My Media (In)Dependence

Having finished the media consumption survey I've now been instructed to post an entry about the results, and about my independence and/or dependence on certain forms of media.

Compared to my peers, I think my dependence on any given form of media is very minimal. I live on my own, and have chosen not to invest in cable or satellite television, which means that I am not subject to the daily bombardment of television advertisements that people waste so much money on. We own movies (mostly children's films for my son), and if we want to watch a particular show we rent it on DVD. I hate the way television affects people's lives, convincing them to buy things and be at home to watch a show at a certain time, T.V. even plays babysitter for some people's children! I see no reason to have that in my home.

Cellphones are another form of media that I am in no way dependent on. I do not own a functioning cell phone, and while I think it would be beneficial for me to use one it is not a necessity. Cell phone bills are far too high, and when you're paying $730.00 per month for rent, on top of the costs of diapers, groceries and bills you don't have the money to spare. It sickens me, as well, that cell phone companies charge people for text messaging when a recent study showed that it costs the companies nothing to transmit text messages from phone to phone. It's ridiculous. Perhaps someday, when I'm making forty dollars an hour, I'll be able to afford to pay those companies for their rip-offs, but not right now.

The types of media I am at least moderately dependent on are few. I use the internet for school work, and for occasional socializing. I also use it for my own personal research. Newspapers I rely on for the news (obviously) as well as real estate rental openings, job offerings and other important information. I use music players (radio, sterio, Mp3 player) frequently, I am a music lover and almost always have something playing. I don't consider books part of the "mass media", but since the survey did I have to say that they are the form of media I am most dependent on. I read for pleasure, for research, for school, and to my son. They are an asset to psychological learning and development, and as such we have book cases in every room that are packed with everything from historical documentations to Dr. Suess.

Over all I really don't think I am incredibly dependent on the media. I could go without almost every form of it, with the exception of books. I don't know what's going on with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and I really don't care. It doesn't matter to me what conspiracies are going around about Michael Jackson's death and I can't tell you what a McDonald's is advertising on television these days. None of those things, amoung many others, are important to my day to day life. Three cheers for non media consumption!