By: Artem Protsenko
My hour of media immersion started with me opening different social apps and media sites. The first app on my list was Instagram, particularly the search and explore feature from it. That is where people can find different types of information based on the posts and accounts you interact with. In my media grid there were news headlines from various publications filled with recent information on recent events. Most of the information was focused on the latest terrorist attacks in Kabul. Since Instagram posts on average do not contain a large pieces of information. I decided to search more details myself on this topic. Therefore, I used Internet search tool to look up the most accurate and updated reports about this event. Soon I found myself on the vast of websites devoted to the news and articles about latest issues. In my opinion it is highly remarkable how from a single post on Instagram I was able to go to the different resources containing various content on the topic of my interest. I believe that shows how much social and media networks are being involved into our lives on a daily basis. For the rest of an hour, I was listening to music, watching YouTube, and periodically checking mason email.
The next morning, I decided to go outside to spend my one hour in a naturalistic environment. In order to do so I chose a nearby park and left all the electronic devices at home. The only thing that I had with me was my phone as a tool of communication. The weather in the morning was warm and sunny. The sunlight was penetrating through the crowns of trees illuminating the road stretched across the forest. My path laid between tall woodlands covered with grass and leaves. As I was walking, I began noticing small elements and details such as different types of birds inhabiting those areas, various shapes and structures of trees and much more.
For me that was a unique experience of how opposite the experience can be from both the time you spend in nature and the time you spend in a mediated environment. The types of information you receive are entirely distinct from each other with outdoor being more observational, while indoor being more analytical.