Psychology Today defines addiction as “a condition that
results when a person ingests a substance (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or
engages in an activity (gambling) that can be pleasurable but the continued use
of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities,
such as work or relationships, or health.” Based on this definition I believe it is fair
to consider some people addicted to media. However, I think it should be noted
that this addiction shouldn’t be viewed the same way as people are addicted to
drugs or alcohol. That addiction results in a chemical dependency and a
physical link with the behavior. The way some people are addicted to media is
in much more of a mental way. Also, by no means am I saying many people are
addicted to media. The group I am talking about are the select few that use it obsessively
and let it run their lives. Some individuals, especially younger people now
could definitely be considered compulsive users of media. Their excessive use
can most definitely adversely affect their relationships and ability to
interact with others around them. Some people are so locked into their media
that they lose social skills and suffer in normal face to face interaction. While
this thought process will, in my mind fit the definition of an addiction, I
believe that the “addiction” to media is less so a physical or involuntary
reaction to a stimulus (media) and more so a lack of exercise of self-control
by those “addicted.” In other words, while it may technically fit the
definition of an addiction, overuse of media is more of a choice in the hands
of the user.
I will
be the first to admit that I am a consumer of the new and ever evolving media
including TV, the internet, and a cell phone. However, I am not as heavy of a
media user as some others my age. I do have a Facebook but do not have any
other social media like Instagram except for my newly established JOUR150
Twitter account. I have a laptop that I
use for work and entertainment but do not use it in class (except JOUR150) to
keep myself more focused. In short, I am a fan of all the interesting new media
but exercise self-control to make sure I accomplish the important objectives in
my life such as school and job related activities. A few rules I would like to
see is to not use your phone at restaurants/while eating. Maybe it’s because
manners like this were instilled in me at a young age, but I find sitting at a
table looking at your phone and not enjoying the company around you is rude. A
basic rule I think would help if everyone followed is when interacting with
another person or group of people leave your phone alone. In my eyes it gives
the impression that you don’t care about your interaction with those people as
much as the mystery person or social network on the phone.
Devices
used in the classroom can definitely help your education but it is important
that you use them in the correct manner. For things such as taking notes
quickly and clearly and having a lot of information at your fingertips,
technology and media is great. It is just up to the user to make sure they use
it in a way that benefits them instead of distracting them.
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