Consuming media for social currency
I charted my media intake for a day. Everything about my life is wrong.
The shrill sound of my phone alarm cuts through the whirring of cars passing outside my apartment window. Three snoozes later, I finally unlock my iPhone for the first time. It buzzes seemingly in approval as three Apple News notifications appear. I click on the first, which directs me to a CNN report on Trump offering Democrats a way to end the government shutdown.
From there, I open Twitter, wondering if anyone else has commented on the newest update to the Mueller investigation. Scrolling through the hashtags, I notice a few new mergers and acquisitions in the retail industry. Nothing like starting my day with industry consolidation.
My commute to work consists of two train rides, and this is where my $2.50 Spotify premium comes in handy; there are a few dead zones on the route, and I can’t imagine making the trek in silence. As I jam to The Fray, I realize that my subscription fee really doesn’t provide that much compensation, especially when divided among every artist in Spotify’s catalog.
Once at work, I scan the Deadline Hollywood headlines for the first time to gather some potential talking points from the sector. One catches my attention: “Google Fined $57M in France For Violating New EU Data Law.” My manager drops by my desk, and, after pleasantries, I motion to the article. He nods and gives his take on data privacy before asking about my project status. My attention immediately goes back to my phone as he reviews the completed one. This pattern of mindless Twitter scrolling continues throughout the day whenever I get the chance.
Once I’m back home, I have spent the equivalent of 50% of my waking life on my phone, according to Moment. Despite being surrounded by people and having a busy day, I still have split my life between the virtual and real ones.
I ended the night catching up on some Saturday Night Live Weekend Update videos, falling asleep to YouTube and sending links to friends on Facebook messenger. These free activities kept me entertained.
Getting the 50% statistic has alarmed me, and I tried the following day to remain more present. I did not charge my phone all the way and eventually left it at home when going out to dinner with some friends. However, the meal resulted in everyone on their phone and me attempting to get my friends also out of the bubble.
The social pressure is switching costs — that is, switching to more of an electronic-free life, challenges the social dynamic of modern collegiate hangouts. Many times, I find myself wanting to physically show my friends what I come across online to talk about it, but in my attempts to refrain from using my cell phone, not having my phone means waiting to share — an unfamiliar concept in this digital age. This lack of immediacy makes me want to keep my phone charged, available, and…active. Until they can publish the next breaking story, push notifications keep me and the rest of their audience hooked.
This fascination with media consumption stymies this college girl. Of course, having access to round-the-clock news can lead to a better-informed populace, but at what cost? They say you spend a third of your life asleep. If half of my waking hours are spent on my phone, there’s an argument to be made that our generation’s average lifespan isn’t 80 at all; it’s 40. And I, for one, want all the life I can get.
