Activity Objective:
We cannot completely understand our relationship with media unless we also understand what the absence of media means for us. In this activity, you will apply the critical process to examine what you learn during a media fast.
Pre-Activity Instructions:
Choose a twenty-four-hour period that will not interfere with your other courses, work, or activities and abstain from using any electronic media during that period. This means no computers, televisions, tablets, e-readers, iPods, radios, digital clocks or watches, smartphones or landline phones, and so forth. (Note: print media, such as books, are acceptable to use during this time.)
Before your fast, make sure you tell your family, friends, professors, administrators, coaches, and others about the assignment. (You don’t want anyone worrying if they can’t reach you!) Also, be aware that you will probably need to avoid any places where electronic media are present (possibly including eating areas, common lounges, the gym, etc.). You will also probably need to negotiate with others to turn off electronic media when you are around (e.g., during meals).
It is common that you might need to make a second—or third—attempt at the assignment before successfully “fasting” from electronic media for a full day.
Let’s get started! Click the forward and backward arrows to navigate through the slides. You may also click the above outline button to skip to certain slides.
Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:
Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study
Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge from the description stage
Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?” questions about one’s findings
Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting from the first three stages
Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment
Carry a paper pad and pen around with you during your electronic media fast and pay attention to your reactions, emotions, encounters, and incidents that occur while you are “disconnected.” For example, do you feel like you are missing out? Or do you find that you are able to connect with people face-to-face more? Were you not sure whether something counts as “media” at any point?
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Next, look for patterns that emerged during the description phase of your media fast experience.
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Your media fast experience will help you better understand your relationship with electronic media. Through the following questions, interpret the roles of electronic media in our society and culture.
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Now, evaluate and write about your relationship with electronic media.
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Let’s take action! At the end of your media fast, reflect on your experience and make a plan for the actions you want to take moving forward.
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