Media Blackout

                     During my undergrad career I took a Journalism introductory course. For the first week's assignment my professor asked us to participate in a "media blackout" LOL --> my classes' reaction. To clarify my professor wanted us to seize all participation in media related activity. NO Facebook NO Twitter NO Instagram NO Netflix?!?! No netflix might be impossible. Like most of my classmates I laughed off the silly thought that completing this assignment without Bull***ing was possible. So I wrote a reflection piece (the assignment) about my media blackout experience that was not truthful because I did not fully participate in this blackout. However, in bullsh**ing my assignment I had to figure out which media forms I regularly use, for what purpose, and how would they affect my life if I had to go without.
                  While writing this reflection I continously thought about my childhood. I thought about what I did before having the capabilties of a smart phone in my hands. I also remember the beginnings of technological developments. I remember how no one in my household could use the home phone if I was connecting with AOL to the internet to play an online Barbie game. I remember associating computers, cellphones, cameras, etc. with adults and these being important products for adult work. Slowly these technologies difussed with important every day task of work, communicative, and effcient needs to those of entertainment. From games on cellphone devices, to chain text messages, to ringtones. These early advancements for entertainment purposes allowed technology to be geared towards other means and purpose. Alongside with the development of accesibilty and the cheapen of these technology allowed for technology to intergrate in virtually every aspect of life.
              I then thought about the purpose of each media outlet I used. What did I get from digesting an everyday Facebook timeline? Aside from entertainment I realized that I got news updates from Facebook. From celebrity gossip to local news events, social platforms serve as a network of information that broad cast current events. This form of journalism might not be the most means of sourcing however it was intergrated in my regular rountine and revolved around topics relevant to my life.