Anabel Davis

Progress Report Essay

 

The last 6 weeks in English 130 have shifted my thinking and awareness about digital media.  The Ted Talks, YouTube videos, and articles were very interesting.  Most of these assignments helped me explore some of the myths I have about digital media and gave me a greater appreciation of the impact of remixing, new learners in the 21st century, the history and impact of YouTube, the potential of gaming to make the world a better place, and the untapped creativity and potential of the Internet.

 

I enjoyed reading Information Overload, the Early Years and the comparisons made to our modern struggle with a digitized world. According to this author, we are “forced to scan and skim to keep up, we are losing our abilities to pay sustained attention, reflect deeply, or remember what we’ve learned.”  The author predicts that the “the power of human ingenuity to take an inhuman-seeming problem and turn it to productive use” is right around the corner.  Most of the articles are filled with the potential of the digital media literacy and use words like extension of the mental self, communicate differently, ambient intimacy, urgent optimism, epic win, escape real life, visual literacy, excitement, empowerment, confidence, contribution, benefits to education, place based learning, technology is a tool, collaboration and new knowledge, new challenges, better access, more access, equality, and smart phones.

 

I have a love/hate relationship with all this technology.  I use it everyday to keep in contact with my boyfriend in Colorado but I would rather spend time with him.  I get sucked into reading or shopping or laughing at funny things on the computer but know I need to exercise or get ready for work.  I want the latest upgrade, device, music, and apps but it all becomes very expensive.  Sometimes I get tired of screen time because I use the computer for all 5 of my classes that sometimes I am sick of it all and need a mental break.  Balancing my dependence on digital media and freedom from it is challenging.

 

There is a dark side to the explosion of digital media and the new world of electronics.  For example, in South Korea where Samsung products are made, 100 percent of the teens have smartphones.  There is a growing concern about Internet addiction, digital dementia, and problems with learning.  In the US, smart phones, texting, and hours of use are growing rapidly among teens making it harder for parents to monitor the use.  My brother who is 13 uses the computer to post most of his school assignments and even has Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.  On most days, he has 5 or 6 websites open with items in his shopping cart.  My mother is often shouting “we don’t go to the mall everyday.”

 

Another problem with our increasing reliance on electronics is the impact of e-waste on the planet.  I think the benefits of digital media are talked about more often than the impact of electronic consumerism and the toxic waste generated by it.  Much of our electronic waste is illegally dumped on 3rd world countries like China, India, Ghana, and Nigeria even though there are laws in place to prevent it.  In high school I wrote a speech about this hidden problem.  I recently looked at Greenpeace and the Basal Action Network as well as an EPA for information about this issue.  In the US, the average cell phone life is 18 months.  It is estimated that people in the United States throw away more than 130 million mobile phones and 30 million computers every year.  Each device is made made up of hazardous flame retardants, PVC, bromine, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, tin, cadmium, and chromium. These are not things we want in our water or air.  It is easy to ignore the unseen pollution of computers and electronics with the slick mass marketing of these products.

 

There are so many research ideas for exploring digital culture. For my “key word” I wrote about Internet addiction and found articles about it on the Wall Street Journal, Wikipedia, Pew Research Study, and even European new sources.  While it is not officially a mental illness there is more awareness about it.  It would be interesting to know the male and female differences in hours of Internet use for porn, gambling, gaming, and shopping.  It would also be interesting to know how these practices impact their lives in terms of amount of money spent or lost, impacts on relationships, and feelings of depression.  Does owning a smartphone make you more likely to become addicted?

 

I would also like to know more about the impact of an individual’s electronics use on the environment.  I have owned 4-5 phones, 2 IPods, 1 tablet, a TV, and a computer and I am only 18.  It would be interesting if people would be motivated to purchase upgrades to their devices rather than new phones or computers if they understood how toxic electronics were.  I would also like to know what people know about e-waste, e-recycling, and ways to share their older products.

 

I am also interested in health.  Do new electronics in the household add to weight gain?  Does gaming take away from outside playtime among children and teens?  How many hours of TV, computers, and gaming per day impact health?  What apps designed for dieting and fitness really work?  Digital media is growing faster than our understanding of all the impacts.