macroeconomics textbook is online, I receive around 2-3 e-mails a day from my professors, and research becomes a much more strenuous task without the speedy results generated by search engines like Google. The need for a computer was what ultimately broke my media fast – I had an online assignment due and had no other means of completing the work.
Though the diet didn’t last as long as I’d hoped computer wise, I did my best to keep my phone powered off and resisted the urge to log on to Facebook until after I finished my homework. Without the distractions afforded by social networks and text messages I found that the time it took to complete my assignments was cut in half. The fast reminded me a lot of the experience I had in spring 2009 when a group of people from my high school and I did a mission trip in Honduras during which there was no availability of cell phones, computers, television or the like. I remember those ten days (despite the immense amount of manual labor) to be extremely relaxing. There weren’t any distractions, and everyone was able to connect on a deeper level. Conversations were all face to face, and you didn’t have to worry about people glancing down at their phone and texting another friend during your banter. It’s sad that people today are so reliant on technology, but I think that as long as they’re made aware of such excess, for instance by doing a media fast, then they will be better able to keep themselves in check. I know that the next time I have a large assignment due I’ll be turning my cell phone off!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:54:41
You felt some sense of relaxation (similar to your experience in an ‘out-of-ordinary situation’ = Honduras), while many report anxiety… Interesting!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 17:48:39
I, sadly, couldn’t even attempt this challenge to not use media. This is due to the plain and simple fact that MEDIA IS LIFE. Every single of facet of my life, and most other peoples’ lives are based on media use. I thought I could actually tackle the prospect of going a day without media use until I realized I had to send some e-mails urgently. Furthermore, I had to use my flash drive for a couple of assignments in class. To top it all off, I had to answer important phone calls at work. After all of this, I came to the conclusion that in today’s society, there is no escaping media and communication. There is no life without it.
I don’t even want to begin to imagine how things were centuries ago. Life was obviously so much harder. There is no reason for any person to want to abandon their use of media nowadays. For those who successfully completed the challenge, I commend you. Feeling out of the loop of the day’s events and unable to communicate with others is simply not something I would feel comfortable doing. I have to know what the weather’s like, if there’s class tomorrow, what I’m having for dinner, and more. Media helps me know all of these things efficiently and effectively. In the end, I believe that things should be done the easiest way possible or no way at all, and today’s media makes that possible.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:52:52
Fair enough. But if we are so dependent, what might be the downsides to that, if any? I don’t necessarily mean psycho-social effects and downsides, only, but perhaps also questions of consumerism, info flows and sources, privacy questions…
Sep 30, 2010 @ 18:25:38
“Living like the Amish” That is something I said to myself over a hundred times yesterday. I really do not know how those people could just live without the absence of technology or many forms of communication. Having been raised in an environment where technology and communication surrounds me…it was difficult to go on this fast.
I may not have the most up to date technology like a smart phone or the best computers out there but im still dependent on it. I use my cell phone especially for the time and text and without it I had to look up to the sun to estimate the time lol. I was also nervous about how many text I would recieve and how I would totally be in the dark of my friends adventures of that day. I pictured various scenarios which I was probably missing and I also worried…if there had been an emergency…there was no way of me finding out. So my imagination became my source of “communication” of the day.
I thought about it and realized how much we need even the simplest forms of communication in our lives…otherwise we would be left in the dark. What if something did happen that was serious? I would have no way to know about it. What if I had to stay late at school for HW but couldnt tell me parents about it? They would worry. Times have changed and my generation has really immersed itself into these various forms of communications to make their lives easier and efficient.
I successfully made it through the day without giving in to temptation with the classes I had and the work I had to do. It ate up a good portion of my day but it was still hard wondering what juicy news I could be missing. I also missed some of my favorite tv shows last night which was devastating =(…but I slept early and the first thing I did this morning was check all my texts.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:50:09
I’m sorry about the show you missed, thanks for seeing this experiment through, and reflecting on anxiety — that seems to be a very common sentiment, fear of missing out on… well, something.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 19:05:24
This was honestly the hardest thing I think I’ve ever done. My digital diet began yesterday morning. I am not dependent on an alarm clock via my Blackberry so that was not an issue. However, when I saw that my Blackberry light was blinking red (signifies unread e-mails, messages, BBMS, etc.) I began to have slight anxiety. I was able to keep myself busy on my day off from classes by going into Manhattan to shop. At first I had figured that this would keep my mind off of all things technology, but I was sadly mistaken. My first issue of the day began when I had taken the Ram Van into Lincoln Center & wanted to look up where the nearest Urban Outfitters was. I usually do this on my browser, but I opted to hold back that normal reaction and instead ask someone on the street. After about four different individuals saying they had no idea, I finally came across a person who pointed me in the direction of Union Square. Here I was thinking I was in the clear, when I was really in for a personal nightmare-ish experience.
After arriving at Urban Outfitters, I spent about two hours browsing and made my purchse. I walked around Union Square a bit, ignored 3 phone calls, and 4 text messages (I felt like I was holier than now!). It was not until I went back to Lincoln Center to buy my Ram Van ticket back to Rose Hill that I found their machine unable to process my credit card (apparently the LC machines are notorious for this annoyance). The man at the desk suggested that I call my credit card company in to authorize the purchase, and seeing that I didn’t have any cash on me I was left with no choice. I was not about to expect this man to understand that I was on a digital media diet so I cracked.
I was able to recover for the rest of the evening and redeem myself by writing all of my homework down, staying far away from Facebook and Twitter, and carrying through the ignorance of the texts, calls, and e-mails. At about 10:00 P.M. I decided that 12 hours was a substantial “leave of absence” from the technological world, and I re-entered Blackberry hell. After reading text messages saying “why are you ignoring me?”, “please call me so I know you aren’t laying in a ditch somewhere” and “ok this really isn’t funny answer my BBM” I realized how dependent everyone else is on each other to keep this crazed manic state of digital media going! I would not wish my 12 hour hiatus on anyone else as I became very anxious and my skin even looked irritated! At times I literally was lost without a cellphone; I could not imagine having to depend on another person’s directions or even taking the time to pull out a map and search manually on a daily basis. Though this experience was definitely a challenge, I am glad I took part in such an experiment. I now know why Blackberry gets the term “Crackberry” – I am addicted, and I do not care who knows it!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:48:17
I’m so glad you found your way to UO after all and managed to stay strong until forced to break the fast by, well, Fordham. What is interesting is the intensity of (1) your reactions, of course, but also (2) expectations of others — as Vincent also so well demonstrated. (Maybe there’s something indeed to that SIP theory we discussed last time in class.) What seems striking to me, not a Gen M but Gen Xer, is the intensity of expectations (you’re not texting for 4 hours = something truly awful must have happened).
Sep 30, 2010 @ 19:26:03
Media Diet Complete! I think I went through every phase of emotion throughout the 24 session. I do not watch much TV so the bear traps that I had to stay away from were my cell phone, IPod and laptop. I almost cheated on my diet within the first hour without notice. I pulled out my IPod, put my head phones in only to find out that, luckily, my player had gone dead overnight. As I thought about it throughout the day I realized that an iPod is also a form of media and communication. It really made me stop, think and realize how many different forms of communication I participate in each day.
Not going on the laptop, for me, was almost a relief. Honestly, I just used this project as an excuse to push back writing a paper that is due for another class. The main reason I use my laptop is to check my email. I would say that my primary form of writing communication is through Facebook wall posts or messages.
Not going on my phone was by far the hardest thing. This diet made me realize how much I am a creature of habit. I left my phone in the room for the day. However I would still find myself digging through my purse looking for it, either to make a call, check for text messages or go on Facebook. I know that I can go a few days without having my phone (I have “misplaced” it enough times to know so) but on this day it would turn out to be epically hard. I have a really good friend who is a marine and is in the field, I usually only get a call once a month which I had already received. Needless to say, he was able to call again and got my voice mail three times. Turning on my phone the next morning was heart breaking.
It is really amazing how much I take the use of my cell phone for granted. Well, how much of media I take for granted. With that said, it also makes me think about all of the things I miss while I have my head down texting or listening to music walking through campus or sitting in class.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:42:46
The rainbow of emotions… Interesting. Obviously digital time has concrete influences in our thinking but also feelings… 🙂
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:13:40
On Wednesday I began my media fast, determined to last until sundown, as with many religious fasts. In preparation on the eve of my fast, I gorged myself on technology–making sure to check all three of my email addresses thoroughly, respond to all Facebook wallposts, and update myself on all of the blogs that I read daily–the equivalent of eating a huge meal the night before Rosh Hashanah. On Wednesday, as I didn’t have my phone as an alarm clock to wake me up, my day began poorly. I leapt out of bed 15 minutes before my class was supposed to start, and muttered angrily at my roommate for not waking me up. Feeling absolutely helpless without my phone (we don’t even have a clock in our room–it’s never been necessary before) I asked her repeatedly to tell me what time it was. After having been late to class, I returned to my room, irritated, and instinctively reached for my computer. When I realized I could not use it, I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself. I decided to allow myself to watch TV, as I don’t consider TV one of my technological vices. I rarely watch it, and don’t confess to any sort of television addiction. In the grand scheme of my media diet, I considered TV to be equivalent to some sort of protein, while my phone and computer would equate to high-caloric, sugary, fattening carbs. At it turns out, I broke down at around 4:30 (a good 3 hours before sundown), because I needed to do some homework, and because it was my sister’s birthday and I needed to call her. Though these reasons seemed justified, I ended up spending a good two hours devouring my Facebook newsfeed and reading blogs before I ended up doing either of these things.
And so I learned that I was incapable of living without technology, which didn’t surprise me. The clearest side affect of this diet was the immense feeling of anxiety and purposelessness that came with being disconnected. I went out into the Bronx alone without my phone, and found myself feeling especially unsafe. Though some of the reasons I need my phone are petty (needing to text my friends, being bored) there are actually serious reasons that you need a cell phone in the world we live in today–for example, security in an unsafe neighborhood. The one effect that I did not expect from this experiment was my increased dependency on others. I became irritated at my roommate because I was depending on her to tell me the time. I had to ask her to google the Bronx zip code so I could send a package. When I wanted a friend to accompany me on a shopping trip, I had to count on her to come knock on my door when she was ready, rather than just texting me. Though I myself was refraining from using technological devices, I still ended up using them indirectly. The only reason I ended up knowing what time it was was by asking my roommate to use her technological device to find out. I realized that in order to truly engage in a media fast, the entire network to which I am connected would have to go on a fast as well. Every person who I communicate with would have to cut off this communication for a certain period of time. Having seen how difficult it was for me to go just a few hours without digital communication, I know that this circumstance would be impossible to organize. We are in too deep with our technologies, and I honestly think the world might just implode if they were taken away.
Just because I was “fasting,” communication did not stop. I still received emails and my phone still accepted texts. The thing that caused my fear and anxiety during the diet was knowing that I might be missing something important, or that a professor might have emailed me expecting a response, or that someone might be desperately trying to reach me. Again, the complete digital fast would only be possible if the external forces communicating with me were eliminated. The way our world is programmed, we are so deeply ingrained and invested in our digital connections, that being with out them hurts us and those that communicate with us. If I hadn’t used my phone to call my sister on her birthday, our relationship would likely have been damaged. This is an example of how media is positive–I needed that phone call to make a connection. If I had continued my media fast, it would also have negatively affected my academic standing, as I wouldn’t have been able to do my homework. It would be near impossible to succeed in my relationships with certain people, and with my professors.
And so we see that a media fast is an ideal. It can only be accomplished for several hours without causing actual damage, and only if alternate preparations are made and if digital use is continued eventually. If I had printed out all my online homework materials the day before, it might have been possible, but that would be cheating in a way. I learned a lot about myself in the process, and came to the conclusion that I am perfectly content in my media dependency. It’s an inevitable addiction of our current world, and I don’t believe we could go back to the pre-technological world, even if we wanted to.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 20:20:05
Lauren: Loved you carbs — protein metaphor!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:12:34
I have been noticing especially since this past summer that my dependence on Facebook is ridiculous. If I don’t check at least twice a day, I start hyperventilating and wondering if I’m missing the world’s most important news, or worse, if someone has planned an event last minute and contacted me, but I being away from the computer was unable to attend said event. Or at least, that’s why I told myself I needed to be on the computer every second.
Luckily for me, my phone is a dinosaur and doesn’t have the Internet, but that still meant that my first month at college, I spent at least a few hours a day usually staring at an unchanging News Feed, waiting for my best friend to post that he was coming back to Long Island for the weekend or for my boyfriend to send me a message (How I vainly awaited that small red ‘1’ to appear on my mail folder!). Of course, being Facebook, no such monumental thing ever happened, and ipso facto, afternoon wasted.
So I decided this week that for 4 days I would not touch my Facebook. In order to do so, I resolved to check my school email only once a day (this was an important necessity, not a luxury) and limit my time on the Internet to 15 minutes. I also decided that I would NOT text my friends outside of college, which would bypass my need for the social networking, contacting only friends on campus when entirely necessary, my boyfriend (being on campus I hardly needed to call him), and my family back home. In addition, the day I decided to fast was the day after a good friend, a priest at my high school who had been a mentor and a confidante, passed away. Because of his popularity among the student and alumni network, my Facebook was filled with lamenting posts and memoriams that made my personal mourning more acute. I thought it a good time to fast to free my mind of unnecessary sorrow. I had mourned privately, I did not need to relive it every few hoursThe first day, I writhed in agony for the important news I could be missing. I was losing friends rapidly, I thought. I needed my network. I needed to be the social butterfly I was famous for being.
