Introduction
In the recent world of technology, media plays a significant role in communication, politics, economy, and culture (Baran and Davis 232). The media exposes people to current information related to several fields. Similarly, it creates entertainment that breaks boredom and idleness, which protects the society especially the youths from engaging in immoral behaviors. E-media makes communication easy, fast and reliable. This paper focuses on reporting an experience of a 24 hours e-media fast.
Experience
E-media fast means no use of television, computers, and iPods or other mp3 devices, radio, video games, CD players, records or cell phone for 24 hours. The fast came on a school day that I had some assignments to complete. My plan was to use a computer in typing my assignment as well as for research purposes. I had to use my change strategy that forced me to work on my assignment from the library. It took me five hours to do a research that could have taken me only an hour if I were to use a computer. The day turned long for me, as all schoolwork that was to be completed on that day had to be done from the library, which was tiresome. I had to write my research reports that were several pages something I was not used. Similarly, apart from communication with my friends in school, I spent the day without communicating to my parents and other friends. This made my day look odd as compared to the other days. During our leisure time, instead of involving ourselves in video games, watching the TV, listening to music or communicating with friends through the social network sites, we planned to have several physical exercises on the school playground that were followed by sport activities.
On this day, I realized that I used to spend most of my time on media with my favorites being the internet, radio, video games, mp3 players’, television, and the iPods. I used the media in communication, schoolwork, listening to music, watching news, movies and other programs, and for entertainment. The level of my media usage had risen to a point that I could not spend a day without the use of any of the media sources. The media fast day came with its repercussion as it had several emotions on me. I felt as if the world had turned at random and everything had fallen apart. The day ended without any updates of the happenings of the day across the globe. This made things even worse as I was waiting to know the progress of the proceedings of a court case in the International Criminal Investigation court. The family and friends too felt the impact of the media fast.
My observation for the day helped me to realize the importance of media in the society. Many things happened around the globe but society only received the information of the things that happened in their jurisdiction. Majority of the people spent the day idle, bored and stressed, as there were no means of reducing the stress and pressure. To overcome the idleness and boredom most of the people walked, engaged in physical exercises while others participated in different sports activities such as volleyball, basketball and riding. The workers only attended to the tasks that they were manually capable. In addition, the lack of effective communication in work places made the running of the organizations almost impossible during the day. Many businesses incurred losses because they could not perform their online activities. At school, the library was full and there were struggles in accessing the books as every student turned to the library in order to meet their assignment deadlines. In addition, the school canteen made profits on that day as everyone purchased plain paper and foolscaps for schoolwork purposes. It was my first time in my university life to see students hard write their assignments. The observations indicate that electronic media plays a great role in the day-to-day activities of the people.
The discomfort due to lack of information, surveillance, entertainment, and communication lead to majority of the people understanding the roles that media plays in their lives (Baran and Davis 232). Although, I faced challenges in my schoolwork, the fast exposed me to an understanding that I had not realized in life, of the need of the electronic media. My joy was submission of my first handwritten assignment and my first time to participant in physical exercises at school that gave me the passion for physical exercises and sports. Further, I realized that the media had brain washed the people to an extent that they do not have time for their physical health exercises or time to interact directly with their friends. The fast gave me an experience of avoiding too much communications that has helped me in saving a lot of time.
Conclusion
Electronic media plays a great role in the society by creating means of communication, entertainment, surveillance, exposure to information as well as for political and economic purposes (Baran and Davis 232). However, there is need for the society to learn to live without the media as its gives life experience of the unexpected.
Works Cited
Baran, Stanley and Davis, Dennis. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future (Sixth Edition). Boston: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.