The Coronavirus Pandemic that has struck the world has put us out of work, out of school, and in our homes, with a lot of free time on our hands. What do we do with all of this time? Many have decided to devote this time to media, and not just teenagers. People of all ages have taken advantage of the many sources of entertainment our media industry has to offer, video games, social media, streaming, music, online shopping, videos, podcasts, the list goes on. With more time spent at home and boredom striking most, media provides a source of entertainment and an outlet for all of this newfound free time.
I have found myself spending my free time catching up on television shows I did not previously have time to watch, spending a lot more money online than I probably should, discovering new music, and spending a lot of time on social media. Before the outbreak, I did watch stream a television show here and there and scroll through social media when I had a few extra minutes, but I did not have time to get lot doing these things for hours on end. I definitely have spent more time doing this since COVID-19 had its sudden impact.
I don't find it shocking for Gen Z to be spending so much time doing these things, especially since we spent too much time doing it before the outbreak, but I do find it shocking how many of the older generational people spend time on these platforms. I also find it rather ironic, considering their non stop comments about how much time we waste on our phones, playing video games, etc..
I am not oblivious to the drawbacks of spending so much time consuming media, especially during times like these. A lot of false information and panic is being spread about the virus, where not many, myself included, know what exactly to believe about this virus. But at the same time, all of this time being spent online can be used for good. We can offer support to those who need it, and a break from being stuck inside all day. While it is no surprise to me the increase in media consumption, I am glad to see that the older generations get to figure out the things they can do with all of this technology they have time to play with and figure out for entertainment during pressing times such as these. Especially in the sense of social media, I think those outlets can serve a very positive and important purpose during a very difficult time when the only places we can go are within the walls of our home, or where we can be taken by consuming media though photos, music, movies, or whatever suits your fancy.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/media-consumption-covid-19/
No comments:
Post a Comment