But after the first few hours, a sense of calm hit me. I was completely free of distractions during homework, I was actually socializing MORE because I wasn’t reserving time for skyping and chatting, and I was much happier. The fast reminded me that my life was exciting, fun, and full of new possibilities. I noticed the nature on campus more. I walked around my dorm, meeting new people who perhaps I wouldn’t have met otherwise, huddled in my room in my virtual network. My mind felt uncluttered by the need to be present both corporeally in one place and digitally in another.
I encourage a media fast. Mine has taught me to appreciate real human communication as invaluable, and I have since committed to Facebook at most only once a day, for 30 minutes at most. While I am on, I try to avoid quizzes and surveys, and instead chat to my (real) friends, or compose emails. I want to start a trend and encourage young people like me to appreciate relationships outside of the digital world.
Our world has turned into one in which we can only communicate with each other in brief, unintelligent abbreviations and in which our “friends” are people that we only vaguely know. We tweet to ‘followers,’ we spend our lives in a web of illusion in which we can present ourselves however we wish to the maybe hundreds of ‘pals’ we associate with in our social network. Rarely do we sit down and speak to one another, person to person. Phone calls are becoming a needless extra with texting. Letter writing, one of the most beautiful arts, is almost obsolete. We need to fill our lives with meaningful, interpersonal relationships, ones that transcend a pixelated screen and the dizzying sound of the pittering of keyboards.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:27:57
Anna: Wonderful! Your experience seems to indicate that a little diet can do wonders (while a complete fast might be impossible, improbable and not something necessarily beneficial).
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:13:28
I (sort of) completed my media diet this pervious Sunday. When I say sort of it is because I could only go from 10am-3pm before I cracked. It brought me back to when I was 13-16 when my parents use to take away my phone computer and tv privileges for getting in trouble.I usually never had all 3 taken away at one time, so in a sense this was like a punishment to me! My routine when I get up in the morning is brush my teeth, check my phone, go on my computer. It comes so natural to me that I had to remind myself I was on a media diet and not to pick up my phone. I decided to put it on silent and leave it in a drawer to eliminate any temptation. I caught myself thinking what am I gonna do today?! (Kinda pathetic I know)
I decided to catch up on my homework since there was nothing else do to on this rainy Sunday. That only wasted a little over an hour in time. I also kept reaching for my phone on the table out of habit. For just these 5 hours I felt so out of touch with the world. I realized I should of let my boyfriend and friends know I was going to be out of reach for a little while. Usually if someone doesn’t answer your calls and texts somethings wrong. Not watching tv wasent too hard since its just entertainment, no communication. After my homework I was so bored I didn’t know what to do with myself. I couldn’t call someone to hangout so I was stuck. I started to think of things I do during a blackout, when I am also forced to be disconnected with technology. For the rest of my time I started read a new book (which actually was not too bad 🙂 )
This media diet for me was extremely difficult!! I always knew that a phone and computer made life more interesting an easy, but i never realized the extent of this fact. I am a little embarrassed that I could only last 5 hours on this diet. Technology these days isn’t just pure entertainment. Many of my homework assignments (including this one!) are done through the internet. All my emails and communication with friends family and my boyfriend are necessary for my day to day life to just know whats going on in my world. Even if I want to know something as simple as the weather for the day I check my phone like its nothing. I guess I take for granted that I have everything available at my fingertips. This experiment showed me that ill never be doing anything like this out of choice again! 🙂
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:15:36
I should also add that during my fast I did not text (I used my phone to make calls…what phones are made for!) and did not watch television or play video games. I don’t really play games at all, but I reserved my media usage to exclusively necessary phone calls.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:20:55
Christina: congratulations, you did 5 hours on a rainy day 🙂 And absolutely, we’re NOT talking about technology bringing us diversion — it’s about work, orientation, convenience in many ways (see most of the posts above in the thread).
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:36:26
It was a good thing I tried to complete my media diet on Wednesday, with at least a little time to spare before I had to blog about it. I thought I had started off great; I turned my phone off Tuesday night when I went to bed so I wouldn’t be woken up by text messages or e-mails throughout the night or be tempted to check them the minute I woke up. I climbed out of bed on Wednesday morning and groggily started to get dressed, and the next thing I knew, I was blowdrying my hair looking at my Facebook homepage. I didn’t even REMEMBER logging on to the website! That’s when I realized how awful my addiction really was. I found that I definitely had more of a dependence than I had previously thought. Let’s face it- I subconsciously logged on the internet to see what had happened in my “social circle” while I was sleeping. I had to admit defeat before I even had my morning cup of coffee! I shut my computer, put it in my desk drawer, and started all over.
That morning was extremely lonely to say the least. I sat in my room with everything at my fingertips- a TV, a radio, a blackberry and a laptop- all of which had black screens that were tempting me to turn on . Because I don’t have classes on Wednesday, there was nothing really even to look forward to. I couldn’t text my friends to see if they wanted to go grab something to eat, couldn’t catch up with the episode of Real Housewives of DC that I had missed last Thursday, or even start some of my art history paper that is due next week. Luckily, I was meeting my mom later that afternoon in the city for a late lunch so I knew I’d be able to escape the boredom that I was faced with all of Wednesday morning. Between the hours of 10am and 2pm, the only thing I could accomplish media-less was to clean my room from top to bottom. I guess that was a positive to the seemingly torturous task that I was faced with. However, I was never so happy to step onto a Metro North train and turn my phone back on. As soon as my blackberry was on, I had countless numbers of text messages insinuating that I was ignoring them. Not only did being on a media diet make me bored and irritated, but it made my mom and friends the same!
In short, my digital diet seriously enforced what I thought I knew to be true about my generation and its dependence on media. I only “dieted” for 4 hours- I can’t imagine the levels of anxiety, annoyance, and frustration those who “dieted” all day felt! Not only was I bored and lonely, but I felt totally cut off from the world and everything that was going on- whether it was with my friends or what was going on in the news. As much as I knew that I was dependent and perhaps somewhat addicted to my media sources, I never knew that it was to that extreme extent. Although perhaps a little too attached, I take my blackberry, laptop, TV and radio all for granted everyday. Knowing how detached from the world I am without them, I don’t think I ever will take them for granted again! Judging from some of the entries I read before writing my blog, it seems that most people in my generation would agree with me. However, dependence on our digital sources almost seems inevitable in today’s day in age. Not only do we need them to keep in contact with loved ones, do our homework, and stay alert with what is happening in the world, but it seems like we also need them to keep us sane!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:21:20
Great list of attributes (albeit not so nice in and of themselves..) that many share with you: bored, annoyed, frustrated, cut off, anxious…
Sep 30, 2010 @ 21:42:44
Technology is a necessity in the daily life of a college student, which many of my peers already pointed out. Therefore, rather than attempting to stop checking my emails and possibly getting in trouble or behind on work, I decided to do a strictly Facebook diet. For three whole days, I didn’t log onto my Facebook once. The first day was the easiest, surprisingly, because I had a lot of work and barely any free time anyway. Thus, it didn’t hit me until the morning of the second day how hard my diet was going to be. I managed not to cheat (other than looking over my roommates shoulder once while she was logged in), and after my diet ended I probably spent at least 4 hours on Facebook catching up on everything I had missed. However, during the days I couldn’t go on Facebook, I found another obsession: online jigsaw puzzles. Sadly, now I’m just as addicted to those as I am to Facebook.
After my diet, I realized that while some types of technology are vital in my daily life, others I use solely because I’m already on my computer. For example, I don’t usually go on the computer just to check Facebook, but once I’m on I can rarely resist the temptation. I’m not sure if I’m rare in this aspect and other people are more addicted to the website, but in my case at least I just need another distraction (and online jigsaw puzzles became that distraction). I would like to say that someday I’ll be able to simply go on the computer for what I need and get off without getting sidetracked, but due to the advertisements for online shopping, etc that always pop up, I think my addiction to all types of technology is here to stay.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:25:34
Good points about different technologies, degrees of necessity, and additional temptations (e.g., FB)!
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:01:19
Prior to attempting my “media diet” I thought that it would be very difficult to accomplish; and I was right about this. I decided that Wednesday would be my day of no technology on Tuesday night and the first thing that I did on Wednesday morning was open my eyes, and then open my laptop. And then I checked my phone. And then I realized that I wasn’t supposed to be doing any of those things that day. So I closed them all and turned them off and went to class feeling confident that I could do it. I did not need my phone or facebook or my computer. I got to class earlier than usual that day (because I wasn’t distracted by my computer before I got to class) and immediately went to reach for my phone to go on facebook while waiting for the professor to get there. I never before realized how much I do this to pass the time, or to avoid an awkward situation with someone you don’t really want to talk to. I’m always looking at my phone to make the time pass faster even if there’s nothing new to see on it.
After class, which seemed to go on forever because of the looming knowledge that I didn’t have my phone on me, I went to reach for my phone again to make plans for lunch with my roommate. And I again realized how reliant I am on my phone. Firstly, it’s a comfort to me just to know that my phone is there. When I don’t have it on me I feel as though something is missing. Secondly, most of the plans that we make are so last minute. I rarely make plans even twenty-four hours in advance. Its always more of a “hey wanna go grab something to eat now?” and it was irritating when I had to actually seek people out make plans with them rather than getting an immediate answer.
My lack of television and compute were not an issue during the day, because I never really use them in class or until I get back to my room at night. So when I started taking peeks at my phone during the day, I assured myself that it was fine because I wasn’t completely addicted to technology because I hadn’t used my computer yet. But as soon as I got to my room that night, my computer was staring me down and even while catching up on reading for class I could only concentrate on my computer and the fact that I couldn’t use it and that there was some useless site on stumbleupon that I wasn’t looking at at that moment. So I eventually gave in and everything in the world came back together because I was able to use my technology. All of this makes me sound fickle and addicted but the truth is that most people in today’s world are addicted to technology. We rely on it to make plans, to get news, to know the time, and just to make that time pass a little bit faster. I think that this task wouldn’t have been so hard if we were in an environment where everyone else was not always using technology also. If we were all forced to give it up, time would feel slower I’m sure, but not as slow because everyone would be moving at the same pace and you wouldn’t feel behind. I felt out of the loop and alone when I wasn’t able to use my phone and after doing this I can no longer pretend that I am not reliant on my technology.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:31:29
Julie: yes. Our environments push us to communicate in certain ways, and we, at the same time, act to recreate that (structuration…. getting to it tomorrow re: small groups…) — so another context, situation (holiday, deserted island with no cell phone coverage…) might have produced different results for this experiment.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:11:00
I tried the media diet. I quit the media diet. And in the end I got in trouble because of the media diet. According to my mother she pays for my phone for one reason, and one reason alone, to get in contact with me. Time and time again she reminds my siblings and me that it is lovely that we get to text message our friends at ever increasing rates, but our phones are her phones, more so now that half of us are away at school.
After quitting this “diet,” only 5 hours in which is pretty much reflective of how my attempts at food diets go, I was greeted with missed calls, voicemails, and a text messages. I thought well this is nice my friends miss me. My ego was promptly deflated when I realized that 2 of the 3 calls, the voicemail and even one of the text messages were from my mother. I was actually kind of nervous. My mom is usually pretty hands off and knows that I call her essentially every night, and sometimes SHE doesn’t answer my calls. For her to call me so many times in the short span that encompassed my measly attempts at a tech-diet, must have meant that something was wrong. My nerves were calmed down when I listened to the messages. One began with something a long the lines of “Emily Meghan, you better be in library because you know how I feel about your phone… blah blah blah.”
As requested she was the first one I called. I explained the assignment and we began to talk about our technology habits. She admitted to being embarrassed that she became worried because I didn’t immediately respond to her calls. She declared that the combination of being a student of the school of instant gratification and a mother of two college students, was a deadly combination. She demanded communication and expected it immediately. I informed her that I feel the same way at times, its how we have been socialized since the advent of mobile devices. It seems silly at times to think there would be any reason not to utilize the technology that is available to us. It is there for a reason and in some sense we are more than entitled to it.
At the same time I was embarrassed that my mother sees me as someone who has her phone glued to her person at all times. What does it say about me that my mom had a minor panic attack because for once I didn’t answer? Am I a product of our times or am I an addict? I like to think I am just another member of a generation that is defined by its infatuation with technology. I shudder to think that I am just another member of a generation that is defined by its reliance on technology.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:24:06
Emily: what a telling (and delightfully funny) experience & dialogue with your mom. Thanks for sharing. The generational gap in media use is deep and wide but when crossed, addictive?
Sep 30, 2010 @ 22:45:08
I completed the media diet yesterday. It lasted a couple of hours and I am quite disappointed. Before doing the diet, I already had an idea that I could possibly be addicted to texting, facebooking and tweeting but I thought I would be able to complete AT LEAST a whole day without technology. It is nearly impossible to go through a whole day without using any sort of technology because it is literally everywhere.
