Blog Post #2 - Hannah Alexander
In the film Eighth Grade, we see Kayla navigate social life and relationships while staying connected through various social media platforms. Through the perspective of the domestication of technology, we can see the integration of social media and the notion of staying connected within Kayla's everyday life and many of her peers. For example, we see clips of Kayla aiming to interact with her peers including Kennedy, Steph and Aiden. When Kayla tries to push herself out of her comfort zone and talk to her classmates, she's met with them staring at their phones while half paying attention to what Kayla is saying. These scenes convey how technology has become so woven into the fabric of their everyday life, and the extent to which the eighth graders rely on technology to get through their day.
Similarly, this is seen throughout the scene when Kayla sits at the dinner table with her father, staring at her phone trying to drown her dad's voice out with the music in her earbuds. She later surfs the web and social media platforms for hours at night, jumping from one app to another. Like the others in her grade, Kayla considers social media and her phone an integral part of the infrastructure of their social life, driving the awkward and anxious feelings she experiences when talking to others.
Hi Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post; the examples you analyzed were ones I needed to think more about, as the anxiety created by technology use is seen in many aspects of the film. However, as a young adult who probably used that much technology growing up, it has become something I am blind to when watching the film, such as using my phone at the dining table or getting distracted from my notifications when something is talking to me. Similarly, I can still consider social media part of my social life, which is upsetting. But it is the reality of our generation that still causes much anxiety to many.
Hey Hannah, great job with your post! I like your use of examples from the film. I agree that the scenes where the teens were focused their phones is a great representation of what many teenagers and even some adults act like in todays society. It has become a social norm to depend on these devices.
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