Blog Post 2- Xuan Nguyen
The film "Eighth Grade" portrays Kayla's struggles as an eighth grader and how she copes with the anxiety of new digital media and its interactivity. One example is that Kayla often uses digital media, such as her daily online journal, to share her thoughts and give advice. However, her experience with her peers took a traumatic turn, and she began to feel anxious and judged when people started mentioning her videos. Another example of anxiety that arises from digital media is Kayla's social media use. She would consistently compare herself to other students based on what they post on Snapchat and Instagram, making her insecure and want to change her values to fit in.
Kayla's adoption of heavy digital media use has caused a significant shift in how she perceives herself and others. Unfortunately, this has led to feelings of anxiety and fear, which the use of digital media can be harmful, particularly for younger generations. However, what are some ways we can empower the younger generations to utilize the benefits of digital media while safeguarding their mental and emotional well-being?
Hi Xuan,
ReplyDeleteSome ways to empower the younger generations to utilize the benefits of digital media while safeguarding their mental and emotional well-being are: setting boundaries, promoting positivity, cyberbullying awareness/prevention, and encouraging a healthy balance of activities offline. There is no real way to stop the younger generation from seeing or participating in the negatives of digital media, however, we can definitely steer them in the right direction towards the positives.
Hi Xuan
ReplyDeleteYour take on Kayla's struggles in Eighth Grade is on point. The examples you highlighted about her online journal and social media comparisons are insightful. The question about empowering younger generations to navigate digital media's benefits while protecting their well-being is a crucial consideration. Well done in capturing the film's portrayal of the challenges posed by new digital media.
Hey Xuan, great job with your post! To answer your question, one way that I believe we can empower younger generations to utilize the benefits of digital media while taking care of their own mental health could be by promoting things like body positivity and sharing personal experiences with mental health issues and how we overcame them. I feel that younger generations take what they see on social media and try to relate it to their own life, so if they see that they are not alone in their struggles, it could empower them to do the same for others.
ReplyDelete