No Technological Media, No Productivity

Media Deprivation seemed to me as if it would end up being the worst day of my life. Going a day without music, movies, video games, and my cell phone would be like going a week without food or drink. Since I am in a long-distance relationship, I need technological media to talk to my boyfriend. I thought this day would be a horrible experience. It turns out that what was difficult was getting my family and friends to cooperate with me. I had to put the project off a whole day because my sister wanted to listen to the radio on Thanksgiving.

My media deprivation started Thanksgiving night when I went to sleep at about 10 pm. I slept a long time, since it seemed to be a way to take up the time that wouldn’t bore me to death. I finally woke up at 1:30 in the afternoon, and ate lunch with my family. My parents needed to go shopping at a bunch of different stores, so I took my book and rode along with them. It was strange riding in a car without the radio, but the last Harry Potter book kept me busy and distracted. I got back and home, and I would have thought that I would start getting bored, but I was so into the book that I didn’t get bored. I read until 10 pm again, and the first thing I did was turn on my Xbox to talk to Lee, my boyfriend. Next, I turned on my phone to find out that no one had called me. I finally got on my laptop and checked Facebook and MySpace.

Media Deprivation wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought, but it wasn’t very productive at all. I could have cleaned or studied, but without music those tasks would have been unbearable. I realize how dependent I am on technological media, but I don’t think it is harmful to be somewhat dependent.

Religion, School, and Media... Oh My!

In “Two Cultures,” the discussion between Camille Paglia and Neil Postman had many interesting points; however Paglia’s arguments really won me over. Camille comments on the Catholic Church speaking of the images portrayed. She is talking about the polarity of Europe saying, “the Counter-Reformation of southern Europe, unbelievably lurid images – like Bernini’s St. Theresa having a spiritual orgasm.” She compares this to the North’s protestant views of relying on words, and therefore books, for religious purposes. Camille Paglia also comments on life’s insanity and surrealism. She uses an example where “You leave a restaurant and get killed by a falling air conditioner. A tornado hits a picnic.” She says that life is surreal and there is no sense to reality. I agree with much of what Camille Paglia said in her sides of the argument except a few minor details. She has many views on religion, but she never exactly shares her stance on what she believes, which helps me relate to her. I agreed with her views on the paganism of this century in Hollywood and of society in general. Even her defense of the Hebrew National commercials made me agree more with Paglia than Postman. This conversation about media was actually very interesting and Camille Paglia had many inspired thoughts that I agree with.