Media Fast

The media fast took place over fall break. I went to Charlotte for a few days. On the way to Charlotte, my phone died. And i didn't charge it until the end of fall break. It was really nice. I already hate my phone. And i think that facebook is the devil. I think that most social media is the devil. So being required to do a media fast was actually a breath of fresh air. The only parts that were hard were the no watching movies/TV and no listening to music. That was difficult. However, because i was on vacation and running around and exploring, it wasn't the worst.

Even without a media fast, it's really interesting to watch people with their phones. I was waiting for some friends at a show by myself. There were a couple of other people either by themselves or in groups of two that were obviously waiting for people as well. But, i was the only one to not be on my phone. Even the people that were groups were on their phone. What could be so important? It's just a huge alter-reality where people can create and fix their lives. They can be whoever they want and affect others in any way they want without any repercussions. It's crazy. And you have to ask... which life is the real life? I'd like to say the one that we're actually living in... but that statement isn't even validated if you think about it. If someone spends more time in the day on social media than in real life, then does that mean that social media is their real life? And if it is their real life, then does that mean that they are becoming, in some ways, immortal through social media? Does that mean that I should jump on this band wagon to have some sort of comfort that i'm leaving behind my "legacy" or fabricated slices of "life"? That is not comforting. It's not real. It's just another avenue to put yourself above other people.

Back to the media fast, it's really interesting to have only the sounds around you to listen to rather than preferred music. I'd pay more attention to conversations around me and actually have more coherent thoughts. It was really nice. And it was actually really nice not to hear my phone's notifications either. Also, riding in the car with no music is kind of cool. Each time you stop for gas, you're bombarded with new sounds. Each place has it's own specific sounds and smells and feel. They're all linked together but is there one that's more important? What would the place feel like if you couldn't hear it? What would it sound like if you couldn't smell it? What would it smell like if you couldn't see it? Sure, if you broke down the senses one by one, each one would be more powerful standing on its own. But that's just because you're focusing in on one at a time. Which senses have more effect on one another than others? Or are they all the same? Can you only really hear a sound purely without any other sense? Or do other senses help create the essence of what you're hearing? If you couldn't see a train coming, but heard its whistle as it passed in front of you, would it be even louder because you weren't expecting it? Or would it be louder because you weren't able to watch it approach and anticipate the sound? Or would it be louder at all when measured in decibels? Would it just seem louder or quieter?

I keep getting off track of the media fast. Overall, i liked the media fast. And i think that it's super beneficial for students especially to have to do a media fast. The world feels calm for a brief second.