Final Post

Technology has been both a source of Enjoyment and Hatred. It also has shaped my life, but it has also made me questions about its well-being, and boundaries that must be established with it.

The Lure of Connectivity 

My first social media was Instagram. At the being, I was excited about connecting with friends and discovering the wider world. At first, it felt like a space where every photo, post, and interaction was to be enjoyed with a global community. But as my feeds grew busier, so did my thoughts. The phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) soon became a silent companion of mine. Social media began to fuel my FoMO more and more, creating a cycle of comparison and self-evaluation. I found myself scrolling endlessly, feeling left out of experiences I didn’t even know I wanted. The curated lives of others on Instagram painted a picture-perfect reality that felt unattainable. Social media also fed my anxiety and validation, tying self-worth to likes, shares, and comments.

The Cost of Convenience

While technology is convenient, it comes with hidden costs. While reading The Atlantic, Facebook Users Still Don’t Know, It showed how tech giants like Facebook monetize personal data. Reflecting on my usage of platforms like these, I’ve realized how willingly I’ve handed over my personal information in exchange for "free" services: email addresses, birthdays, and preferences to create a digital footprint that companies use to their advantage. The data breaches, like the exposure of Facebook users, have made me question my digital safety. How much control do I have over my online identity? Even more alarming, reports of companies asking users for email passwords highlight the invasive extent to which data is collected.

The Psychological Toll

Technology has brought with it not only security risks but also emotional and psychological impacts. Social media, in particular, plays role in connection while feeling isolation. The constant stream of updates, notifications, and endless feeds often left me feeling more disconnected than connected, wanting genuine interactions instead of fleeting digital exchanges. Research on the topic, like the article Social Media in the Adult Population: Potential Outcomes and Its Relationship with Self-Esteem and Well-Being, shows how social media use can impact mental health. Feelings of inadequacy, social anxiety, and a compulsive need to staying in the loop are challenges I’ve dealt with  firsthand.

A Journey Towards Mindfulness

As I became more aware of the challenges technology has in my life, I started seeking ways to use it more mindfully. Mindful consumption, as explored in the article Mindful Consumption and FoMO in Generation Z, inspired me to take control of my digital habits. Setting time limits on social media, turning off non-essential notifications, and scheduling screen-free periods became small but significant steps toward reclaiming my time and focus. Digital detoxes, however brief, have been transformative. They’ve allowed me to rediscover the joys of analog experiences playing card games, going for a walk, or just existing in the moment. They reminded me that while technology makes life better, it should not dominate it.

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on my relationship with technology, I see it as a continuous journey of learning and adaptation. I'm reminded that the challenges of the digital age are shared across generations. Technology will always be a part of our lives, but how we engage with it is a choice. Moving forward, I aspire to deepen my intentional use of technology focusing on quality,  presence, and privacy. Whether it’s connections, boundaries, or advocating for more ethical tech practices, my relationship with technology will remain a work in progress, with awareness and purpose. In the end, the question isn’t whether technology is good or bad it’s about how we choose to navigate it. For me, the answer lies in finding harmony between the digital and the human, using technology as a tool to enrich life without compromising the essence of living.

EOTO Presentation #2 Reaction

Listening to the presentation it got me thinking about how we consume information every day. The gatekeeping and agenda setting team had me with this analogy: imagine being one of only 300 people with exclusive access to the world’s greatest multiplayer game. Then, suddenly, it’s made available to everyone, and you no longer have control over who joins. limiting access to something special is similar to how gatekeeping works in media, but on a much larger scale. Gatekeeping, at its core, is about deciding what gets shown to the public and what doesn’t. Early research, like David Manning White’s classic study of a newspaper editor’s decision-making, showed how personal biases and organizational goals influence these choices. This process is necessary in the world of news because no outlet can cover everything. But it’s not just about choosing the most “newsworthy” stories it’s about curating content to align with specific
narratives. For instance, some media outlets might prioritize feel-good stories or sensational headlines while downplaying critical issues.

They also introduced the idea of agenda-setting, which builds on gatekeeping. While gatekeeping determines what’s available to read or watch, agenda-setting shapes what we think about and how we think about it. I hadn’t realized how much power media holds to influence our priorities until this was explained. For example, if news outlets continuously highlight a celebrity scandal but ignore rising poverty rates, it’s not just a reflection of what sells it’s a deliberate choice that shifts public focus. I found the distinction between the two levels of agenda-setting fascinating. On one level, it’s about bringing issues to our attention things we might otherwise ignore. But on the second level, it’s about how those issues are framed: Are they portrayed as urgent or a systemic problem? This impacts how we perceive and respond to events in the world.

