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[isabellet1990-blog]

The Reprieve - Media Consumption

I use media, especially Pinterest or other scrolling media, to avoid overthinking. Work has been hectic, so I find myself searching for even more distractions, which usually steers me to something that requires more attention but a similar amount of effort. I tend to resort to something easy to read, like a webtoon or manga, or sometimes a predictable romance novel that I can finish in an evening. I often do it when I am overwhelmed, though not focusing on what needs to be done is not always the best plan. In my relaxation time, I am typically a passive observer of media. If I watch a movie, I usually watch something I’ve already seen and scroll through social media while it’s in the background. With work being so busy, I am often too tired to do much of anything in the evenings and scrolling Pinterest in bed will make my eyes tired in minutes. I think the most impact I’ve noticed in my media log thus far is that the spreadsheet doesn’t capture the full use of my media consumption, primarily social media, as I am only poking in for a minute or two rather than any notable length of time. That being said, Saturday morning, or rather most of the day Saturday, was spent on my phone reading webtoons, as I was pretty tired and feeling under the weather from the holiday party I had attended the night before. The media I consume regularly is a way to keep my brain and hands busy without adding more information to my brain than I already have. As a person who works full time and studies full time, mindless consumption is often a reprieve for the tired mind.

[isabellet1990-blog]

Blind Scrolling - Media Consumption

I have spent several hours working and studying using technology and media in the past few days. However, the time I have spent consuming other media has been less than usual. Like many people in this day and age, I have a smartphone. I find myself drawn to it to keep my hands busy rather than doing anything of value short of responding to a few texts or emails. Most of the time I spend on my phone is on Pinterest, glossing over photos and videos of food and fashion. A wellness coach I am familiar with has noted that it is not just that you are consuming information; what you consume can affect your health and well-being. While I don’t care for this habit of opening this form of social media for no good reason, at least it is not directly harmful. Yes, it perpetuates the consumerist culture and the “have not” mindset, but it’s not insults, false news, or similar items. The increased advertising on the platform annoys me, but it is relatively easy to avoid. I am not a fan of having items forced upon me while trying to relax. While I have noted a few instances of mindless scrolling per day in my log, I would say that it is worth noting the frequency of the mini-checks; those times are less than 15 minutes, but if added throughout the day, they become significant. Occasionally, I find myself missing a newspaper or magazine. Still, anything and more than I could wish to look at is at my fingertips, so it’s perhaps more out of nostalgia than anything. I enjoy picking up a magazine for a long flight, but it isn’t something I reach for, especially as more of my preferred magazines are moving to solely digital versions. My consumption has left me feeling more disconnected from my country and self, as everything is very American in much of what we consume. However, I find I don’t often think of this regularly.