My diet started on Wednesday, the 29th. I thought it would be an easy day to be electronic free because I do not take any classes that day. My Wednesday’s usually consist of going to work, therefore it sounded like the ideal day to do it. My mother woke me up in the morning because I couldn’t use the alarm on my cell phone. My morning routine remained unchanged since I usually don’t watch television, use the computer or listen to music in the morning. I got dressed, and headed to work. I have to admit, even doing that was a struggle because I didn’t know how to keep track of time. I didn’t want to risk arriving late to work, so I had to constantly check my phone for the time. The commute was easier than I initially thought it would be. I usually listen to my iPod on the bus, while I read a book. So instead of listening to music, I just read my book. Impressively, the commute went by faster than expected. The noise of traffic and other people did not disturb me as much as I would have expected it to.
Once I arrived to my work place, I knew I was in for a challenge. I had forgotten that I am accustomed to texting while filing papers in the office, and it was hard trying to adjust. I had to think of something else to do while filing so I would not run back to my phone. As an alternative, I began talking to some of my co-workers, whom I have never spoken to before. To my surprise, by being “disconnected” from my cell phone, I was able to meet new people in whom I would have never met if I were to be texting, as usual.
All was going well, until it was almost time for me to go home. I reached for my phone to check the time and I had DOZENS of unread text messages, email alerts, missed calls, and voicemails within a 5 hour time span. I was very curious to view the messages and emails, but I knew that if I were to view them, I would reply and I couldn’t, I was in a media diet… It was horrible. The urge to read all my messages was too overpowering and within the next half-hour I replied to all my messages and emails. My diet lasted about 8-9 hours; it would have probably lasted longer if I would’ve left my phone at home. But to my surprise, those 8-9 hours disconnected from technology weren’t THAT bad. Of course it wasn’t easy, but I was able to meet new people, read a few more chapters of a book (which I enjoy), and be free from the cyber-world for a few hours.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:08:32
Paola: You seem to have had a mixed experience — and it really sums up the overall sentiment about the media diet: More socializing, but the feeling of missing out and the unbearable urge to check your msgs as soon as you know you’ve got some…
Sep 30, 2010 @ 23:19:17
I began my media diet Tuesday at midnight, and about 5 minutes in, was already bored beyond belief. At the time, my roommates were watching a movie, so I dutifully sat on my bed and put my headphones on, only to realize I wasn’t allowed to listen to my ipod. After that disappointment I turned to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and was asleep within minutes.
On Wednesday I had no classes, so at least I wouldn’t have to access blackboard or any online readings. Like others have posted before me, my day went by extremely slowly. After going to the gym and eating breakfast, I had a very hard time finding ways to pass the time. I asked my friends to go outside and play catch with me, but that’s not a very tempting offer compared to video games on the couch. The rest of my day was spent reading and sleeping. I made a trip into the city to take care of some errands, and even the subway ride was difficult without my headphones on. I was extremely relived when I made it to midnight, and rushed to my computer to check my facebook only to find myself without any new notifications or relevant emails.
So after all that time thinking about how much I was missing out without my media, it turned out that I really hadn’t missed anything at all. All in all I skipped out on watching a movie I had already seen, and playing some video games. Then why was my day so slow? Do I really spend that much time on my computer, in my headphones, and on my cell phone? the answer is no, but I have found that alot of the socializing I do with my friends is based around some type of media source. My generation likes to watch T.V, surf the internet, and listen to music while hanging out, and eliminating these things really removes you from social interaction. But every generation has actions that accompany socializing; we take our dates out to dinner so we can eat AND talk; we don’t invite people over to sit across an empty table and talk. We go out for drinks, hookah, to see a show, etc. mostly to talk, but the action that accompanies the talking is also necessary.
Next summer I will be biking down the west coast for 3 months, camping every night, disconnected from most media sources. The two friends who are doing this will me will bring their phones and we will use them only to communicate with each other and call home once in a while. I will not be checking my facebook. I am really looking forward to living without facebook and email for a while, and I hope that breaking away from digital media won’t be too hard. For now though, Its nice to have my laptop back.
-Ethan
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:34:13
I’m so glad Aristotle kept you company. Good luck with your 3-month experiment!
Oct 01, 2010 @ 00:04:45
I began my media diet today since I have no classes on Thursdays. I am proud to say that I survived from 12 noon (when i woke up) up until now free of media which is about 7 hours. I found that it was very hard not to turn on my computer to check facebook, emails, accuweather.com, or simply play games. It was such a big part of my daily routine to do these activities that when deprived, I felt like i was crazy for participating in a digital media diet/ fast.
I wake up everyday to check my facebook to communicate with my friends since most of them are in colleges away from the city. Afterwards, I check my emails to see if my teachers, or coaches from my Church Basketball team have anything important to tell me. Then I check accuweather.com to view the forecast for the day in order to decide what I should wear. While not doing anything of these activities, I was very bored for the first two hours. Time passed like snails moving. I didn’t know what to do at first. Lucky for me, I’m also a big reader of books so I dove into my library books and found that reading helped me pass by a lot of the time. After i decided I had read enough for one day, I went out the nearby park to play basketball. As basketball is another passion of mine, time began to pass by faster for me.
One of the consequences of this media diet was my mother who was furious at me for not picking up the phone. I also had several other missed calls and text messages from my other friends. They were most likely calling me to hang out and I felt really bad for ignoring their phone calls. Perhaps I should have told them about my media diet beforehand. I realized without a simple thing like a phone, people would get worried because they would not be able to find where I am.
All in all, I feel that digital media is too deeply engrained in our culture for us to have digital media fasts for long period of time. If we were deprived of communication, things would be in chaos: How would bosses communicate with their subordinates? Teachers with their students? Family members?
I also read one of the earlier posts on this page about being “bored” and time passing by slowly because they didn’t have media devices. I think that time passes by slowly because you’re not doing anything that you’re passionate about or like. When we are doing activities we enjoy, time passes by much quicker.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:36:12
You highlight the issues that repeatedly come up: ‘personal’ routines, and routines related to communicating with people close to you. And how quickly we’re / they’re off balance when we’re not connected via communication devices.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 00:20:43
It is such a simple concept really, the whole idea of a media diet. Simple right? Just turn off the cell phone, unplug the TV, disconnect from your friends and family Facebook, no big deal. Anyone can do it. It was with this that confidence I charged into my media diet, completely unaware of how it would effect me.
Not having a cell phone was fairly easy for me to deal with, because I had just broken mine a week earlier and just got a replacement. I was used to not using it constantly throughout the day. It wasn’t that easy when I first lost my phone however. The hardest part is looking around and realizing how much other people use their own cell phones. I would sit in the cafeteria and look around in silence as all of my peers sat texting away. Unlike last time however, this time around with out a phone I could not use facebook to compensate and get my fill of technology. Last time in stead of connecting and communicating with my phone I used facebook. This wasn’t an option as I was on a full-fledged media diet.
Facebook is an interesting utility because it can be used without to much thought to it. For me I usually casually check the ‘book every once in a while just to see what my friends are up too, to see what weird photos family members have put up, and other things that aren’t that important. Conversely sometimes I use facebook very seriously, searching for something whether it’s a specific picture from last weekend or some hilarious post that one of my friends put on another buddy’s wall. Unfortunately I could not use facebook in either of these ways I just had to sit at my desk and try to do homework, without the luxury of Wikipedia of course.
It was interesting to see how much I really relied on technology. I never even considered myself some sort of technology junkie but I guess in retrospect, I could be considered one. Not having a cell phone was difficult, not having a computer was worse. I feel like this is evidence of the fact that me entire life I have had access to technology. My generation, in contrast with generations of the past, has always been a part of this new information age. My parents don’t depend on cell phones because they have only had them for a fraction of their lives where as they have been around almost my whole life. As for the computer, I have been using a computer almost daily since a was a child and then suddenly not being able to use it, especially after not having a phone I noticed how dependant on computers I really am. I think that the main reason that this was so difficult for me was simply because I’ve been conditioned to be constantly using some means of technology at all times, and when it was taken away from me, I was completely out of my usual daily routine.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:38:51
You seem to be one of the few who were *not* extensively bothered by not using their phone. Why is it? Is the reason that your phone is not such an integral part of your minute-to-minute daily routines? How did you manage that?
Oct 01, 2010 @ 00:30:06
Today, starting from 12 P.M., I had started my media diet. I was determined to go the whole day without the usage of my blackberry, computer or television. I knew it was going to be tough but I thought to myself, “how hard can this possibly be?” I was confident in myself to successfully cut off technology out of my life just for a day. Unfortunately, I was very wrong. Ever since I got to college, I’ve been fairly detached from my computer and television so I knew that wouldn’t be too much of a challenge. However, this media diet really helped me come to realize how incredibly dependent I am on my phone. As the hours progressed, I increasingly became impatient and paranoid without my phone beside me. Because I was unable to answer texts, phone calls, and emails on my blackberry, I began to get really worried that my friends, families or teachers would think something terrible happened to me. So many thoughts raced through my head.
While I was in my classes today, I could barely concentrate because all I could think about was my phone. By the time I got out of math at 3:45 P.M., I quickly grabbed a bite to eat and frantically rushed over to my dorm room, grabbed my phone and turned it on. Little to my surprise, I was right. I had 4 missed calls and a voicemail from my mom, 3 consecutive texts from my best friend who was upset because she thought I was purposely ignoring her and a email from one of my clubs informing me how the meeting was moved up to 4 P.M. today. Not only had I missed my club meeting, but then I had to deal with my angry mother and upset best friend going off on me. Overall, I was unable to successfully cut out the use of my cell phone for the day.
Next comes the computer and the television. I was able to go through the whole day without turning on my computer or television once. Although at many times I was tempted to check my facebook, I fought the temptation and when I was sitting bored in my room, I was able to avoid turning on my television. I may have not been able to go through the day without my phone, but at least I was able to go through with the rest of my media diet. I always knew how society was dependent on technology but this media diet really gave me a wake up call. It’s sad to see how society is unable to function without the use of cell phones and such and it makes me wonder how people back in the day lived without any sort of technology.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:40:54
I’m so sorry that this experiment caused you to miss your meeting! Thanks for seeing it through, though. And yore experiences show, once again, how much is expected of us in terms of ‘digital availability’.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 01:09:14
I deactivated my facebook account Sunday night. I thought it would not be so bad to give this experiment a try and maybe I should challenge myself by giving up facebook for a few days. It was hard in the beginning because I am so immune to check my facebook everyday before taking care of real business like homework. I will admit I was tempted to not go back on facebook until my next class meeting with Minna but I am sticking to my word. I am still wondering about how many comments, messages, and friend requests I must be getting, but I realized that this generation relies on media for everything. People act as if their cell phone is the most important thing to them, and people like myself are addicted to social networks such as Facebook, and visit the website as it is part of their religion.
When I deactivated facebook, and Monday I chose that to be my day to go on the media diet, I was not going crazy, but I was very anxious about recieving a text and sending a text. To resist the temptation to use my cell, I just left it at home. I was suppose to meet a friend of mine for lunch that day, and instead of texting her to find out where we are meeting, I took it “ols school” and went to meet her up at class so we can go to lunch together. She asked me why I didnt text her, and I simply told her that I am giving up technology for one day to see what it is like.
Although it was challenging to give up texting and not visit Facebook, I will admit I do focus more on school and I am aware of my surroundings. Instead of texting, I actually had a real face to face conversation with my friend at lunch without distractions.Technology is fantastic, dont get me wrong, however it is refreshing to take a media diet every once in awhile. I will reactivate my Facebook tommorow, but I am proud that I stuck to this challenge, but it was not easy!
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:44:00
Hey, thanks for sharing your relapse. Those are very interesting moments — why couldn’t you take the diet any longer, at that particular moment?
Oct 01, 2010 @ 02:03:15
I had no other choice but to have my media diet yesterday. All of my Optimum services (house phone, cable and internet) stopped working so I figured I might as well turn off my cellphone and start my media diet. On Wednesdays, my day-off, my mornings usually begin with a few hours of daytime television, a couple of hours on the computer and then I usually find something to do with friends. This day began with me completely bored. I literally had nothing to do. But alas! I found a set of blank canvas’s lying around my house and decided I would paint. I painted for about two hours, nothing spectacular. After I was finished painting I thought to myself, “what am I supposed to do for the rest of the day?” I decided to kill time by doing something I otherwise would never do… house chores. I mopped my house, did the laundry, and organized my room. After that, I found that I was bored, yet again. At this point I had nothing else to do because I couldn’t contact my friends to go out. I took a refreshing three hour nap. When I woke up from my nap, I walked my dog, ate some food, played with my niece, played the board games Life and Guess Who?, and at last, my day was over. What a relief!
