Blog Post #3 - Alexandra Remmling
In the movie Eighth Grade, it is evident the amount of influence that social media has on Kayla’s life. We live in a society where so much of our everyday lives revolve around technology and the use of social media. As shown in the movie, Kayla was constantly on her phone, posting on social media and she felt that in order to fit in she had to. Everyone her age is posting on social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. For Kayla, since she grew up with social media in her life that is all she has ever known. She communicates with her friends online and doesn’t know what it is like to only communicate with her friends in person. This can be related to Nancy Baym’s theoretical perspective of the domestication of technology which explains that technologies have become so embedded into our everyday lives that we don’t know any different. This can be seen in Kayla’s case as she doesn’t know anything other than having social media in her life and she has become more comfortable on social media where she is behind a screen than she does in real life. She is extremely open on Youtube to complete strangers but a lot more reserved in real life. This just shows how influential social media is in our lives and how we can be so much more comfortable behind a screen than in person.
Hello! I really enjoyed reading your post and agree with all at you've said. Kayla was definitely influenced by social media and spent a good part of her days consuming content on her devices. like you said Kayla is an example of someone who exemplifies Nancy Baym's theoretical perspective on the domestication of technology. An example from the film that I think directly relates to how embedded and woven technology has become in our lives is when Kayla is sitting at the dinner table with her father and scrolling through various social media platforms. This is the sad norm for a lot of kids Kayla's age today. Kayla was so attached to her devices that we almost never saw her away from them. I think it was very clear that because of this constant need to be on social media Kayla ended up feeling very comfortable behind her screen, but could not work up the confidence when she was face to face with people. We can use Kayla as an example which shows how the way someone reveals themselves online isn't always an accurate representation of how they will be in person and in real life.
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ReplyDeleteHello, great post! While reading your post I too agree that Kayla is a representation on how social media has changed the way one views themself. She has become so influenced by social media to which she begins to shut her father out of her life. Not only does she spend almost all her time consuming technology she believes she is unworthy of anyone liking her as she has not become popular on social media. This connects to Nancy Baym’s theoretical perspective on the domestication of technology. Again agreeing that she is hiding behind her screen and feels more comfortable there rather than in person.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! While reading your blog post it became very evident that we were on the same page. It could not have been more obvious in terms of the influence technology had on Kayla’s day to day life. As a result, Nancy Baym’s theoretical perspective on domestication of technology became significantly relevant. Kayla uses the technology she does on such a consistent level that I don’t think she is even aware how much it influences her. Technology plays such a significant role within her life in the movie that it creates this notion that she is way more comfortable on social media behind a screen instead of the real-life situations she finds herself in. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality for many young teens growing up through grade and high school.
Is there any advice you would give to Kayla or any other kids in similar situations?