By Lim
Sok Fern (47395)
Does
the rise of mobile media contribute an individualistic society? According to
Allik and Realo (2004), individualism refers to an individual who values independence
and distance himself or herself from a society.
With
the emergence of mobile media, we are spending more time on cyberspace.
Mobile media users become more individualistic and prefer to be alone when they are
consuming the Internet. Therefore, we are shifting our attention from the real
world to visual world relationships. This is a phenomenon that recognized by
all of us as “detachment of the real world” and “digital addiction”.
Individualism
is a belief about the importance of personal needs over the society needs as a
whole (Woollaston, 2015). The diverse networks on mobile media increase the
chance for people to express themselves and individualism. The use of anonymous
identity allows people to create different personal attributes and
characteristics in the virtual world. In the virtual world, they are free from
oppression and control. Unintentionally, they tend to isolate themselves from
the real world and enjoy the happiness that the virtual world brings to them.
On
the other hand, people argued that the existence of mobile media does not
individualization us. Social networking sites are actually bonding and
reinforcing traditional groups such as family and tribe. Moreover, it aids
people to connect with each other when they are separated at different places.
For instances, a student who studies abroad can keep contact with their family
and friends via Facebook and Skype. Also, it enabling people to develop and
maintain relationships through private messaging.
UCL
(2017) mentioned that media is often a group activity. People especially the
young are sharing access to their personal phones and computers (UCL, 2017). In
fact, not only young, we also share our social media account passwords with our
best friend or partner. As stated by UCL (2017), 83% of people shared their
password of social media accounts with their family or friends.
Unintentionally, this enhances the collectivism culture that involved more than
one people in a social activity.
Last
but not least, people tend to post group photos and these photos are tagged
their friends or family and can be shared by others. So, we choose to appear in
public in different ways in the digital era instead of going out with wearing
the same clothes. Furthermore, social networks create a platform for all people
to share and exchange their personal ideas and opinion in which these actions
are making us less individual.
In
conclusion,the existence of mobile media is unavoidable in our life.
In my personal opinion, mobile media does not make us more individualistic.
Instead of it, it creates bonds between all of us. It connects people with
different backgrounds and experiences and builds a shared platform for all of
us to share our idea and stories. Meanwhile, what is your opinion towards the
issue of individuation in the digital era?
Thank
you.
References
Allik, J., & Realo, A. (2004). Individualism-collectivism
and social capital. Journal of
Corss-Cultural Psychology, 35(1), 29-49.
UCL. (2017). Social
media is not making us more individualistic. Retrieved from https://www.ucl.ac.uk/why-we-post/discoveries/1-social-media-is-not-making-us-more-individualistic
Woollaston, V. (2015). Think the “Me Me Me Generation” is new? Think again: Society began
shifting towards individualism more than a century ago. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2942561/Think-Generation-new-Think-Society-began-shifting-individualism-CENTURY-ago.html
Hi Sok Fern, I always believe there is always two sides to everything. I have seen individuals who are have become more individualistic and also individuals who are still okay even after the emergence of smartphone and social media. I think the problem will arise when people start to make social media their main channel of expressing themselves. Though most of the social networking sites have great features, nothing beats the true value of having a great conversation face to face. I think people are attracted to the idea that whatever we post will somewhat become " forever" and most importantly, the "like" and " love" button becomes a competition.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I still believe that social media can be a great boost to our relationship with others if we do not let it become the most important thing. It serves to enhance but not to control. It serves to assist and not to dominate. There is no point looking perfect on social media, where in real life you think that life sucks. It is only self - deception.
Hi Joyce. First of all, thank you for your feedback and opinion. I agreed with your statement about everything has two sides. Misuse of social networks is the main issue when people start to engage to the Internet. For instance, posting a photo on Facebook or Instagram with intention to get the highest amount of "like". In fact, the creation of social media is intended to help people connect and interact with each other. Also, individuation in the digital era is just a button that controls by ourselves. As conclude, social media is beneficial when we use it in a right way.
DeleteDear Sok Fern, thank you for this sharing topic. Yes. I'm totally agree with your opinions about Individuation in the Digital Era. In my opinion, i think that the meanings of individuation it's not only refer to "digital addiction" but it can comes from our self action towards this real world. Means that we are the important "creator" to built this kind of "things" become more functional and help our activity in our daily life. So, the terms of "anonymous" actually someone who is hidden their identity behind the particular social media and so on. We are the most important things that can control and guided ourself how to get "personal touch" or "connecting" with other people in this real world. Think and action in positive ways. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDear Ruzimah. thank you for your reply and feedback. I agreed with your statement. Actually, we are the one to control our addiction towards something. For instances, digital devices. We are so rely on it until we failed to realize that we are addicted to it and cannot live without it.
