Blog Task 1

A) Do we depend on Media too much?

The answer that most people give to that particular question would be yes and it is not without a good reason.

Recent studies have shown that a person spends up to twelve hours a day (on average) dealing with various types of media. This sounds very alarming at first glance and the obvious solution that comes to mind is to get off our phones and go outside.

However, the truth is that it is not so simple; different forms of media have become so vital in our day to day basis that without them we are essentially left crippled and blind.

It is my personal belief that we as a society have divided into two separate planes of existence: one that is material and one that is digital. 

As more and more things that were in the material world shift to the digital world our dependence on various media to access it increases. You might think that we can just stop paying attention to the digital world and carry on in the material one.

Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it sounds as both of these existences are linked in a way that would make it nearly impossible for a normal person to live without depending on media.

For example, a lot of pop culture can only be accessed via media sources such as televisions and phones. If we were to stop paying attention to pop culture, we would not be able to properly connect with our peers as people often need common ground to socialise. Pop culture is known to be one of the major topics that people converse about.

Another reason as to why we depend so heavily on media is that a lot of essential news and information are relayed to us via media. We live in an age where political tensions are high and environmental strain is at a breaking point. We cannot turn our backs on this aspect of media as it would leave us uninformed and unprepared.

Businesses are also very much dependent on media these days as things like the stock market and overseas trading rely heavily on different media for them to function. This means that our very livelihoods are entwined with the media around us.

From this, it is apparent that our over-dependence on media is not something that can be easily rectified as media has become a sort of life support system for us. We consume media like the very air we breathe and the food we use for sustenance. It has become an irreplaceable necessity for our daily lives in the 21^st century.

Writer: Shaain
Editor: Hannah, Hezrina & Adlyna
Researcher: Syazwina, Kriss & Fatin

B) 5 Non-Media Ways to Communicate

What is the meaning of media?

Nowadays people rely a lot on mass media to gain information on the happenings around the world. Whether it is the news on an election that is happening in the US or a new album released by a famous singer, we turn to a certain type of media for this. The main channel for mass media are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even at times, Tumblr. These four channels are accessed through a device; either on a mobile or on the computer. This is known as electronic media.

So is it possible to be updated on these types of memos without using any form of media?

Here are 5 ways of doing so.

1) Going to Conferences

Conferences are usually formal and done in a professional way. It consists a speaker that discusses important topics such as global issues and solutions to them. Though it may sound boring, but it's actually an event worth attending. Now you might think, “Screw that, I’m not paying a single cent to a conference when I can watch it online for free”. Well, let me persuade you into going one.

An example of an educational conference would be the famous TED talks that are held around the world to spread incredible ideas such as cultural beliefs and attitudes, to the audience in a short amount of time and to spark up conversations within the seminars. Being physically there in the seminar is a whole different experience. We can interact with the audience around us and maybe add a few people to our contact list!

2)  Joining Clubs and Societies

By joining clubs and societies in university, we are able to make new friends easily. Various types of clubs and societies helps to make it easier for us to interact with people of the same interest therefore we are able to share stories among each other.

In clubs and societies, especially in universities, there tend to be field trips to places that are related to the club. Instead of finding out things through the media, these field trips could be beneficial to students as they could find out information by themselves without using media. The clubs and societies could arrange games or activities to be done in groups at the place that will be visited.

3)    Going to Conventions

Conventions are almost similar to conferences but it is less formal. The word convention itself refers to a gathering that is held to commemorate an event annually and it usually attracts a particular group of people. These group would normally discuss various matters related to the theme of the convention.

     Let’s take Comic-Con as an example. Comic-Con is when a group of comic, movie, and science fiction fans come together to exchange their field of interest between others  and at times dress up like one of the famous characters.

     For instance, say you are a big fan of the Marvels movie and would like to find other fans with similar minds, Comic-Con is there to help! Not only that, they also hold comic book panels where fans can ask comic creators, authors, film and television directors, and producers about the juiciest gossips on what to expect on the future of the storyline and what will happen to a particular character.

4)    Portraying Art

In this era, people are keen to express their feelings through arts such as drawings, paintings, sculptures and even a simple sketch! It is always easier to upload them up on Instagram as it’s just a tap away.

Though this may be a convenient way to share their masterpiece, it also has its cons. When drawings are posted on social media, the value and meaning of the drawing becomes lesser because it is only viewed visually and not physically. If these arts were exhibited in an art gallery, people would view them in a surreal way, and at the same time, they could interact among their peers to share their thoughts on them. This is also another way to build relationship among those community.

5)    Hanging Out with Your Friends

Nowadays, we tend to see people hanging out with their noses in gadgets. For the elderlies, using gadgets at the dining table is considered rude. Yes this is actually TRUE because we are suppose to communicate and focus on each other rather than being with our gadgets.

When meeting up with friends, the main goal is usually to get to know each other’s well-being and progression in life. By communicating face-to-face, it is the best way to communicate as we can see the person physically and do things we are not able to do on social media for example when calling on ‘facetime’, such as spending quality time with them. Plus by using social media it can easily been interrupted because of the poor connections. Furthermore, we should frequently meet up or hang out with friends because it definitely makes the bond of a relationship between friends become more stronger. Unlike through social media, misunderstandings could easily happen and it will easily weaken a friendship bond.

Writers: Hannah, Hezrina
Editor: Adlyna, Syazwina & Fatin
Researcher: Hannah, Hezrina & Adlyna