I am not surprised that I had a negative reaction to my diet. This diet completely cut me off from my friends. The only way I can contact my friends is via Facebook or via a text message. Because I randomly decided to have this diet, I had nothing planned for the day and was going to have to spend my day without my friends. Spending time alone is not a problem if I’m spending time alone in a place that I enjoy. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. I think I can have a media diet anywhere else but the Bronx. I find the Bronx to be not only a very boring borough but also one that is not aesthetically appealing. If I had this diet in my beloved Brooklyn, I would have never been so anxious to use the computer. Whenever I’m in Brooklyn, I never feel the need to even look at my phone. I can wander alone in Brooklyn and feel serene, then wander in the Bronx and feel anxious. It’s probably because I’ve lived here all my life. Whatever the reason, I think that the place in which one embarks in this journey is essential to the success of the experiment. I don’t feel like I did anything important yesterday because I was basically stuck home. If I had been in the wilderness or in Brooklyn, perhaps I would have gotten more out of this experiment.
Like everything, excessive use of technology can have many negative effects, like anxiety, while too little technology can separate you from the rest of the world. I think that we should not use technology when we are doing something like hanging out with friends or family, or watching a show or movie (live). Using your twitter in those occasions can take away from the experience. But then again, I don’t think you should stay away from technologies because they do make many things convenient for us. Sure, Facebook can be used for many, many unless things, but it can also provide us with a quick way to contact many people.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:55:16
A good point about the environment: sometimes digital connection is concretely about being safe and finding one’s way. (I share your love for BK — I’m quite passionate about my neighbourhood, more that ever before in my life — but admittedly don’t know BX so well that I could compare).
Oct 01, 2010 @ 02:55:36
Who would have guessed that a media fast would be so difficult to achieve for an entire day? I started multiple times to do diet myself from all media but without realizing, there were several moments where I found myself in the midst of interacting with electronics. I’m ashamed to say that I was only able to go without the media for a measly three hours. I originally wanted to go the whole day without any media but found myself waking up to an alarm clock and instantly going online and clicking my facebook tab on my internet browser. Still partially asleep, I lazily looked up at my white board and my eyes were drawn to the large reminder I had wrote that told myself “DON’T GO ON FACEBOOK/TUMBLR/EMAIL/ICHAT/SKYPE or use your phone!” I immediately shut my laptop off and laughed to myself at the ridiculousness of going on facebook as a part of my morning routine.
A part of me felt naked without my cellphone attached to my hip in my pocket. A part of me felt like I was being excluded from the technological world. I really thought I was going to miss some last minute important piece of information that would be transferred to me via email or facebook. With the hours I had given up all traces of the media, I found myself with all the time in the world. Time seemed to go by slower than when I would be on, oh say, facebook. I found myself admiring and noticing things I usually would not. I realized I could get so much more done without any distractions. I endured many more face to face conversations without any interruptions from my cellphone. I found myself going through my backpack and starting homework earlier than the day before it was due. There was absolutely nothing to do except to work on my homework assignments.
As I was reading the selected reading for my philosophy class, I felt tempted to check my fordham email in case a class was canceled because of the storm. A part of me knew that class would not be canceled because the weather had calmed down since the morning but I felt myself inch closer and closer to my laptop. Before I knew it, my fingers were clicking the myfordham tab on my favorites page to check my fordham email. I looked at the time and felt ashamed that I could not even go past three hours without using the media.
Without the use of media, I found myself to feel excluded from the rest of the world and my friends. What was I supposed to do to contact the people I needed to contact? How was I supposed to look up information without google? I would, in no way, consider myself a “facebook addict.” I do not have to go on facebook every single day multiple times a day but when your fingers are free and your laptop is in sight, I can’t help but feel inclined to see if anyone had commented and or messaged me. Ultimately, I found this to be quite a challenge but in reality, I believe I could have gone longer without the use of any sort of media.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:59:52
I see the scene you begin your post with (your morning routines) — as well as some scenes in a few other comments — in a sitcom script. LOL, as one would txt. And yet oh so true.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:15:57
This past Sunday, I went on a media diet. I chose a day on which self reflection and alone time would be good for me, and I thought my diet would be mentally healthy. I would be productive, meditative, and the only time I would use technology would be for my cell phone alarm in the morning. That was my plan.
Right after my alarm went off and I put my phone away, I realized that my cell phone is my technological equivalent to chocolate cake. All day long I had serious cravings. I wanted to take out my cell phone and turn it on and flick it open. And here emerges my first issue of the day; I am so used to having my cell phone in my hand that sliding it open and closed has become a nervous habit for me. I do the motion without thinking, and it seems to relax me.
After I took my time getting ready for my day, I packed up my back pack and went to catch the train. But of course, I didn’t know what time the train would be leaving. I hadn’t thought to check my computer the night before, and I didn’t know the train schedule. I had to walk all the way over to the station, get the schedule, and ask for help because I had no idea how to read it. The train came 30 minutes later, and I was on my way.
The hour long train ride seemed like six hours. I couldn’t pull out my iPod and plug myself in, so I sat in silence. Time. Inched. By. The whole ride I was cursing myself. Why did I think self reflection would be a good thing? I realized that I have completely forgotten how to reflect in silence. It actually depressed me to sit in silence with only myself.
Luckily, after the treachery I was picked up by loving family who kept me distracted for the rest of the day. Before I went to sleep though, I turned on my cell phone to set the alarm for Monday morning. A box popped open on my screen that said “13 New Text Messages” and suddenly the whole day was worth it. These little messages (their quantity, not their quality) made me feel loved. People had been wanting to contact me all day. I felt so gratified.
Naturally, my experience made me think. First, I’ve become so used to the presence of technology literally at my fingertips, that its involuntarily become a part of my de-stressing all day. It wasn’t even technology that I was missing, it was the plastic object that represented technology. The fact that I am so reliant on something so small freaked me out. I was stressed and depressed without my technology, like caffeine withdrawal. Imagine everyone going a day without coffee. Imagine if the world had to go a day without technology. Everyone would be so unhappy. Then I turned that phone on and felt alive again. Those pointless messages “Hey” and “K” shouldn’t have this much power over me to make me feel this good.
Then, of course, one might be able to get by in a world without technology 24/7, but it would be really inconvenient. Walking all the way to the train station was such a pain. Then I had to be really aware of my surroundings because if I got on the wrong train or transferred incorrectly, I had no way to let my family know, and that would open up a whole new set of problems. I was hypersensitive and stressed because I didn’t have my little de-stressor. The world is so reliant on technology it is scary. It isn’t just for convenience, schoolwork, and Facebook, technology actually affects peoples’ mental state. This could cause some serious problems in the future.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 18:01:47
Another great example of (1) convenience — rationality and (2) connectedness — emotions that seem to be the dual mode of our digital living.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:18:30
It was a certainly a challenge to survive a day without access to digital media, and unfortunately, I was only able to “fast” for a few hours. After my one class Wednesday morning, I turned off both my phone and computer. It was somewhat a relief at first knowing that no one could get in touch with me. Because I had eliminated my sources of procrastination and distraction, I had no choice but to begin my massive amounts of homework. I was also able to focus on planning an event for one of the organizations I am involved in on campus. The absence of media changed the way I managed my time. Needless to say, my media-free day passed more slowly, and I became more aware of my peers’ abundant use of digital media. A majority of them were texting or talking on their phones on their way to class, residential hall, or the cafeteria, heads down, looking up every so often to avoid a collision. In the study lounge, fellow residents multitasked on their laptops, their Facebook page open along side the paper they were “working on.”
I did a little research and found some interesting facts regarding my age group’s technology use. A study conducted by Dr. Larry Rosen confirmed that on average, we are performing an average of 7 tasks at once time, not to mention that we also spend more than 20 hours per day using media. From 2007 to 2009, the average monthly phone use among my generation saw a 623% increase in text messaging and a steady decline in phone calls. The average U.S. teen sends 3,145 text messages a month, compared to the 435 text messages they sent per month in 2007.
As soon as my final activity of the day was complete, all I wanted to do was reconnect to my social world. I felt like I had missed out on so much, afraid that I was “out of the loop,” due to my inactive digital status. I also remembered the homework assignments that a couple of professors expected me to complete for the following day. They included online readings for my philosophy class and online Powerpoints and lecture notes need to study for a biology exam.
Today, it appears as if digital media is inescapable. It’s in our education, our extracurricular activities, the gym, at our dinner table, and at our fingertips. The only solution to get away from digital or technological communication is to turn off all such sources and drive to the middle of nowhere. Ultimately, when I finally reignited my use of digital media, I realized that while it was difficult to fight the urge to check my Facebook, Twitter, phone, etc., I noticed how much I enjoy face-to-face social interaction over interaction via the digital world. However, I learned that my generation might depend a little TOO much on digital media. We don’t see technology as a tool; it is just life.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 18:04:06
B: MANY THANKS for (a) doing the experiment,. and (b) reporting about those facts. Over 600% increase in texting from 07 to 09 — that result speaks volumes.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:23:42
Yesterday from 1pm – 5pm I underwent an electronic media binge. Three hundred minutes of no internet, phone, ipod, or television was a challenge that many urban teens can take but I did. Time didn’t progress normally, its as if it were stretched like a rubber band. Ten minutes without these distractions felt like an everyday hour. At the beginning of this time period my last class had finished, and as a commuter I had to travel home. This journey is usually accompanied by the musical safe haven, my headphones. During my binge I had to commute home without any music. This turned the commute into a perpetual journey.
Once I arrived home I was surrounded by technological temptations. My laptop and television seemed so enticing. In spite of all of this temptations to break the vow, I decided to do some homework. This was when I realized how productive I can actually be. I did my homework to my fullest potential in under about half the time it usually takes me with these distractions around me. After I finished my school work for my classes, I still had 2 and a half hours of my no technology experiment remaining, and I began to miss my leisure sources. At this time I would usually check my Facebook newsfeed or watch a movie, but since I couldn’t do these things, I had to find a new source of entertainment. As I scoured my room I came upon my rubix cube that I never solved. After several attempts I finally completed something that was often casted aside when I became distracted by something else. This experiment has become an epiphany of sorta in discovering other things I can do besides being consumed by technology.
At the end of this self experiment I went back on my computer to see what I had missed. I had been gone for 5 hours, which in the digital time is about a day’s worth of facebook updates. I also assumed that I would receive at least ten emails and texts. To my surprise, I didn’t get any texts or emails during the span. This when I came to realize how relevant digital communication can be in real life. This realizatuion might even inspire less daily technological use. (Well’ maybe not)
Oct 01, 2010 @ 18:11:59
Another good example about productivity — focus vs. multitasking!
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:33:10
The term “media diet” may confuse people given that being technologically-savvy in this day and age is a must. Indeed, many people consider the idea of living without cell phones, computers, or, dare I say it, Facebook outrageous since most of our lives today revolve around these communication devices. In order to see just how dependent we are on certain methods of communication I took on the media diet challenge for one morning.
As a second year college student I live for the days where my first class isn’t until the afternoon. Moreover, on these days when I’m not sleeping until the very last minute I have more time in the morning to do the following: check my personal email, check my student email, sign on Facebook, reply to a message and/or comment, answer any unread texts, and if I have time left over, play “Mighty Birds” on my iPhone ( =] ). So when I woke up early on one of those “afternoon class” days I decided to start my media diet. The morning started off fairly easily, but when I got out of the shower to pick out what to wear I realized how dependent I was on my iPhone’s weather app. New York’s inconsistent weather has been responsible for many days where I threw on a pair of shorts in low, sixty degree weather, so that app on my iPhone was extremely missed. Still, I resisted the temptation.
With two hours to go until I had to leave for class, I decided to eat breakfast and catch up on some course readings. Yet, the moment I picked up my book I heard the familiar tri-tone of my iPhone notifying me of a new text. It was difficult to ignore it the first time but even more difficult the second and third time since the newest iPhone update continues to alert you of a text until you physically pick up your phone and answer it. The alerts eventually stopped and I concentrated on my reading.
After I finished my reading everything went downhill. With an hour to spare I couldn’t stick to the media diet because, of course, I had to check Facebook. My short-lived experience with the media diet taught me that the reason I was unable to give up Facebook was because like many people in our society today I enjoy being up to date with friends, family, and current events. However, it also made me aware of the fact that there are consequences to how much we depend on communication devices. For example, I caught up on so much of my course reading that I began to wonder if my computer was the reason I was falling behind.
On the whole, a media diet can be beneficial because it allows us to devote more time on things that we supposedly have no time to do because we are “busy.” It strikes me as odd that despite being so busy we have ample time to write witty Facebook statuses on a daily basis. Which reminds me…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 20:43:39
Another case to attest that focus = efficiency. But that boredom is a tough one to overcome without digital devices…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:44:33
I began my media diet today at 5:30 pm. Before that, I needed to use a computer and answer phones at work, but I prohibited myself from checking my facebook or emails which was extremely difficult seeing as how that is how I pass the time on slow days. I felt a compulsion to check the internet to see if my teachers had emailed me about canceled classes, to check the weather, to “stumble upon” random pages, and to facebook stalk my friends from back home, but Until 5, I could alleviate this somewhat because I allowed myself to continue using my cell phone.
When I turned my phone off at 5:30, I immediately felt isolated even though there were people all around me. I was walking back from class at this moment, so I could observe other students around me all using their cell phones to call or text their friends to make dinner plans. When I got back to my room, I first felt even more anxious than before when I was at work.
After moseying around my room for about twenty minutes trying to distract myself, I decided I might as well get some homework done. Alone, I went to the study lounge so that my roommate could watch her favorite TV show. Never have I ever been more productive in my entire life.
