In her article Children of the Screen, author Hannah Baylon argues that today’s “society insists upon mechanistic production, encourages mindless entertainment, and exalts ravenous consumption of extravagancies”. She depicts our society as superficial, materialistic and monotonous in our daily routines. In short, we have adapted to a screen based environment that will ultimately be harmful to society. Many people would be appalled to be labeled in this way and would enthusiastically deny Baylon’s claim. But, in truth, we are children of the screen.
Most people are guilty of this; working long hours and spending the rest of our day engrossed in our favorite television show or another mindless distraction. Today, it seems the only life that is acceptable in society is a life of long, monotonous labor. After all, it is the American Dream to work hard and make money so one can afford the luxuries of life and truly be happy. We all strive to meet this goal that has been driven into our brains as the only acceptable way to live our lives, but most of us will not be any happier when we fulfill our collective “dream”.
Even I am guilty of adapting to our screen-based environment at times. Though I am a student, I work for long periods of time and unwind by distracting myself with television, solitaire on my computer, or other somewhat mindless activities. I follow the lives of celebrities, even though I do not worship them as some people do, and someday, I want a nine-to-five job in a business setting. However, I do not think I have adapted enough to be controlled by our screen-based society. I consider myself an intellectual, so I often busy myself with crossword puzzles and reading along with other activities that require problem solving and thinking. More importantly, I have not lost my connection with nature and the simple pleasures of returning to the natural world. One of the simplest pleasures (but easily the most rewarding) is that of walking down the streets on a foggy night without the noises of cars speeding down the road or the view of buildings along the horizon. When I find myself immersed in nature, rather than the urban confines of civilization, I am elated and at peace with myself.
Ms. Baylon accompanies her article with a provocative portrait that embodies the characteristics of our screen-based environment. The girl in the photo stands before a blank screen with a large chain around her neck and duct tape over her mouth. The blank screen in the background communicates a mindlessness and monotony that personify our screen-based society. The chain around the model’s neck represents society’s imprisonment in the screen based society and how we cannot escape. Finally, we are powerless to speak out against our lives, as is portrayed by the duct tape across the girl’s mouth.
Obviously, there are some aspects of our society that are less than desirable. We work for so many hours in a day that many people cannot be as close to their family and friends as they should be, causing tension. Many people believe that celebrities have all the answers because they are wealthy and famous, even when they do not. However, the screen based society has brought the world closer together through technology and production of goods and services is high enough to meet demand from the people. Screen based environments can be beneficial to society and harmful toward it at the same time, but I believe that the less desirable aspects far outweigh the benefits.
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