DeleteIt is a real issue that everyone of us has to concern about. Are we the controller or we are controlled by those digital devices?
It is a question to ponder about it.
I think it is the combination of both, individualistic and collectivistic. It is individualistic because I tend to isolate myself sometimes even there are people who are sitting besides me who wish to have communication. Hence, I think I am very individualistic at one point when using mobile media. However, I also find the mobile media also cause collectivistic culture to occur. I use that often to communicate with group members and also my friends' group that are in my hometown.
ReplyDeleteDear Esther, thank you for your comment and reply. You are right, the mobile media is not limited to only one use. We use it to escape from the real world, at the same time, we also get connected with the surroundings when we are using it.
DeleteThanks Sok Fern. mobile media may or may not make us more individualistic. But for sure, mobile media would us more vulnerable as an individual.
ReplyDeleteSocial media has been, and always will, remain one of the darkest tools against us in a technological society. We post everything to it; what we look like, who our friends are, who our family are, where we went to school and what our hobbies are.
Interestingly, most of these are also "security question" choices for if you "conveniently forgot" your password, making social media pure opium for would-be hackers.
On top of this, through our own mistaken complacency, social media is incredibly useful for stalkers or sexual predators—the location features, or even photo backgrounds or status updates, could reveal your exact location and open you up to "real life" vulnerabilities and threats.
As with the credit card factor, simple tips such as being vigilant to your surroundings and aware of exactly what you’re posting can save you from some scary or awkward encounters. Unless you don’t use social media, it’s inevitably possible to be used against you.
Dear Patrick, thank you for your feedback and opinions. Yes, I agreed with your statement about people get vulnerable by the media world. Social network users often underestimate the dangers of the privacy issues. In fact, we are open ourselves to the unknown people when we are surfing on the Internet. Hence, it is so important for people to be aware of their media use in the technology era.
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DeleteI have an experienced with my roommates before. She like to be alone and smile herself by looking at her phone. I was like "errr" (annoying), because, she isolate herself from people around. I can say that, she is individualistic. 24 hour per day she only played with her phone, without any conversation with me. I was thinking, "why so addicted to the phone"? But after that I realizes, people is unique, they have their own way to talk to people, maybe it is her way to communicate and I have my own way. So, I choose to respect her as her do. I'm who I am. And she does also. :)
ReplyDeleteSo, in conclusion I can say that, individualistic is a very common sense things that happen in our live. We can actually control it and use it in a correct time. So, we must aware about it when we are in a group, so that we can be included in that group interaction without any disrupt/problem..
Thank you.
Dear Noraini, thank you for your sharing and information. For me, I will try to avoid to look or play at phone when I am participating in groups because I think that it is disrespectful when someone is looking at phone when others are chatting with him or her. Secondly, I hope to get connected to the real world. Last but not least, to control my digital addiction.
DeleteIndividualistic is a problem that may causes serious consequences such as broken relationships. Therefore, we really have to be aware and control our usage of mobile media especially when we are participating in group activities.
I hope you can do so, Sok Fern. Gambateh !!
DeleteHi sok fern. Saya setuju dengan pendapat anda. Media mudah alih atau mobile media mengeratkan hubungan antara individu dan membolehkan kita berkongsi pandangan dan idea. Namun kewujudan media mudah alih juga menjadikan seseorang itu lebih individualistic. Jadi bagi saya ia terpulang kepada diri sendiri dan perlu bijak dalam menggunakannya agar tidak jauh dari dunia sebenar.
ReplyDeleteDear Jasmine, thank you for your support and opinions. Yes, I agreed with your statement about we have to be a wise mobile media user. "Action is more louder than words", we shall start to practice it start form today. Thank you. :)
DeleteHi Sok Fern, i agree with you that mobile media does not make us more individualistic. Same with you, i also use social media as one of the medium to share my ideas and opinion as well as my pictures to friends. I believe it is one of way to interact with them and maintain the friendship nor family relationship.
ReplyDeleteHi Jia Chi. Thank you for your opinion and feedback. Yes, there pros and cons followed by the use of social media. Like me, I also use social media such as Facebook and Instagram to connect and interact with my family and friends. So, instead of individuation, it enhance the collectivism in my life.
DeleteHello, Sok Fern
ReplyDeleteThe impacts of mobile media brings to individualistic or collectivism is depending on how the users use it. People are tend to look on the mobile phone when they are intentionally want to do that. Mobile would not be the barrier for us to make connection and maintain relationship. So, lets think about are you truly do care about the people around you? If not, I think I can understand that why the persons are ignored. Therefore, if you do care about people around you. Please adjust the behavior for not live in your own world but have some connection through mobile media.
Hi Jessie, thank you for your reply and feedback. I agreed with you that if someone care about the people around them, he or she will try to connect with them with whatever medium they have. :)
Delete