First, I edited the rough draft of my english essay that I had printed out a few days ago. Without anything to distract me, I could focus my attention on organizing a well-written paper. I will embarrassingly admit, however, that the notion that someone somewhere else might be trying to contact me somehow kept creeping the back of my head. I also began to miss the texts that I usually get from my friends who go to school elsewhere and don’t get to see regularly. I felt like just because I wasn’t checking my phone, email, or facebook that I was going to miss something critically important.
Next, I read chapters in my psych and communications text books. Usually when I’m reading for school is when I have the biggest problems focusing. Being able to resist the urge to escape into the media world actually helped me pay more attention.
Interestingly enough, the psych chapter I read was about memory, and there was a nice graph demonstrating how drivers’ reaction times to red lights are delayed when multi tasking by talking on a cell phone. No doubt that without technology, I could pay more attention to my homework, thus getting it done much faster than I usually do.
At 10:00pm when I turned my phone back on and allowed myself to check my email, I was relieved to see that a few friends had texted me, I had a voicemail from my mom, and I had received an email from a professor that I had been waiting for. I am proud to say that I have still remained off facebook (although, being on the computer now makes it much more difficult to resist that urge.)
Overall, restricting my communication made me feel a bit lonely at times because even though there were people all around me, most of them were also communicating with others by being on their phones, checking facebook, or even watching their favorite TV programs. I was, however, able to focus on a few homework assignments that didn’t require the use of a computer–and very thoroughly at that. In a fast-paced world where technology plays such a large role in daily life, it’s extremely difficult to isolate ourselves by cutting the communication chords.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 20:46:46
See my previous reply! A lesson to be learned: a media diet when it’s time to get things done efficiently; then one can reward oneself with FB…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 03:58:29
I started my media diet a few days ago when I left my phone in my room for my two classes that day. I didn’t mean to until I was walking out of my building and I noticed I didn’t have it. I was going to go get it but I decided it would be a good time to start dieting. I found that my classes went by pretty fast without worrying about the perfect time to sneak a peek at your phone for the time while the teacher is not looking. My history class (the most boring of all) wasn’t as unbearable as usual, which definitely surprised me. I was expecting it to drag along with no end in sight. I actually found myself somewhat interested in the topic at hand…
I tried to keep it up as long as i could, but like another post that I read said, its tough not to use your laptop in college in terms of checking your email for assignments and updates these days. Almost all of my classes have assignments on Blackboard that must be checked regularly.
I was never one to go on Facebook all day every day at my house, but when I got to college, I found myself using most of my free time all over Facebook. I am anxious to see what my friends from home are up to, how they’re adjusting to college life. I feel like things such as Facebook and Twitter are nice to have when used occasionally to catch up with people, but when they become addicting (which is prone to happen) they just become complete time wasters. Looking up random pictures of the cousin of your best friend’s roommate is not something that I would consider productive to my life as an 18 year old college student in New York City, but I find myself doing it anyway. You get caught up in such things without even noticing it, and you look at the time and its 2:45 in the morning and think, “Wow, I have to wake up in less than 5 hours for class. Why did I do that?” You completely lose track of time on Facebook, yet it keeps drawing me in.
I also think that the older generation (my parents for example) secretly want a Facebook or at least wish they had one when they were our age. Whenever I’m on Facebook, my mom comes and looks over my shoulder and I hate it. She will ask me to check my sister’s page to see what’s going on in her social life. Or if im on Facebook chat she thinks there is a secret universal code for when a parent is watching you chat where you simply type “POS” (parent over shoulder) so as to warn the opposite party not to reveal any embarrassing secrets to the POS. I think it would be interesting to see how many parents actually do have a Facebook, whether it is to keep an eye on their child or to catch up with friends.
That was a little off topic but I think that overall the media diet is a good experiment to see just how much free time you do have when you are not “dialed in” as my parents say. I found that I was able to slow down and think about things other than school, texts, or friend requests. It was peaceful and simple. I would rather life be that way.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 20:51:46
Leo, to a certain extent you could decide to have such a life — or could you? I think your point about FB is interesting. I’m about your parents’ age and love FB, but that has naturally also be fueled by my profession and having half of my friends and family half a world away. I don’t have children but many of my old school friends who are very active on FB do. They spend a lot of time reporting about their children’s college choices, achievements and awards, and so on. (Well, thankfully I have my dog to brag about 🙂
Oct 01, 2010 @ 04:31:19
I attempted my media diet on Tuesday, and lasted for about half the day. I purposely picked Tuesday as my media diet day because on Tuesdays, I do not have class until 1, thus enabling me to sleep late and reducing the number of hours in the day I’d have to resist temptation and not use any type of media. On a normal Tuesday, I typically wake up around 11 and immediately turn on my computer and then watch TV while eating breakfast. Meaning in general, I’m awake no more than 5 minutes before I’m using some form or another of media. This particular day, I did make it through my morning without using any form of media, instead choosing to review for a test I had later that day. From there, I left for class (without my cell phone), which kept me occupied and media free from 1 to 4.
After class, I would normally either plop down on the couch and watch TV, or take a quick nap. Keeping in mind I was supposed to be deprived of media, and the fact that I never get enough sleep, I chose the later. I rolled out of bed about an hour later at 5, and at that point, I turned on the TV and ended my media fast, which, in all, lasted about 6 hours. Ultimately, it wasn’t so much that I “had to” turn on the TV or use the computer (“had to” implying some form of addiction), it was more a matter of boredom. I was bored and still somewhat groggy after a long day of class, so I turned on the TV for amusement. Everyone needs some downtime after class or work, and for me, that means turning on the TV and watching reruns of “Seinfeld” or sports.
Truthfully, I feel like the only way to entirely deprive yourself of all media for a full day is to work for the entire day, which is something I have no interest in doing. When I get back from class, the last thing in the world I feel like doing is opening up a textbook and reading–essentially continuing what I had been doing all day—But, the way the world works today, we are often told that it is wrong to do nothing. Personally, I think that’s wrong, and in fact, I like doing nothing. If you are the type who likes to be busy 24/7, then maybe a media fast is not so difficult, but for someone who is lazy and likes to relax like myself, a media fast for a full day is all but impossible. (Authors note- just to prove a point to myself, I did refrain from using facebook the entire day.)
Oct 01, 2010 @ 20:56:36
A good example of different functions of the media, even if they are for ‘diversion’. Some bloggers here noted how they really felt deprived because of the lack of interaction, you seem to have missed the entertainment, diversion from boredom more.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 04:56:38
When I found out about this assignment I was actually worried about how I would adapt to this “digital” free lifestyle because I have never been in this situation before. From the time I was born there was always some kind of technology that I was surrounded by, whether it was the television or even a computer. Since I had these concerns I asked my parents what they thought about the “media diet.” They were actually really excited about me doing this experiment. Both of my parents are from Guyana which is in South America so they weren’t dependent on any type of technology growing up. I can’t even image how their lives were before they came to America. They lived without phones, computers, televisions, and much more. They spent their days either with family and friends or outdoors.
I originally chose Sunday to be the day that I do my media diet, however that is the day that I spend at home. Instead I went for a challenge and chose Tuesday because it is the busiest day of the week for me. When the day began I had all good intentions. I made a list of what I couldn’t use and it included no computer, phone, IPod, blackberry, television, laptop, and iTouch. Wow…. I felt overwhelmed because these things practically keep my day going. My phone is my alarm, so when it didn’t go off I was running a little late. Then I wanted to check my e-mail but somehow managed to resist. Since I was running late I missed my first train, if it were any normal day I would look up the metro north schedule on my blackberry, but I couldn’t so I waited for the next one. Because I didn’t check the weather either it rained and I didn’t even have an umbrella. When I got to Fordham I realized I had to use the computer for my job at the library, so that was an exception. It was strange sitting at my desk without going on the Internet or texting on my phone. Instead I saved about two hours of my time and got all my readings out of the way for the whole week. As the day went on I felt anxious, wondering if people were trying to contact me and if they did I was hoping they weren’t upset with me because I didn’t immediately respond. Finally when I got home I ate dinner and I was very tempted to watch some T.V. but I didn’t. I spent the extra time catching up face to face with my friends, whom I would usually contact through my cell phone. Later on I became really bored so I went to bed at 9:30.
I thought this diet would be relaxing but it ended up being really stressful especially since I chose it to be on a Tuesday. There were some good and negative qualities about this experiment. I feel terrible to know how much of a hold technology has on my life. It ultimately comes down to a point where it defines who I am as a person because I am incomplete without these things. Overall I think not just myself, but the whole world is obsessed with this digital time we live in. It is an addiction that our universe runs on. If something were to happen and the world had to spend a day without technology there would be complete chaos.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:15:00
Koreena: I’m impressed — you had to work and you managed to stay of the Internet! Your story points out the social expectations of being connected: Your anxiety was clearly related to the the fact that you know what others would expect (and not only to the possibility to be missing out on something…)
Oct 01, 2010 @ 05:13:21
Hey Amelia,
My media diet felt more like a media detox. I had never really taken into account how much technology I use in a single day. I picked a day where I only had one class to go on my diet for my communications class. The night prior I checked that I was up to date with all of my school contacts and bid adieu to all media. My mother woke me up since I was unable to use my mobile device as an alarm clock. I felt naked when I did not having my cell phone. I text message so often during the day that it feels like a second nature. The absence of my phone made me feel like a completely different person. My pockets seemed empty and I kept getting the strange feeling I was missing out on something. I found it very interesting that I felt like this since a few years ago I did not own a cellular phone. Have I become that dependent on this tiny machine over the years?
I soon began to go through withdrawals since I could not get my media fix. To take my mind off of things, a friend and I hit the gym. I had been meaning to work out for quite some time but school kept getting in the way. The two of us lifted weights, ran the treadmill and used the exercise bike. The workout was hard but also rewarding. I worked muscles that I hadn’t used in a long time. Perhaps constantly feeding on media got in the way of me enjoying something as simple as working out? Afterward, some more friends and I ate at the Fordham café. It was nice to actually connect with people instead communicating with a computer screens. One of the allures of social websites like Facebook is that it allows you to communicate with all of your friends without leaving the comforts of home. This time, my friends and I were actually bonding in person. These websites are fun but are nowhere near as intimate and worthwhile as actually interacting with your peers.
Sadly, I was only able to half of the day. When I arrived home, I had several emails from professors about assignments I needed to hand in and readings I had to do. It seems that I will never truly escape the grasps of media in this age. I can however, limit my use and exchange ideas with people face to face more. I also really missed texting.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:16:38
Good points. But you made me curious. Why did you miss texting, especially?
Oct 01, 2010 @ 05:15:50
I am not a slave to technology, I simply happen to utilize the media available to me often; I do not like to take things for granted. My roommate and I are in the middle of a long list of movies we plan to watch as quickly as our Netflix and Fordham University’s wonderful mail room will allow. I also spend several hours a night logged into Facebook while mindlessly using StumbleUpon while IMing and video chatting with my girlfriend back home. While these things are certainly my main pass-times, Surely I can go without them, right?
Today I attempted a media diet for as long as possible. I did the best that I could with what I had to do. I failed to realize that I had my computer science lab today, which of course requires the use of my computer. Besides this minor brain-fart of a mishap, I was able to do pretty well today. I learned quite a bit about how life was before technology ran our lives. In all honesty, I didn’t have too much of a problem without my cell phone or computer, and that it was mainly the foresighted dread of doing this that made me put it off until today. It wasn’t that I thought I would have a meltdown without my media, I just didn’t want to go without it!
I strangely noticed that I felt a little anxious not being able to check up on how my friends are doing on Facebook. However, while I wanted to check my e-mails, I realized, somewhere between the latest AOL news articles about flight attendant horror stories and information about Paris Hilton’s new reality show, that I don’t need my technology to get me through a day. I understand now how people can occupy themselves without their video games and iPods. The main reason I spend so much of my time commenting on videos of a kitten riding on the back of a turtle on YouTube instead of actually doing something active is because of habit. I am so used to texting my friends about lunch or sending a Facebook message instead of going up the few flights of stairs to see my friends. I was expecting for the day to go much slower when, in reality, it felt like it went by just as fast. I passed the time mostly by playing cards and Apple to Apples with my roommate and a couple of friends. An interesting thing I noticed, also, was that it was quite a bit less stressful. Looking back now I see that even though I was originally anxious about giving up my media, the zombie apocalypse indeed did not start today while I was busy not playing on my Game Boy.
Today I discovered that media is not necessary to get through the day. It makes it easier, yes, but it also makes it a lot more stressful. Without my media today I realized that it is far less stressful to go see if my friend is free to go get dinner than to send him a text message and wait up to an hour for a response. I guess this experiment is easier through my eyes; the eyes of a media enthusiast as opposed to a media addict.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:19:10
I’m sure you’re right — there are degrees in the scale of media use pragmatists, enthusiasts and addicts. Your mild symptoms 😉 surely say something of your position in that scale.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 05:18:55
The media diet is a great reflection of how dependent American culture has become on technological supplements (supplements, not to be confused with necessity). The world did in fact exist before the invention of iPods and cell phones and computers, and people survived. Obviously new technologically developments have greatly enhanced modern life and made social connecting extremely convenient. However, as discussed in the previous blog on digital time, and as an English major has to point out, the rhetoric, or aesthetic pleasing is lost in translation. The reliance on all forms of communication besides the one that actually counts (face-to-face interaction) has evolved so greatly that we are writing dozens and dozens of insightful comments examining life without them. What it ultimately comes down to, sadly, is the growing self-absorption that individuals in America are experiencing.
