My Relationship With Media

          Media is a huge part of our culture, and we rarely notice how much of an impact it has made on our lives. Currently, I don't engage in as  much media as I used to about two years ago. I was always on my phone, or binge watching my new favorite show. However, today, I have a more general engagement with media. The only time I am ever listening to the radio is if I am in a car, I don't appreciate the radio as much as I used to because I've realized how often they play the same music or talk about the drama or negativity in the world more than the positive. Since my taste in music has broadened and matured, I am not as interested. For the most part, I am using Spotify or Pandora, because they always give you opportunities to listen to new music and a variety or cultures.
          I have a few shows that I am always watching, but like I said before I don't engage like I used to. For instance, I am rarely watching television, unless there is a live event, such as sports games, award shows, or news broadcasts. The shows that I do watch could be found on Netflix or the network's website, and when I do watch them, it probably averages out to two episodes per week. I play video games on occasion. If it's not on my phone, it's on my family's play station. I usually play whenever the rest of my family is, mostly because I have lost the time to play for leisure.
         As for newspapers and magazines, I rarely read those as well, and there is a clear reason for that. However, I do read books. For starters, I am required to read several books for my literature classes, which ultimately, has allowed me to understand other cultures better. This year especially, with it being Africa and Latin America literature, I have been able to fill the shoes of completely different lives and views. With that, I read a few personal books, they are generally realistic fiction.
          Like I said before, there is a clear reason for why I rarely read newspapers or magazines and that is purely because of the internet. The internet is the form of media I engage most in. I use multiple social media accounts like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat. These are also the sources for most of my communication via direct messaging. It's clear to say that social media, and the internet in general, has ruled out newspapers, magazines, and even books. It's sad to say, but I find most of my news through things like what's trending on Twitter/ YouTube or the hashtags in my feed. I can't remember the last time I have read the Sacramento Bee entirely, and this is solely because of my engagement in the internet.
          Although it is not as much as before, it is safe to say that most of my leisure time is spent on media. I have yet to decide if this is what I would consider a good thing or bad, but I do know that media is taking over the world and changing us whether it's for the better or worse.