Kayla’s Growth with Technology Throughout the Eighth Grade - TAYLOR HOLMES

Eighth Grade is an interesting film. When I think of technology during my stage of life, I support the social shaping of technology. With that being said, being 20 years old is very different from being 13 years old. When interacting with technology I feel as though it is possible to move between different theories. In the beginning, technology may seem to control us, but then as users start to understand what is happening they can take back control. In Kayla’s case technology is not invisible to her. It is at the forefront of her everyday life, but technological determinism seems too strict. At the beginning of the movie it appears as though technology controls her every move and no matter how much her father tries to influence her, he cannot. Near the end of the film, however, there is a major turning point. Kayla can set technology aside and have real conversations with her father which, in turn, influences her relationship with technology. Eighth Grade displays Kayla’s journey transitioning from a feeling of technological determinism, to the reality of the social shaping of technology. There will always be a bond between Kayla and her phone, but near the end of the movie, one begins to see her have more control over her life. She makes another video to her future self with ease and displays kindness towards herself. She uses social media to connect with the boy from the pool party who she eventually hangs out with, without technology being the focus. It is clear in the beginning that she is extremely anxious when it comes to technology, for example, she is envious when she looks at Kennedy’s Instagram page. She is very concerned with how others see her. By the end of the film, she learns to manage the anxiousness that is associated with technology and stands up to Kennedy.

Overall, technology was negatively impacting Kayla’s self-esteem, but after having genuine interactions she uses technology in a way that makes her happy. No one expected social media to cause so many negative outcomes, and society is trying to adapt to find new ways to make it useful. While Kayla sometimes predictably interacts with technology (i.e., uses it to connect with people), it is she who has the power to decide how her behaviour on platforms can make her feel (i.e., she starts to use it to connect with her true self).

- TAYLOR HOLMES





Comments

  1. Annabelle SpinaOctober 19, 2021 at 1:28 PM

    Great post this week!
    I really liked that you acknowledged that Kayla's age had a significant impact on how technology shapes her social identity. As you mentioned, being 20 years old is a lot different than being 13. I agree with you that in Kayla's case, technology was not invisible to her, but yet at the forefront of her everyday life. You mentioned that as the film played out, we watched Kayla's relationship with technology change. I also enjoyed watching her transition from a feeling of technological determinism, to the reality of the social shaping of technology. It was nice to see her have more control over her life as well as more of a relationship with her father and peers as the movie progressed. I liked how you finished off your response by mentioning that Kayla's relationship with technology was negatively impacting her self esteem as I think viewers saw many of her social anxieties stem from her dependance on her cell phone.

    Overall, great post this week!

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