I will not bore you with the details of my media diet to prove my point, but can give you the major highlights. Since I was unable to text my friend to meet up for lunch, I went to Dagger John’s alone. Luckily I met up with an acquaintance and discussed the experiment with him. We agreed upon the crux of the dilemma that this kind of project presents: I had absolutely no idea what to do with my “time.” Texting my friends about trivial, humorous moments in my day is one of my favorite hobbies, and certainly going on sporcle, imdb, youtube, and facebook make up a bigger portion of my day than I am proud of. On a rainy day this experiment was even harder. But the point wasn’t what I did while not engaged in these technological items, but rather the implications of why I immerse myself in them in the first place.
One of the best speeches in recent television comes from NBC’s comedy “Community,” an extremely underrated and deceivingly smart show. In the pilot, the protagonist, played by Joel McHale, attempts to convince the 6 other strangers in the study group to get along: “We’re the only species on Earth that observes shark week. Not even sharks observe shark week. For the same reason I can pick up this pencil, tell you its name is Steve, and go like this (he breaks it) and a little part of you dies inside. Because people can connect with anything.” This is exactly what has happened to America. If facebook decided to introduce an application revolved around “liking” pet rocks with funny faces, I guarantee half the class would guiltily enjoy it. Because for some inexplicable, unexplainable reason, it makes us feel good about ourselves. We love seeing how many comments people post on our walls, how many texts we get in an hour, and so on. It’s not necessarily a fault, more like a trend. These technological advances are geared towards fueling our own self-worth. As McHale acknowledges later in his speech, “You are all better than you think you are, you are just designed not to believe it when you hear it from yourselves.” Thus, we must feed it to ourselves subconsciously. The girl with the 106 profile pictures may not say that she thinks she’s hot, but when your head takes up 3/4 of the screen it becomes quite obvious to others.
The point is, media diets are a great way to rope it all in and contemplate one’s self worth without self-absorption. The two weeks I spent down in Virginia on service immersion trips without the luxuries of technology were the most insightful I ever had because I realized the world was bigger than myself and my friends: there is a much bigger universe out there that we are only a miniscule part of. Who we are doesn’t matter, it’s what we do and how we act that truly creates our self-worth. If I am a decent human being that contributes as much I can to the world around me, that’s a much better bragging right than going without technology for a day.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:43:30
Dave: a great post in many ways but I especially enjoyed your idea of the shrinking universe of digital living, not really expressed elsewhere in this blog. Sure we are connected, and might even skype for free with friends in India and Peru, but so much revolves around our self-image, OUR connectedness — rather than observing the world around us.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 05:37:35
Minna
I was immediately excited when you assigned this prompt. For quite some time now I’ve wanted to go on a media diet for a day but I did not have the courage or conviction to actually do it. For me this was the perfect opportunity to follow through because it was required.I also know from the start that I wanted to try a whole day. This is, to me, was a case of “go big or go home.” Without further ado I’ll delve into my experience.
At the beginning of the day (Wednesday), I briefly looked at my phone to check any messages and emails before shutting it off for good and putting it in the drawer of my desk, away from sight. Coincidentally my laptop also crashed the day before so that was not a problem (I am now writing this using my friends laptop).
During my classes I usually send a couple of texts and check my email at least twice, this was quite a change because I had nothing to turn to when I lost my attention. It felt odd and I kept reaching into my pocket in vain attempts to retrieve a phone that was not there. I became fidgety and resorted to twirling my pen. I realize I used my phone to constantly stimulate my brain. Once the excitement of a lecture wears out I would turn to my phone in an effort to keep my mind racing before coming back to the lecture with a renewed interest. Without this satisfying “pacifier” of sorts, I felt lost and disconnected. I imagined myself receiving multiple important, time-sensitive emails during class.
Another phenomenon that I’ll look at in conjunction with the checking of emails is that of me checking Facebook as soon as my diet was over. I usually check Facebook on my phone every hour in hopes of a comment, message or friend request. As this desire was blocked all day, I immediately checked Facebook when the diet had ceased. Much to my disappointment I had nothing to excite me.
Looking the Facebook and email situation, I came up with a somewhat disturbing conclusion. This conclusion said that as individuals we use our personal modes of media to build our image of self (and self-importance). Much like a self-fulfilling prophecy, we are now somewhat dependent on Facebook, emails, and text messages to help build an image of ourselves that is characterized by popularity. Instead of understanding our relationships with people in terms of actual face time and actually looking at the relationships (qualitative), we chose to look at the number of comments, messages, and emails (quantitative). Although this was a disturbing conclusion, I take some comfort in believing that I am not as entrenched in this mindset as some other people are.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 20:40:41
Good analysis and reflections. I especially enjoyed the way you thought (theorized) about qualitative and quantitative experiences of relationships. Excellent thinking.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 05:42:52
Minna
I forgot to ask, can I challenge you to go through a media fast of your own? 🙂 Perhaps leave a comment as well?
Quetzalli
Oct 01, 2010 @ 09:00:09
Fair enough. Tomorrow Sat it is. Stay tuned.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 07:17:59
It’s funny. I had no problem doing the media diet, as a matter of fact i did it for 27 hours! As someone else had mentioned as well, the only form of technology i allowed myself to access to was my cell phone for an alarm clock, as i am a much too heavy sleeper to go without it. However, i called my mom to tell her that i was going to go without my cellphone or computer so she wouldn’t worry when it came time for me to check in in the evening on the phone with her. I left my phone and ipod off and away in my desk drawer for the entire duration of the diet, and my computer charger was lost over four days ago so i wasn’t even tempted to access m laptop as it was utterly and completely dead. To my surprise that was one of the single most productive periods i have ever had in my life. Since i wasn’t bothering to use my television as white noise to drown out the air conditioner humming, i took a backpack full of my journal, my guitar, and a couple of paintbrushes and a canvas and went over to the park after class. I sat outside just writing down everything that came into my head, and i just sat there and people watched for at least two hours with my friends. I even managed to write a couple of songs with one of my friends. I managed to get two full papers finished, as well as caught up on re-reading all seven of the harry potter novels before the next movie comes out. I feel as though i am very relaxed on any given normal day, however since technology is so readily accessible, our generation has conditioned ourselves to just do the most convenient thing which is usually just texting someone instead of talking in person, or spending hours on face book ‘creeping’ on everyone else’s lives, which consist of generally the same relative habits ironically enough. Allowing yourself to be distanced from the dependency of technology and having your eyes glued to your hand held devices and PDA’s, allows for a more relaxing day with (in relation to our previous blog topic) also plays more into real time vs. the speediness of digital time and speeding through the day. I cant say i could live my life without technology because that would be an absolute lie. I do enjoy being able to have my technology when i need it, as it is efficient and extremely useful; however, time off from it every once in a while is something i could absolutely get on board for.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:47:33
Dear Matthew: Interesting: you represent a very clear minority here. You might be even labelled a media use pragmatists (as opposed to enthusiasts or addicts, see my comment to Brian): you enjoy the good stuff tech can offer but don’t suffer without it.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 11:27:32
Today’s world consists of two things: people and technology. When people are not using their technology, which would be a rare occurrence, they are talking of and gaining new technology. When reading the newspaper one will often find headlines regarding new types of technology that have or are about to come out; when watching television the majority of commercials are either cell phone, iPod, or computer commercials; and if the local mall does not have a Best Buy or an Apple store, well, it simply is not up to date. The problem is that the modern world is consumed with technology so much that people eat, breath, and sleep it, literally. The cell phone has become the daily crutch, the object used when bored or alone, the directions when lost, the notepad when without paper; and the lap top not only is the only way to productively do homework but has become the God of all communication, such as e-mail, Facebook, AIM, Twitter, etc. What happens when technology is extracted from the everyday life in the present world?
I decided to go an afternoon without using technology. I wanted to try going a whole day without using my cell phone or lap top but, and isn’t this funny, since I belong to several clubs at Fordham and their main source of communication is e-mail, I simply could not go a whole day without consequences. I kept my laptop in my dorm room and my phone in my backpack but never looked at it. Immediately I felt the effects of life without my cell phone. What was the time? Did someone need to contact me? Did I have a Facebook or e-mail alert? Am I missing something? I felt lonely! Where did my friends across the states go?! Everything was gone. I felt so lost in a sense. Actually, it’s as if I was in some sort of slow panic. I walked to class, but now I frantically looked about with the haunting image of my cell phone lighting up grained in the back of my mind. I have the self control to go without it, slowly this felt nice, I was more at peace, but then realizing I had no source of instant communication, I worried every now and again.
What I liked most about not having my phone accessible is that my personal stress level minimized (form usually dealing with my friends issues,) and I did not have to worry about it going off in class and could therefore focus a little more. What I did not like is that, well, I had no means of communication! My family members text me everyday updating me on family matters and such and now I had no means to that connection. Also, often my roommates text me to meet up for lunch or let me know about something in regards to our room, I did not have that either!
The world we live in today is dependent on technology in order to function. Honestly, nothing would be accomplished if we did not have technology. Schools, businesses, functions, and family events-nothing would run smoothly without our e-mails, Facebook events, and cell phones. I suppose it could be argued either way that technology harms or hurts the world, but realistically technology is needed for communication in order for the world to properly and successfully function.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:49:58
Christina: Yours is yet another poignant example of the push towards excessive media use. Apart from schoolwork, if you’re social (clubs etc.) you just have to be social via digital media as well.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 12:21:09
The recent weather, that is rainy, cold, windy and depressing, accurately reflects my emotions during my day without media. The very first thing I did the morning of my media diet was check the weather because I forgot about the task at hand. Cleverly, I decided that my diet would be media-free unless I needed the media out of necessity, and checking the weather so that I could choose an appropriate outfit for the day was a necessity. Very reluctantly, I put my phone on airplane mode so that I couldn’t send or receive texts or phone calls. I felt an ache in my soul knowing that I wouldn’t be able to use my phone as an escape during the day. Since I couldn’t text in class, I had two options: either pay attention or find something else to distract myself. Doodling in my notebook sufficed as a distraction. After class, I needed to meet up with a girl that I hadn’t met before, but we hadn’t decided on a location yet a.k.a. I needed to turn on my phone. The amount of relief I felt taking my phone off of airplane mode could not have been healthy. As I turned my phone off of airplane mode, I noticed that I had received several text messages, forcing me to add another provision to my diet. I decided that if somehow I accidentally read my text messages it was okay, I just wouldn’t be able to respond to them. However, accidentally reading my text messages and not responding turned out to be more difficult and unfulfilling than I thought it would be. I texted the girl, set up a meeting location, and lingered for a moment before turning my phone back on airplane mode. Throughout the rest of the day, I only used my phone once more out of necessity. However, by 9pm, I had accidentally wound up on Facebook and I was texting people back as I would on any other day.
Without media communication, I felt absent from the real world; even in face to face conversation with people, I didn’t feel present. When I walked around campus by myself, I felt empty, sad, and lonely knowing that I couldn’t respond to text messages or call my friends. At one point in the day, I got really excited to send a picture message to my friend but as I tried to send the message, I was immediately faced with a message telling me that the message could not send because I was in airplane mode. I was truly sad to realize that I couldn’t share the funny picture message with my friend; I felt stifled from expressing myself. I felt extremely disconnected from people far away that I really wanted to connect with. However, my most prevailing emotion during the day, besides sadness and loneliness, was boredom. I was bored in class, I was bored having conversations with people, and I was bored by myself in my room. I don’t even watch TV that often, but I found myself longing for television more than I ever had before. Without media communication, I felt like I had nothing to do except for eat and sleep, since extreme boredom and excessive free time are never enough of a motivation to start my homework.
I learned from my media diet that I am a media addict; I depend on the media to provide me with fulfillment that I should be getting from actual conversation. Text messaging especially has caused me to “check out” of the context that is tangibly around me and remain in a world where a smiley face emoticon means so much more than it should. This diet has opened my eyes and has motivated me to change my life for the better and less dependent. I know now that I need to appreciate what’s actually around me more and I need to stop using my cell phone and Facebook as an excuse or a distraction from real life. Slowly but surely, I will overcome this addiction, one text message at a time.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:55:25
Cat: This sentence really intrigues me: “Without media communication, I felt absent from the real world; even in face to face conversation with people, I didn’t feel present.” I’m wondering why that is. Is it because digital communication is so habitual, the dominant mode? Is it because you were so distracted by the lack of it — hence the inability to really connect f2f?
Oct 01, 2010 @ 14:02:51
After attempting a media diet, I have found that in todays day and age, it is highly illogical to live without technology. When I think about college I think about intercommunication through technology based forms. Professors and coaches send emails, research takes a fraction of the time it would take in the library, and most teachers have their material posted in an online medium. So while I attempted to go on a media diet, I only made it roughly until 1 o’clock. Most of that time was practice, so I don’t feel I made it very far. By one, I had to print out an article for class and a paper that I had written.
