Gratification from Social Networking and Technology- Blog 1

Over the course of the week in lecture we discussed the gratifications associated with technology and social media usage; such as social utility, convenience and surveillance. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? I’m more than positive that 98 percent of you will say roll over and check your cell phone and/or social network apps. Walk outside anywhere on campus and you’re sure to find at least twenty people indulged in their cellphones not paying any attention to their surrounds. Technology and social media have become the center of our universe.

During the summer, a few days after my 21st birthday my iPhone shut off and turned black. Completely stopped working out of nowhere. My next day off wasn’t until Sunday; my phone broke on a Tuesday. Literally the first day I cried. The next 5 days were hell on earth! I hadn’t been without a cellphone since I was 10 years old. The experience was simply horrific!! During that time, I realized how much technology and social media actually dictate my life. I had no one to talk to, I couldn’t stalk anyone’s Facebook page, and I actually had to watch the news on TV instead of just simply clicking on my weather app. As you can see, technology and social media usage are my addiction. If, I don’t get my daily dosage (at least 5 hrs. per day) it’s like going into detox. Those few days I spent without my cellphone determined that my livelihood and lifeline were trapped inside of 4.65 ounces of iPhone 5C.

In contemporary society we find a great deal of pleasure in those tiny little things we call cellphones, laptops and iPads (I know I sure do!). Social networking are a diversion from reality. Online, you are allowed to be anyone you want to be; be it the pretty confident girl you’ve always wished you were, or the socially outgoing person that you’ll never have the courage to be in real life. Professor Jackson also notes that technology and social media also serve as tools of identity, information management and entertainment. You can log on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter at any time and find something sweet or funny to brighten your day.

On the contrary, we must take into account that some gratification that people find online isn’t always for good purposes. Some people use the internet to fulfill their perverted personal pleasures. Social networks are used sometimes to lure young girls/boys into rape and murder. Social networking has made it more convenient to find prey online rather than risking going out and finding them in public. For instance, the craigslist killer used social media as a sick form of gratification for his desire to kill prostitutes. Or take into account, the popular MTV series, “Catfish”, some of these people find the love of their lives on this show. While others use social network for the pleasure of tormenting people or seeking revenge upon their enemies. Open up the Google home page and you can find just about anything, which isn’t always a good thing.

While some people do use technology and social media for the wrong reasons, most people use it for genuine forms of gratification. Today it is easier to stay in touch with family and friends around the world. One text message can brighten up someone's day. One friend request can be the start of a happy relationship. Technology and social networking have shaped the world into techno- reliable fiends, but we love it.