Variations of Reality: The Truman Show

In 1998 the world was gifted with the release of the social media statement far ahead of its time, the Truman Show.  While reality TV did exist in the late 90's, those of us old enough to remember, can note the distinct lack of survivors, american idols, and Snookies.  In the magical time where the Jersey shore was just a polluted location, and being an apprentice was far less glamorous, a social statement was made by the writers and directors of this forward thinking movie.   While the movie is far from new, the questions it raised are perhaps even more relevant today than when the movie was released.

While the movie does have a high entertainment value, perhaps more important is the social issues it raised for the next generation of viewers.  The film makes a clear statement about the intrusiveness of media in the late nineties.  With the passage of time and increase in technology, the level ignorance of privacy seen in the movie seems almost, though not quite, eerily attainable today.

As our western society learns to rely more and more heavily on media, we allow media to more fully intrude on our lives.  The fine line between our public selves and our private selves continues to blur as we grip tightly the double edged sword of technology with both hands.  We have increased our media usage as a culture exponentially and as such have connected to more and more people, this is not a one way street.  As we connect to other people and are invited into their private lives, many of us return the 

favor publicizing, both intentionally and accidentally our lives to public viewing and scrutiny.

(Image from: http://marketing.securestate.com/Portals/147369/images/social_media_privacy_issues.jpg)

The Truman show also raises another poignant question: Where is the line between reality and the performance we all give?  The person that our friends see probably isn't the person our boss sees, which most likely is different than the person our family sees.  Which brings the question, which is the real one?  Or are they all real and this is just massive over thinking on my part.  Either way, it brings into question whether or not a person is being genuine, or just showing you their pre-fabricated social mask.

Lastly I would like to evaluate one incredibly important and relevant question for this day and age, the ethics of reality TV.  There are two sides to every story, and reality TV is no different.  The basis of reality television today is compiled of people who willingly sign away their lives for a possible twenty minutes of airtime.  Oh, and don't forget that said air time will be hacked up into unrecognizable tidbits that will serve as incriminating evidence on the next dramatic scandal in the show.  For television, ratings are everything, so what's a little innocent exploitation of daily life?  The key here, is that people sign releases allowing their emotions, words, and picture to be used in such a way as the producers/execs, etc. see fit.  So, if the people are willing to be misrepresented is there a problem with reality TV ethics? Maybe, but it sure would be hard to prove.

Overall, the movie turned out to be a relatively accurate predictor of what we would be capable of technology wise within the next few years.  Whether this was intentional or not, we will never know.  I believe that this movie was a statement about where we could be headed as a culture, and while we aren’t there yet, I wouldn’t discredit the theory.

Hello, My Name Is...

Hello, my name is Katie, and I am a technology addict.  Technology plays a massive part in my life, much as it does in the majority of the twenty first century college going young adults in the United States.  When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I'll check is my phone.  Not only does my phone act as my alarm clock, but it also acts as my connection to just about everybody I know.   The fact that my alarm clock also doubles as a social media outlet, is both a blessing and a curse.  If it was not so easy to access social media, maybe I wouldn't spend so much time on it.  Reality check comes in, I probably would find a way.

However, I am much more the rule than I am the exception.  I am able connect with friends who I cant see everyday through Facebook.  I can keep up with current events through Twitter.  In a way, the internet and social media have allowed me to keep in touch with people who without it, I most likely would have lost touch with.  On the other hand, social media has become such a dominant part of the culture and my life, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when my dependence started.

Not all aspects of easy to access media is negative, I learned about the Boston bombing first from Facebook posts.  I definitely don't check the news sites as much as I check Twitter, so I learned about Columbine, and several other major events very soon after they happened from tweets.  I have educated my friends on current events and breaking news through social media, whereas they might not actually take the time to check the news sites.

When I have important information, I might make a few calls, but the ultimate way of shouting my news on the rooftop is a quick tweet, a short paragraph Facebook post, and a couple of hasty texts.  It's more than just a nice amenity, it's an extremely effective way to communicate.

All this to say, I am a very media centric person.  Social media does not define my daily life, but it enhances what I do everyday.  And yes, I might be a little addicted.  For better or worse, me and my ipad, iphone, and laptop are in it for the long haul.