Blog Post #2: Domestication of Technology in the film 'Eighth Grade'
Post by: Josh DiBellonia
Nancy Baym argues that both technology and society shape the use of communication tools as they shift from being ‘fringe’ to ‘everyday objects (Baym, 2015). She identifies this concept as the ‘Domestication of Technology’. The smart is just one example of a new digital technology that has become so interlinked into the infrastructure of our everyday lives that its effect on its users is simply an afterthought, and the discussions of its positive or negative effects are often disregarded. When watching the film ‘Eighth Grade’ in class, it felt like a moment of self-reflection that allowed me to visualize how my relationship to my personal technologies has developed over the years. The film portrayed Kayla’s relationship and obsession with digital and social media as the source of her personal and social anxieties. In a broad sense, it demonstrated how the domestication of personal mobile smartphone can become the source of individual and collective “anxiety” evident amongst adolescents in the present day. Although Baym believes that while a section of society adapts to the use of a given technology and displays their ‘dependence’ of a given technology in a manner that doesn’t appear to be disruptive, (almost seamlessly integrated), one could argue that Kayla depicts a section of society in which the domestication of a technology such as the smartphone is disruptive to the fabric of everyday thus damaging their overall wellbeing and emotional stability. Similar to Kayla’s’ behaviour as seen in the film, adolescents and teenagers have the urge to check their phone whenever they feel bored or out of place, or simply because the device is within your personal reach (ex, in bed). According to a study conducted by BBC in 2019, teenagers who were very high social-media users were around 70% more likely to fall asleep while on their phone in bed (BBC, 2019). Habits like this was illustrated in the films scene where Kayla throws her found amidst her fathers’ disturbance. Some adolescents, teenagers, and young adults merely
Hi Kaitlyn, I really liked reading your post! I will not deny the idea that many people, both young and adult, get the urge to check their phones when they're bored as that is something I have become quite accustomed to myself. But as Baym argues in her text, and as you mentioned above, technology has seamlessly integrated with our society so that there would be no disruption to everyday activities. Kayla would be an example of someone who has integrated technology into their lives by substituting online interactions for in-person activity. However, I would like to argue that seeing as Kayla is more introverted and is someone who doesn't seem to have many friends, by using social media she is opening up to prospective relationships. For example, instead of staying inside to watch TV or do anything alone, she is interacting with society online. Yes, there are many negatives that technological determinism bring into the discussion, some of which are not far-fetched, but in a society where technology is used like an extra limb, we don't have much of a choice but to accept its flaws as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Teja, Thanks for the reply! you argue that seeing as Kayla as more introverted and is someone who doesn't seem to have many friends, by using social media she is opening up to prospective relationships. I do partially agree with that. I haven't watched the remainder of the film, so i cannot speak to what the outcome of Kayla's relationships eventually become. However, I think in come scenarios in real life, teenager and adolescents become so fixated on building social media relationships and how they are portrayed on social media in the eyes of other people can can create an almost obsessive-like behaviour that can be tarnishing towards their real-life interactions and relationships with real physical people. For example I know many people whom were so possessed by how they were portrayed on social media and how many friends they had that they decided it was in their best interest to delete their account and refrain from social media use for a bit. After sometime, they admitted that the time-off opened their eyes to how disruptive their dependance to social media was in their life.
DeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteI thought you had a really strong explanation of domestication and its relation to the film. Although there is a side of it where technology isn't disruptive to its users, there is also a side where technology creates problems and anxiety's for the people who become obsessed with it. Kayla's frequent use of digital and social media is what creates the anxiety's she has about becoming popular. I think Kayla is using social media to try and portray herself in a certain way that she thinks will make her more desirable to her classmates.
I also enjoyed your point about how social media is flawed, but it is something we choose to accept. As we can see from your post, social media has its benefits but, it can cause anxiety for its users. These flaws that come with social media are something that everyone seems to accept because we think the benefits outweigh the costs. I also think that social media is something that is not going away for a long time, and will continue to have its flaws.
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ReplyDeleteGreat post this week!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the connection you made between the concept of the domestication of technology and the film. I also agree that new digital technology has become so interlinked into the infrastructure of our everyday lives that its effect on its users are simply an afterthought. I think this was a great way of explaining that we have become so consumed with technology that its repercussions are often pushed to the back of our minds. I enjoyed how you included a self-reflection in your blog post as well. Similarly, I also found Kayla's journey with technology to mirror my own when I was her age. I agree that the domestication of smartphones has caused for some social anxieties to arise within us, Kayla being uncomforted with having real-life conversations is a great example of that. It was quite obvious that Kayla's dependance on technology had a negative effect on her overall emotional well-being and identity, which you mentioned in your response.
Overall, great job this week!