Based on my experiences, I feel that we(specifically college students) have no real choice but to be connected through technology. When the entire world is online, and you have responsibilities to take care of, it becomes incredibly irresponsible to turn yourself off to technology and media. When someone needs to contact you and you have shut your devices off, it can be frustrating for others to have trust in you. If I’m not going to answer my phone, I become unreliable as the only way to contact me is face to face.
Overall I feel it is a good experiment to attempt but only when you are not held accountable for anything while you do it. We have become dependent on technology and to remove that froma person is setting them back decades.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 00:57:22
You reiterate one key ‘finding’ of this experiment so well: you really have no other chance than to be connected. You might not want to but even if you did…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 14:41:11
I started my media diet Thursday morning, which was extraordinarily difficult to begin with as my phone is my alarm clock. The minute it woke me up I put it in my drawer hoping that would cease any temptation throughout the day. I was so terrified of being late to meet my friend for class because I usually text him when I’m on my way downstairs that I got to his room a full 10 minute earlier than I usually do. Before I left I realized I would have no clue what time it was all day if I did not have my phone with me so I decided to wear a watch. It did not start off very badly, I went to class, went to breakfast and came back to my dorm. In between classes I usually nap or try to do work. Since I couldn’t use my computer I wasn’t going to do work so I dozed off for a couple of minutes but I couldn’t have an alarm set so I didn’t really sleep either. The rest of the day went fairly smoothly. I did have to avoid going to my friends room because they were watching TV and I did not want to lose so soon. My media diet ended last night when I finally had to turn on my computer to start an essay.
My media diet was not as painful and I expected it to be. The only complications that arose came from not being able to get in contact with people. When I finally looked at my phone I had five missed calls and a ton of text messages. Many were just “what’s up?” Or “where are you?” but it is still frustrating when you miss being able to speak to someone. The media diet was sort of relaxing as well. I got rid of all the pressures that come along with technology. People tend to expect more in ways of communication from you if you have your phone. Without it, I was able to go about my day undistracted from a digital world and could focus on the world right in front of me. So long as you keep yourself occupied, you don’t even really miss being able to look at facebook updates or text messages.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:00:15
Interesting: your media diet experiences were a bit like mine (minus me not feeling that bad having not been able to answer a txt or a call immediately). The idea of a scale of intensity surely seems to work…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 15:19:53
I chose my media diet to be done on wednesday, the one day of the week I have no classes and have a five hour shift at work in the library. I figured if I had less distractions I would be able to get my homework done during my shift. The morning went well, I barely looked at my computer other than to check my email and blackboard to make sure I knew what my assignments were. I thought I got a lot done without having my laptop as a distraction. So by the time my shift started I thought I would be able to make it all the way through without using any of the computers available. After finishing most of my work in the first 3 hours, I became really bored and I caved because of my lack of self control on my addiction to the Internet.
Yes, addiction. My media diet told me I was addicted to the Internet, television, and video games. Even though I don’t play video games or watch tv very often only because I don’t have any in my room. The worst part about this addiction is it takes up time from my schoolwork. Most of the time when I do my work my mind drifts away and ends up looking online to maintain attention. Or I divert my attention to music while I do my work. When dieted I noticed I accomplished a lot more than I would have otherwise and I had time later in the evening to enjoy myself rather than stressing out over delayed assignments. Even after having this self-esteem boost thinking that I could overcome my addiction and get more work done in a day, I went back to my original habits the next day. What bothers me the most about my problem is how even though I know I should be doing work I still check for updates that don’t exist and search the web for something to do taking up valuable time.
Maybe I should try and make a media diet a weekly occurrence in order to spend more time doing productive work. Not to say that I’m online 24/7 or that I’m failing classes because of it, but I feel my overall work ethic is decreasing with more time I spend online. If I manage to keep this up maybe my productivity will follow me later in life and help me then. I’ve been meaning to take up a hobby that could take time away from online work that would not distract me enough from my schoolwork. This media diet along with the last blog topic has made me realize how valuable time is and I should stop wasting it on silly webpages.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:03:41
I think your idea of a weekly diet is a great and realistic one. I think I’ll try it, to boost my productivity. But it means some discipline, as any diet… Imagine how easy it would be to go and watch that one movie, play just one game — and there you are, a media filled day again. This is not a discouragement, more like a note to self.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 16:13:31
It was very hard for me to choose a day and time to go through a media diet. I am faced with media every day I go to school and even at work. I decided not to go through this diet on a school day because I’d be ignoring texts from friends that may want to meet up before class, so I had no choice but to conduct this diet on a day that I was at work. I called a few friends and updated my Facebook status to let my friends know that I would be on a media diet and to please not text, call, bbm, or even reply to the Facebook post in order to help me. I turned my Blackberry off and placed it inside my bag. I didn’t look at it throughout my whole day at work.
I have to admit I was not 100% disconnected. Because of the internship I am currently in, I had no choice but to interact with vendors and colleagues via email, but honestly that’s just my job and it didn’t help relieve the anxiety I felt a few hours after I had turned my phone off. The first hour or two was not hard because I was very busy at work but after sitting for two hours in my cubicle I felt the need to text someone or to check Facebook too see if anyone was as bored stuck at work as I was. However, I managed keep my cell-phone off throughout my work day. I felt very proud of myself…until….I got in the elevator on my way out and for some reason I had La Roux’s “Quicksand” stuck on my head, apparently for no reason. It then hit me that I hadn’t turned off my radio! I felt so angry knowing that I hadn’t exactly accomplished my mission, but at the same time made myself believe that it didn’t count since I was so busy I didn’t even pay attention to the radio. Still I felt guilt to know that my sub-conscience clearly paid attention to the music.
I left the office and got on the train–where I usually listen to my iTouch. That day instead, I read. I have to say it didn’t go too bad and I felt very productive, but I really missed my iTouch and my music. I went home and was determined not to turn on my phone until 9:00pm so that I could say I went a full day without media. However, that didn’t go to well. I share my room with my cousin, and so when she turned on the TV I gave in turned on my phone and realized it was only 7:30.
And so, I didn’t reach my goal but I did go quite long without my phone, which is essentially my main point of communication–not to mention that I hadn’t turned on my computer as well! I am not sure I’d willingly do this again.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:09:37
Nancy: You probably don’t need to do this again, ever — most likely, as you post illustrates, you can’t, given all the demands re: that we have to be online and connected otherwise, nonstop. I’m also thinking about the change in how we listen to music. Think about your parents or grandparents a while ago, sitting down to listen to a particular LB vs. us carrying the soundtracks of our lives with us 24/7…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 16:39:14
I took part in a 3 hour media diet. It doesn’t sound challenging, but in reality it was. I turned off my cell phone, logged off of Facebook and layed in my bed. As I starred at the ceiling I pondered wondering what I was going to do with myself for the next three hours. It was raining outside, so any outdoor activities wouldn’t suffice. I did some of my homework and then found myself really bored and anxious wondering what everyone else was doing. It was hard to not be in contact with anyone for 3 hours. I felt as though my world was crumbling around me. I felt disconnected to everyone and everything. My roommate came into the room asking me what was wrong and why my cell phone was turned off. I told her about the media diet I was on and she laughed in my face and said, “That sucks! I could never do that!”. Because our world is so technologically advanced and fast paced, we as teenagers, cannot just forget about the technologies that exist because we have grown up with them and our lifestyle is based on doing so much in such a little amount of time. After about an hour I ended up falling asleep. When I woke up I turned on my cell phone to a whole bunch of texts messages asking me if I was okay, asking me where I was, and so forth. I don’t think I will ever go on a media diet again.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:10:42
OK — and probably you never have to, again (see my comment to Nancy…)
Oct 01, 2010 @ 16:51:15
Please excuse me if this is a little different that most, as it is my first time blogging!
…A few days ago, I attempted my 24 hour media diet. I began with the attitude that I should go all out, and instead of three hours, I would do a whole day, to get the ‘full effect’. Did this happen? Heck no, not even close! Because I had chosen Wednesday, I figured, I had no class, no reason to stay online, be tempted to use the phone in between classes and entertain myself with media. I began my morning cooking myself breakfast and deciding I would catch up on reading. After about an hour or 2 I thought I had A.D.D. Surely I could sit and do something for an hour without spazzing and looking around, consciously making an effort to stay away from my phone, music, laptop, or even more specifically, facebook, when really, it was driving me crazy. As i tried to reason with myself, (clearly not getting much work done) I thought, what in the hell could be so important online at this early hour of the morning. Nothing is different since I checked late last night. This led me to a realization.
Remember that time, “back in the day” when no one would be online at 4am..7am…or 9am…do those days exist anymore? I can easily remember times i went on facebook, commenting and thinking, wow, its 7:30am, people are gonna think im nuts, and then, getting responses 10 minutes later. Is there a ridiculous time to be online? We don’t go to school in the middle of the night, we don’t hang out and eat lunch or dinner, yet the computer and the t.v. are sound choices to replace sleep.
Well, getting back to my diet diary, after about another 2 hours of working on music at my piano, I tried to think of any work I could do. I attempted to do work for my film class, but my homework consisted of watching three movies a week, so that was out. Then, figuring I would simply start my blog assignment, but knowing I would actually just go on facebook, I resisted temptation. The only thing I could think of was to clean my room, which I did for another two hours, and eat again, ironically leaving one bad habit for another, considering I wasn’t even hungry!
After 8, almost 9 hours of a media free day, I collapsed. How could I actually not get through one day? Was it my fault? Was it just normal?
Overall, one thing that really stood out to me, which seems a bit off topic, but I mentioned, and have discussed in my psychology classes, was the comment regarding A.D.D. and my inability to concentrate. Seems weird saying it like that, but when I thought about kids and people today, it actually got me thinking. How do people get work done, when they are multi-tasking with 20 other types of media? How many of us college students can really sit through 4 or 5 textbook chapters, without distraction, and really absorb what we are reading? How are we really getting all of our work done, when half of us couldn’t even fathom the idea of being without our phones and computers, even for a few hours!? Yes, it’s true, work nowadays is most available through these media. However, many people blogged that they couldn’t sit through most classes without their laptops and phones for distractions and comfort. So what about the high school students, and elementary school children that we always say are more obsessed with media than we are? They can’t bring laptops to class, and usually go from class to class for hours, without media, (aside from the ones that do, hopefully not getting caught and getting in trouble) until of course they get home and crash and burn. Are those students better or worse off? If we can’t sit through small time periods without it, who can? I honestly felt there was something wrong with my focusing abilities after this assignment, and I wonder, maybe I wasn’t the only one?
This assignment got me thinking, thanks!
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:14:38
Hi 1st time blogger, your post reads like you’ve done this all your life 🙂
A great observation, again about time and timing… “I can easily remember times i went on facebook, commenting and thinking, wow, its 7:30am, people are gonna think im nuts, and then, getting responses 10 minutes later. Is there a ridiculous time to be online?”
Also, a good point about ADD… I’m wondering… whether the # of ADD diagnoses have grown parallel to our advances in personal media tech? Probably a very hard correlation to prove… But your point is well taken.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:21:38
On Wednesday, September 29th, I woke up thinking “Today’s the day.” ON this particular Wednesday I was to begin my first diet ever. However, this was no ordinary diet of celery sticks and ice cubes; Wednesday morning marked the beginning of my one day media diet. I’m a huge fan of food so I went in to the day thinking it would be a breeze. Obviously, from my word usage, this was not the case. On Wednesday I have class at 1:30 so I awoke at 10 o’clock. Because I only had one class and no media to use I figured I would do the dishes and catch up on homework all day. The phone rings. “Too bad Mike. Media diet” immediately runs through my head. So far so good. The morning went fine smoothly, I’m not a huge email or Facebook checker so I had no urge to check or update while at the house. Class went fine and then I went to the caf. As we all know, there is no way to not run into a thousand people that you know at the caf. The face to face interactions went fine, but as I walked home after eating the texts started rolling in. Three people who I had just spoken to in person texted me about various things: two “what are you doing later’s,” and one homework question. This was a new challenge. I had nothing to do for the rest of the day. I could hide from the world and do homework all day or I could see some friends. I’m a college student, what do I want to do? See friends, duh. But how was I to contact them? I was already home in my apartment. I began working. About an hour later a text comes in. I couldn’t resist. I texted back with speed and ease and made plans to see one of my friends later that night. Whoops!
So, my first diet was a fail. Though I felt the sting of failure, I was uplifted by the knowledge I acquired about myself and my generation’s technology addiction. In normal daily, non-analytical life, receiving a text from somebody you just talked to five minutes prior does not seem that odd. But this speaks volumes about my generation. Face to face communication is either losing its effectiveness or we just have a bunch to say to each other. Either way, it is so simple to continue communication with somebody even after parting ways; we don’t even worry about saying goodbye anymore. It also became apparent to me that making plans is done completely different now. Instead of making plans with a friend when I saw them on campus, I texted them about it. It worked just as well, but instead of planning ahead, we had to do it spur of the moment. Technology is great, but I do think that it is semi-stunting the way we interact face to face. I mean, why say it when you can text it right?
