The Media & The Masses: A Toxic Relationship

The Media & The Masses:A Toxic RelationshipPrepared by Gabrielle LazaridisFilm 240

Jan Vašek, Jeshoots

Relationshipnoun • re·∙la·∙tion·∙ship • \-‐shən-‐ˌship\

The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. 1

Sebastian Voortman, Pexels

The media has successfully been integrated into every aspect of our everyday lives. From being the first thing we look to in the morning to the last thing we check before going to sleep.

Karolina, Kaboompics

As of 2016: Worldwide users 4.6Boperate a personal

mobile phone 2

3.2Bhave immediate access to the internet 3

2.3Buse at least one form of social media 4

Nao Traponez, Pexels

Our dependence on the media is met by media industries’ need for audiences.

Jens Kreuter, Unsplash

Individuals need media for news, information, & entertainment

This relationship is depicted as Media Symbiosis:

Media industries need audiences they can sell products to, and/or deliver to advertisers Josh Sorensen, Pexels

What do we gain from this

relationshipas a society?

Viktor Hanacek, picjumbo

EXPANDED REACH

Social networks have removed all the

communication and interaction

barriers, allowing for individuals to

communicate their original thoughts

and opinions over a variety platforms

and topics. Thus developing digital

relationships with like-‐minded people.5

Adrianna Calvo, Pexels

EMPOWERMENT

Social networking sites allow for a large

number of like-‐minded individuals to

unite on a single platform for the

purpose of achieving a specific

objective. Thus, the media allows the

masses to rally behind a common

cause and reach an impact greater

than any single voice could accomplish.5

freestocks

What does this relationshiptake awayfrom us?

negativespace

Prolonged exposure has resulted in various

NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Volkan Olmez, Unsplash

These implications of media usage

include

ISOLATION

“Social networks are more like mutual

isolation networks that detach people

from meaningful interactions with one

another and make them less human.”6

Sherry Turkle, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Gilles Lambert, Unsplash

DEPRESSION

“Regarding teens who are on social

media for more than two hours a day, a

full one-‐quarter of students in the

study, report poor self-‐rated mental

health, psychological distress, suicidal

ideation or unmet need for mental

health support.”7

Ottawa Public Health, Frequent Use of Social Networking Sites Is Associated with Poor Psychological Functioning Among Children

negativespace

RESTRICTED SOCIAL

INTERACTION“Technology has evolved into the ‘hub

and hearth of family life’… our family’s

way of being a family felt like it was

slipping away as our home computer

began to dominate our children’s time

and attention.”8

Catherine Steiner-‐Adair, Psychologist at Harvard Medical School

Josh Felise, Unsplash

The detrimental effects of media usage have grown so severe,

it reflects that of a TOXIC RELATIONSHIP noun • tox·∙ic re·∙la·∙tion·∙ship • \ˈtäk-‐sik\ \-‐shən-‐ˌship\

A relationship characterized by behaviors on the part of the toxic partner that are emotionally and, not infrequently, physically

damaging to their partner.9

…Yet we refuse to give it up

picjumbo

In fact, the time spent online by the

average internet user has doubled

within the past decade.10

2005: 9h 54m 11

2013: 16h 54m 11

2014: 27h 36m 11

negativespace

As media usage rates continue to grow, one must become mindful of the negative

implications that can arise and threaten to turn the benefits of engaging in online

communications into an emotionally abusive relationship.

Brandon Morgan, Unsplash

Walking away from a toxic relationship

Kev Seto, Unsplash

Holding on to a toxic relationship prevents personal growth whereas letting go creates room for a healthier one, where growth and dialogue is encouraged on both sides. 12

Greg Raines, Unsplash

We don’t have to abandon the media completely, but rather moderate usage to ensure we utilize our online presence as a tool to createsolutions, as opposed to issues.

startupstockphotos

Citations1 Relationship | Definition of Relationship by Merriam-‐Webster. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.merriam-‐webster.com/dictionary/relationship

2 Number of mobile phone users worldwide 2013-‐2019 | Statista. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/274774/forecast-‐of-‐mobile-‐phone-‐users-‐worldwide/

3 Number of internet users 2005-‐2016 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/273018/number-‐of-‐internet-‐users-‐worldwide/

4 Social Media Statistics & Facts | Statista. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://www.statista.com/topics/1164/social-‐networks/

5 Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Society ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/positive-‐negative-‐effects-‐social-‐media-‐society-‐ali-‐kingston

6 Social networking leads to isolation, not more connections ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.naturalnews.com/031128_social_networking_mental_health.html

Citations continued…7 Film 240 -‐ flip book assignment -‐ slideshare.net. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/14bh27/film-‐240-‐flip-‐book-‐assignment

8 Portrait of an e-‐family: How they're ... -‐ The Globe and Mail. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/how-‐families-‐are-‐making-‐their-‐hyper-‐digital-‐lives-‐work/article13924931/

9 Toxic Relationships -‐ HealthScopeHealthScope. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.healthscopemag.com/health-‐scope/toxic-‐relationships/

10 Teenagers spend 27 hours a week online: How internet use ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-‐media/11597743/Teenagers-‐spend-‐27-‐hours-‐a-‐week-‐online-‐how-‐internet-‐use-‐has-‐ballooned-‐in-‐the-‐last-‐decade.html

11 Time spent online doubles in a decade. (2015, May 11). Retrieved September/October, 2016, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-‐ofcom/latest/media/media-‐releases/2015/time-‐spent-‐online-‐doubles-‐in-‐a-‐decade

12 7 Reasons Why You Need To Let Go of A Toxic Relationship. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/7-‐reasons-‐why-‐you-‐need-‐let-‐toxic-‐relationship.html