They delved into how gatekeeping can sometimes be driven by political or commercial interests. For instance, media owned by corporations or closely tied to political figures might choose stories that benefit their stakeholders while ignoring or twisting stories that don’t align with their agendas. This isn’t just a theoretical concern it’s something that happens regularly and can lead to public mistrust or even the spread of misinformation. After hearing all this, I couldn’t help but think about how I interact with the news. I tend to stick with a few trusted sources, but the presentation made me realize how dangerous that can be. If those sources gatekeeping, I might not be getting the full picture. To counter this, there was an emphasis on importance of diversifying where we get our information. Reflecting on this, I’m now more aware of the role gatekeeping and agenda-setting play in shaping what I know and what I don’t. It’s a powerful reminder that the stories we see are just the tip of the iceberg, carefully chosen and framed by people with their own priorities. Being more critical about the media we consume is one step toward breaking out of these invisible filters.

Terms & Concepts of Mainstream Media

Mainstream media’s everywhere these days, and it is more than just a way to get the news. It is a powerful force that shapes how we think, see things, and act. When we talk about mainstream media, we mean the big guys like TV networks, radio, and newspapers. This is the main places people get their news from. This is stuff like CNN, BBC, or The New York Times. They reach tons of people, and a lot of folks trust what they say. They have a lot of power since they decide what stories are worth talking about and what stuff people should care about. And the way they tell those stories? That shapes how everyone thinks about what is going on. 

One big plus of mainstream media is that it keeps people in the loop. Whether it is something happening on the other side of the world or in your own town, mainstream media makes sure people know what is up. It is important to know about things like politics, health, and science, and the news makes it all easier to understand for most of us. The cool thing about mainstream media is that it can shine a light on prominent issues. Things like corruption, discrimination, or climate change are all problems that might not get fixed if nobody knew about them. By reporting on these things, the media can push people to make changes or act. It makes people care about stuff they would not even know was happening. 

Of course, there is some harmful stuff too. One big problem is bias. No matter how “neutral” a news outlet says it is, they all got lean. Whether it is political, or about what stories get more views, the news can be twisted without people even knowing it. Some news outlets are going to tell you stories that fit their way of seeing things, and they might ignore stories that do not. If you only listen to one source, you are just going to get one side of the story, and that is going to make it harder to see the big picture. Then there is the problem with sensationalism. A lot of these outlets want the biggest audience, and to get that, they make stuff sound as crazy as possible. The bigger the headline, the more people click, right? It means they focus on drama and shocking stuff instead of just telling the truth. This just makes people worried over things that are not that big of a deal or makes things seem worse than they really are. 

Mainstream media affects different folks in diverse ways. For example, older people usually like TV news or reading the paper. Younger people? Maybe not so much—they just get their information differently. Because of that, different age groups can see things differently, and it causes many misunderstandings. There is also a difference between rich and poor. If you got money, you might subscribe to all sorts of news, or you might be able to pay for quality sources that go deeper. But if you are on a budget, you are just going to stick to what is easy to get, even if it is not as good or thorough. So, this creates a gap. Rich folks end up knowing more about what is really going on, and poor folks might miss out or get half the story. And then there's how gender, race, or ethnicity come into play. In mainstream media, women, minorities, and certain groups often get ignored or painted in a bad light. It is not cool, but it happens. When certain stories are told in certain ways, it keeps stereotypes alive, and it can make people look at those groups in a negative way. When you do not see yourself on TV or when you are always shown in a bad way, it can make you feel like you do not belong or that there is something wrong with you. 

Think about the way the media talks about beauty or success. They are always showing rich, happy people, with fancy cars and big houses. That is what they say success looks like, and it is hard not to compare yourself to that. Especially when you are young, it is easy to feel like if you are not doing what they are showing, you are somehow failing. It messes with your head, for real. But we do not have to take it all in without thinking. You can decide to look at it with a critical eye. It is super important to question what you are seeing, look at a few various sources, and talk to other people about it. The more you think about it, the less likely you will be to just believe everything without a second thought. 

Mainstream media has a lot of power, no doubt. It can help us learn and keep us up to date, but it also misleads us and makes us think in certain ways. It is a clever idea to be careful about what you are watching or reading. Do not just take everything at face value, ask questions, look for other viewpoints, and remember that there is there is always more to the story. If we all think a little harder about what we are watching or reading, we can still use the media to stay informed without letting it tell us exactly what to think. At the end of the day, it is all about using your head and making up your own mind.