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:17:38
Another great nuance to the overall picture: your point about the borderless f2f and mobile communication, i.e., that the 2 are almost inter-exchangeable. You talk to someone and you seamlessly continue by texting… So the latter is no ‘secondary mode’ of communication…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:49:07
Pre-Media Diet entry 9/27/10:
I discussed the nature of our next composition paper with my two roommates today. At first, both of their eyes lit up. One of them asked, “Can I do it with you!? I love when I go up to my cabin and am cut off from technology for awhile, it’s such a nice break.” My other roommate agreed, and for a moment, we all entertained the idea of being media free for an entire week. It was clearly to ambitious of a goal, as we’re sitting in our dorm lounge now, three computers in a row with cell phone set to the right of each ALL texting and on Facebook. There’s so much work to be done! And yet as I said in my last blog, it seems as though no matter how many pages must be read or papers must be written, there is ALWAYS somehow time to pointlessly communicate.
The thought of cutting myself off from all of this stuff is becoming increasingly intriguing. I long for an excuse to break away from this thing that I actually think might be brainwashing me. But will I make it? I guess we’ll see. I think I’m going to try doing it all day Wednesday, tomorrow will be my mental prep day. More later.
Day after Media Diet 9/30/10
My media diet took place on Wednesday, 9/29/10. My roommates chickened out on the idea of being media free for a week with me, and I didn’t think I’d have the will power to attempt such a feat on my own while both of them continued typing away on their phones and computers all week. BUT I did set out a goal for myself, at least 3 hours… and if I’m not having trouble, I’ll try to go all day. Though I had to bail out after 5 hours due to a text-fight with my boyfriend (ugh!), I’m proud of myself for making it for at least a few hours… thought maybe I should feel ashamed for taking pride in removing myself from my technological world for just a few short hours in a day. BABY STEPS! I want to try this again and really put my all into it, because I experienced a lot of interesting thoughts and emotions that I would love to explore further on a different date. Though my roommates didn’t participate with me, my conversations with them about what I was doing really inspired me to think. Each one of them had a very interesting point on the subject that I would like to share with you.
1). “What did we even do before we had Facebooks?” -Anna
My friend Anna and I sat in our room that afternoon and wondered aloud together how we filled up our free time before we had online profiles. Pathetic, huh? But it really sparked an interesting conversation. I remembered that I had NEVER in my life used something as frequently and obsessively as I use Facebook. Though in my early teen years I had a Myspace, AIM, and e-mail… none of those things even came close to the way that Facebook effects me today. I told Anna that I used to write, a lot. I was a really imaginative kid, and even through Highschool I’ve always spent a lot of time writing short stories and poetry. I used to draw, paint, take walks outside, go on bike rides. I became increasingly angry during our conversation as I realized that Facebook has consumed so much time that those other things I used to love have slowly dwindled away. So the day of my media diet, I wrote 3 poems and began a story. I drew a picture and I listened to old music that I loved back when I was a child. I sat down with my roommates and exchanged funny memories from when we were younger. Then I remembered. I remembered what things were like before cell phones and computers took over my free time. I longed for it back. I’m so thankful for this media diet because it made me realize that Facebook is just like a reality t.v show in which we are both the writers and the stars. It’s self promotion, self projection… living out loud, if you will. We all love it so much because it provides us with an instant gratification that has never been matched before its creation. We get to “creep” on people we barely know and get a taste of what their lives are really like (or what they want us to think they’re like, anyways.) The line between reality and virtual reality is blurring so much that people make snap judgments of others based on trivial things such as how they look in their photos, what their status updates say, how many friends they have, and so on. It’s terrible! My thoughts spun into disastrous territories as I imagined my generation as middle aged adults, extremely overweight, munching on a bag of chips, posted in front of a computer…. staring at profile pictures of our old “hot” selves back in our 20’s that we’ve never changed, making false connections, finding love that isn’t real, living virtual lives! Just like the SIMS! It’s SCARY!
2.) “Sorry you guys, this is weird. I’m texting my friend and sitting on Facebook for no reason when I could be being social with all of you guys! I’ll get off.”- Kristina
Later that night, we had some friends over in the room to hang out. Kristina became distracted for about a half an hour with her phone and computer, so much so that conversations were being carried on without her, and when somebody would try to address her and invite her in, she wouldn’t even respond. Eventually, she caught herself and shut off her communication devices, but this situation reminded me that things like this happen all the time! Kristina’s story that night was not unique, I’m sure we all find ourselves in situations where we are out to dinner, taking a walk, or sitting down and relaxing with someone we care about but are unintentionally extremely un-attentive and checked out as a result of the media devices that have become such normal (and seemingly necessary) parts of our lives. I was the only one of the 6 girls in the room without my phone out that night, and it felt fantastic. I was surprisingly not anxious at all (until I got the phone call from the angry boyfriend that I mentioned earlier). I was cool, calm and collected… engaging in conversation, and feeling extremely happy and relieved being unplugged from this unreality we create. The few 5 hours I spent disconnected from the phone and the web really kind of changed me. I’ve been wondering all day, “do I really want to be a part of this anymore?” I’m afraid of how this technology might brainwash all of us as we grow older. I fear for the worst. Will our children still want to be athletes, artists, and academics? Will they play outside? Finger paint? Or our we going to let our children have cell phones and iPods on their 7th birthdays? Are they going to spend hours on addictinggames.com instead of actually going outside and kicking a ball around with friends? Are they going to become so consumed with creating their online alter-egos through Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Tumblr etc. that they forget who they are and completely lose sight of their identities? Is all of this… already happening to all of us?
I know this is extremely long, but it inspired a lot of thought. Thanks for reading.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 18:14:44
I enjoyed every word. Funny and poignant. FB: Sims for masses. More later.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:22:11
So just to thank you again, well put, Devon. Such illustrative scenes of the social aspects of digital living — for example this phenomenon of getting lost in mediated communication while in a f2f social situation is quite telling…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 17:58:45
I personally, did not think I would have an issue with the media diet. A few years ago, my father and I moved, and for the first couple of months, while we were getting settled in, we had no internet, a small television with no cable, and the place where we live is so remote that we don’t pick up cell phone signal. So I became accustomed to having no connection to the outside world except for when people called the land line (which was almost never) and when I left my house and went to friend’s or at least a place with cell phone signal. Yet it was interesting on Wednesday, when I attempted my media diet, to learn how much my tendencies have changed.
Since I didn’t have class on Wednesday, I didn’t need to use my cell phone as an alarm clock, as I usually do. And since Tuesday nights, the only TV show I watch is Glee, and I had watched it the night before, I didn’t need to watch it online the next day. So I was off to a good start. Then, I came across a small hitch in my plan. The night before, there had been a lot of drama within my group of friends that I very, very unwittingly found myself in the middle of. So Wednesday morning, while all my friends were contacting each other to apologize or explain or argue more or what not, I realized that it would be incredibly hard to continue with my media diet, therefore ignoring my friends, and making it seem like I was mad at them. However, I decided I would just tell them what was going on if I saw them, and continue on with the media diet.
This, I believe, is an interesting response to that, for multiple reasons. First of all, it seems odd to me that people have become so accustomed to using media communication that it has become completely acceptable to conduct these type of conversations through text message or voicemail. I believe voicemail is slightly more acceptable, because at least you’re speaking, but it is still distant and unpersonal. In addition, there’s the realization that I came to that unless I text or call my friends or happen to run into them, I probably won’t hang out with them, because we don’t really have a way to work it out. Rather than saying okay, we’re going to have lunch together at this time on these days, or we’ll meet in this person’s room after these classes, we just leave our entire relationship’s to media communication and chance.
As the day went on, and I realized that maybe a better day to do the media diet would have been a day when I actually had classes, I realized that my original thesis that “Oh, this will be no problem,” was completely invalid, and I’ve lost all touch with the “non-media centric” part of myself. I then decided to try a different approach. I decided not to participate in any type of communication, not just media communication. I just walked around campus for a long time, just thinking. Not listening to music, not reading, not talking, not anything except for thinking. It truly was, in a word, fantastic. I feel as though I got so many things sorted out in my mind, things that had been lost in the clutter that is my brain. I realized that in our college world of constant movement and classes and athletics and extracurriculars and jobs and our social lives, we all need to take a few hours, disconnect, and just think. As a result, I’ve decided to give myself three hours a week to not be around anyone or anything, and just think to myself.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:37:16
2 especially wonderful subtopics in your post!
(1): “it has become completely acceptable to conduct these type of conversations through text message or voicemail” — I’ve wondered about that a lot, being guilty myself as well. Does that somehow reduce the severity of the situation, or responsibility?
(2) Total communication diet! I’ll certainly try that. Will report back.
Oct 01, 2010 @ 18:30:42
Thinking about this assignment made my skin crawl. I had absolutely zero clue how to plan my life without using any communication media. In the past I have experienced media diets under different circumstances and the effects were generally unpleasant. The different effects noticed under the various circumstances give an interesting perspective on dependence with communication devices.
Over the years I have lost many cell phones. Although only having lost one form of communication doesn’t constitute as a total media diet, since it’s my main medium of communication I suffered greatly. The first issue I experienced was that my friends and family became angry with me for not having a phone they could contact me on. The second issue I experience was a feeling of being lost. I could not call someone, check the internet, use my GPS, or email a teacher. Everything I did during this time period had to be planned in advance.
The second type of media diet I’ve experienced was going backpacking. During this time I was without all forms of communication however it wasn’t an issue for me. I think having the expectations of my peers eliminated, and having planned on being without the device alleviated the negative effects. I was able to affirm my prediction during this experiment. During my Media diet I informed all of my friends that I would not be available via cell phone or other devices. I also planned ahead and made sure I did what I needed to do before starting the diet. I found that by having planned ahead and preventing unexpected situations where I felt the need to utilize communication devices my anxiety was lessened. By accepting in my mind that those tools no longer existed I found other ways of going about my daily routines.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:31:02
Erik: I totally understand the planning — and it’s an interesting test to see whether, regardless, one feels anxious. But it would have been interesting to see what might have happened without all your preparations…
Oct 01, 2010 @ 21:02:14
Hi Minna,
I’m going to be honest and say that I didn’t have a full day media diet. But I tried! Thursday I began the day with my phone because it’s also my alarm clock, but I left it in the room when I went to class. I was fine until lunch when I realized I didn’t have my phone to see when my friends were getting food. Luckily I found my roommates in the dorm and a crisis was avoided.
I finally caved around 5 PM. I’d gone through my daily Thursday routine sans technology, which was kind of weird but at the same time okay, because I didn’t have homework to do that needed to be done on the internet. I also kept myself away from my room because I knew it would be difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand with all of my technology right in front of me, begging to be used. In addition, I took a nap which ate up some of the day. But I did need to type a paper. And I was dying to take my new laptop out of its box. It was the most horrible temptation. So I gave in.
It was difficult for me to give up my electronics for 24 hours because I had a couple of appointments I needed to keep that day. I think that my environment also definitely played a part in my need to be available and connected. School is a social environment, and a social environment calls for socializing, especially through electronics. In addition, the possibility that my appointments could be canceled, moved to a different time or place, etc. made me antsy and preoccupied. I’ve been without a phone many times; I run through them pretty fast. But in those situations I’ve welcomed not being available because it’s so freeing, and I don’t have a choice in the matter. However, because this time I brought my unavailability upon myself I felt way more lost than free. The option to be connected was always there, so throughout the day I kept wanting to take it. I’m not at all technologically savvy so I’ve always considered myself as pretty independent from my gadgets, but Thursday proved me wrong.
Oct 04, 2010 @ 01:33:18
Oh, your situation is very understandable — you’ve got a new laptop! Buts yes, as I commented earlier, if you’re social to start with it’s expected that you are supersocial online, via mobile devices, too. Your post is a good reconfirmation of that.
Oct 02, 2010 @ 00:34:08
Note to all: I’m on media diet as at now, Fri 830, for 24hrs. Will report back. You’ll get comments by Tue!
Oct 03, 2010 @ 11:19:49
Here’s a quick report of my diet. Nothing exciting. No anxieties, rather: Oh so relaxing! More of this! The only challenge was that I don’t wear/own a watch and rely on my phone. Consequently, I mismanaged time, was quite late for a meeting and normally would have texted an update, now couldn’t. Didn’t receive any surprises or important messages while my phone was off (most along the lines of a friend texting at the hairdresser’s about her new haircut). I did watch some TV because I went to hear the creator of the TV series the Wire speak; he showed some clips. We are DEFINITIVELY going to use that show as research material after the midterm. I was so inspired.
Sat was admittedly a very easy day — I had a lot of plans to keep me busy, nothing to arrange. I’ve also been online every waking hour for several weeks since I’m teaching a course online, with a 7-hour time difference to Europe (where the students reside). I needed this legitimate reason to stay off that blog site, a good break.
The biggest personal lesson you’ve taught me is about multitasking. FYI: scholars are in practice never off-duty: If we’re not planning teaching we’re writing a book, paper, presentation… You made me realize how much time I’ve recently wasted when ‘writing’ a book chapter. While at it (in theory) I’ve checked my blogs, Facebook, my email accounts at least every 15 minutes, i.e., got very little done in practice. No more of that. So many thanks.
And many, many thanks for your wonderful position papers and blog entries — you’ve given me good ideas and advice how to go about my current research project on digital participation. You’ll get credits in my book 🙂
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