chrissaloukas Blogs

Rabbit Hole of Web Consumption

About 11 years ago, I was preparing to travel to Los Angeles from Greece, and I remember that I had to create a Facebook account in order to keep in touch with my friends and family. The immense distance was making it really expensive for phone-calls, and the internet was offering a great solution. Up until today I remember my inner resistance to emerge into the world of social media. However, once I made that leap there was no turning back. It felt as if I jumped into a rabbit-hole, and I really do not think I will ever get out…

Back in those days media consumption was not as popular as it is today. “When Pew Research Center began tracking social media adoption in 2005, just 5% of American adults used at least one of these platforms. By 2011 that share had increased to half of all Americans, and today 72% of the public uses some type of social media,” according to the Social Media Fact Sheet.  

But what is it about consuming media that attracts everyone nowadays?  Is it the effortless stalking of other people? Is it the dating from the comfort of your couch? Is hiding behind a screen providing a platform that anyone can become confident, or feel beautiful enough to be more courageous in dating?

As these questions lingered in my mind I started observing my objectives and my own time on screen. I have to shamefully admit that I have done all of the above. I have checked out profiles that interested me; it was much easier to reply to a possible romance online than in person, and I have spent numerous hours watching other people’s funny videos.

Observing smartphone and computer habits may prove that the on-screen consumption is constant throughout the day.

I must confess that during a time of studying my infographic and the excel log-in of media consumption, I realized how they are both portraying an immense time of screen. However, they don’t seem to depict much time on social media. A linear increase is obvious during a 24-hour observation of smartphone and computer, but my time on social media is limited. Since all of my classes are online due to the pandemic, I currently spend most of my time in front of my computer. During breaks and in between classes I may randomly visit either Instagram, or Facebook or the Washington post to receive information.

Excel log-in example of four hours in front of a screen

The day I recorded this information, Facebook was the winner with 53 minutes of time consumption. It was a day of back-to-back classes and I felt that my eyes were burning looking at my computer’s screen, while an unprecedented exhaustion had taken over. It was the first time I had to spend so many hours online. But surfing the web versus taking classes online require different types of energy. Web surfing simply takes you wherever your interest wants to go. Taking a class requires your full attention and participation if you want to understand the material that it is taught.

Time consuming on Iphone, on each app at the same day. Note: I think I forgot Waze open in the background

Being in the rabbit-hole after all these years I have realized that it is easy to get lost into the web. Sometimes it takes extra effort to get out and take a moment to smell the flowers in the garden, or take a walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes a break from media consumption is ideal to keep your sanity and clear your head from the non-stop information absorption.

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