Social Media vs. Health


Chapter 9 in Chayko's Superconnected was an interesting read. It left me feeling slightly more informed but also wanting more. I found the parts about health to be the most interesting because being a "Millennial" I am constantly hearing the nagging of older generations about our use of technology and social media.The idea of it being an addiction often comes up as well. In the reading the comparison of digital media use and excessive reading bring up a great point about the idea of digital use "addiction". 
"The same could be true of internet and digital media use, which is also sometimes dismissed as frivolous but is obviously used for a wide range of purposes with vast range of effects."-Chayko
I find it tremendously unfair to call excessive digital use as an addiction. I think its use gets confused as the problem versus some of the pages of types of sites being used. The blame should rather be on a more direct type of site such as porn. Their are other motivations behind that use and other benefits or pleasures being received. It is hard to blame technology when technology was simply the tool used to create a spread the bad. Technology also spreads so much good that I don't know that we can classify it as an addiction. 

" This awareness of stress in the lives of others can and does cause stress----especially, again, for women, who are likely to be attending personally to these kinds of issues." -Chayko
Hearing Chayko explain that women can often feel more stress from social media was sort of reassuring to me. I have experienced this especially when it comes to people losing loved ones or having a sick family member. Even people that seem to struggle with drug addiction. When I see an upsetting post or concerning post I feel that load of stress for them. Thinking also about the difference in feelings towards social media use and the generations I did a little research and found the below chart.  What I found interesting was the generation that is often so belittled for their high technology use was the most worried about its effects on their health. It made me feel as though I wanted to say "See we are worried too and we don't need the nagging!"  Maybe its because their seems to be so much indecision on where to classify it and what to compare it with. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Weekly Play Ransom

Image
This is how I feel when people who have never taught or been in education make comments and are negative toward teachers wanting fair pay. Boy would I love to invite them in this year, with it being my hardest year ever. "Welcome to my room were a 5 year old won't stop screaming and throwing tantrums all day long but don't forget you still have to teach the other 16 kids! Have fun!"  Sorry just being a bit bratty with this post. Yes, I chose this field knowing what the pay was but it doesn't mean I have to accept that for my whole teaching career. There is nothing wrong with fighting for what you deserve. 
Read more

Facts Matter

Image
"Some consider fake news to be simply information with which they disagree. Others claim that we can no longer regulate truth in an era where fake news spreads so easily and that we therefore live in a "post-truth" society." -Mark Chayko The idea that some consider fake news to be information they disagree with gives me great concern. In a country that prides it self in being some where with freedom of speech it strikes me as petty to then  hold information as fake if they are unable to support it. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of things I read and hear that I don't like or really want to hear but I feel that the term fake news is a phrase spread like wildfire now. With the election of our newest president this phrase has been everywhere. I didn't think much of it until it was thrust into our faces everyday. I grew worried because I know as an avid celebrity gossip follower that I maybe gullible enough to fall for fake news. Chayko says "
Read more

Teacher negativity

Image
As a new teacher fresh from subbing for half a year one of the things I was not ready for was the mix of different types of teachers in my school. I started out eating my lunch in the staff lounge as a way to get to know my colleagues. That soon stopped when I realized what a negative space the staff lounge was. While there were times of sharing about our lives and families it was far less than the times with negative rants about students and situations in the classroom. It is still this way which is why I continue to eat my lunch in my classroom even after 5 years at the same school. I was finding myself complaining and joining in to have something to relate to. I don't like the teacher I become when I go to the staff lounge. As teachers we have times when we had a student be extremely difficult or situation that comes up that drives us crazy. How should we handle it? First, I think we all need something OUTSIDE of school that helps us release stress. Maybe its the gym or get
Read more