Blurred lines in the patterns of media usage by Daphne

     Living in an era where more than half of the world’s population is highly dependent on the new media certainly blurred the boundaries between life, work, and play. Though the new media does not necessarily pose negative influences towards its users, it could bring about detrimental consequences if not controlled such as estranging relationships with our loved ones or stress due to work. Can we ever recall a time when we see a group of people seated at a table that are not engrossed with their own mobile devices (e.g. phones, tablets)? Instead of engaging in deep, fruitful conversations with the people around us, our eyes are all glued to the screens seemingly showed that we are more interested in the virtual reality than the reality itself. 

   Source: https://hornsofgreatlength.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/blog-pic.jpg?w=300

     As hurtful as it may sound, Tabachnick (2013) admitted that technology no longer serves its purpose for leisure but instead follows us everywhere like a puppy. Work has taken control over the household and parents have slowly stopped nurturing their children through physical activities and rather spoil them (especially their eyes) with mobile devices. Not only families but friends or couples also find themselves caught in their own bubble when the whole purpose of getting together is to actually interact face to face. I do admit that I am addicted to my phone but I learn to resist the urge to check it whenever I am in the company of my friends or family. But let’s face it, everyone will start checking their phones at some point and it’s contagious! So can we blame anyone for that? Frankly speaking, we are all to be blamed. 

Source:http://www.segelasinfo.com/2016/11/6-benda-wajib-bagi-anak-millennial.html

Take Facebook as an example. Since it started in 2004, Facebook has garnered over 1 billion users from all over the world and it is not showing any signs of slowing down any time soon (Oremus, 2014). Originally used for connecting people, it gradually turned into a lucrative company that also helps to promote businesses and products as well as generating news faster than televised ones and those in print. As a result, the term ‘social media’ comes to fore. Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) defined social media as; “A platform whereby content and applications are no longer created and published by individuals, but instead are continuously modified by all users in a participatory and collaborative fashion” (p. 61). This means that users can create, share, and exchange information without having to meet in person. However, the term has been around earlier than assumed as Kaplan and Haenlein discovered but was not widely known at the time.

With an abundance of information that can be obtained through our fingertips, there is no denying that everyone is hooked on this current form of media. Facebook is not the only one. Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, to name a few are basically controlling our daily life with all kinds of features that encourages us to share information. 

Source: http://the-hotel-lobby.tumblr.com/image/147601400096

 Despite that, it may resort to oversharing and could lead to an invasion of privacy. No matter how much we try to protect our privacy, it is beyond our control to erase it completely from the Internet once it is widely circulated. We find ourselves using these social networking sites to showcase our life and reveal rather private moments for the whole world to see. Unfortunately, it also turns into a space for sugarcoating our life in order to hide our personal demons and true emotions. Work-wise, technology is crucial in handling tasks cheaper and faster especially for software companies where they rely on developers from all over the world (Whittle, 2015). Work can now be taken home but the struggle to maintain a good work-life balance is inevitable and also overwhelming because having to prioritize one over the other.

Source: http://freshtips.club/2016/11/06/funny-secret-plan-posted-on-facebook-fb/

Source: http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi0xYjQzYTc5NTZkMmE0YjY2/

       I am fortunate to have been raised without technology constantly taking over my life though I was also exposed to the Internet as early as 10 years old. I enjoyed being active outdoors and having real quality time with my family. Yet nowadays, I see many families paying more attention to their phones than actually talking to each other. Personally, I find myself and the people around me picking up the habit lately but only when necessary. Therefore, it is hard to encourage “unplugging” among the family either on weekdays or weekends as we rely so much on the new media to function. However, it is possible to practice this as early as possible in order to keep a good balance between work, life, and pleasure. It is just a matter of initiative and control.  

Reference

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68.

Oremus, W. (2014, February 3). Facebook was born 10 years ago. Here’s what it   looked like. Future Tense. Retrieved from: http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/03/facebook_10th_anniversary_social_network_turns_10_looks_back_at_its_history.html

Tabachnick, D. E. (2013). Technology is blurring the line between work and play. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/technology-is-blurring-the-line-between-work-and-play/article8412565/

Whittle, J. (2015, October 2). How technology blurs the lines between work and home      life. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Retrieved     from: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/blog/how-technology-blurs-the-lines-between-work-and-home-life/