Why ‘Screen Age’

I thought of ‘Screen Age’ as an umbrella term that captures what I believe as a defining feature of modern times.  Perhaps we can’t change our nature and may not even have free will but people are influenced by their surroundings and we do have a say over this. Nowadays we are surrounded by screens that feed us information, mediate our communication and are laden  with messages about what is normal, moral, attractive and countless ideas about how to find happiness. From the purposes of their invention to all the content they contain we can gather an incredible amount of understanding about our nature and society. Screens provide the best mirror we have and in this reflection we can see both where we are going wrong and the opportunities to connect and improve our way of life. Predominantly though, mainstream cinema, TV and commercials adhere to and serve to perpetuate dominant ideologies (for a kind of example check out this scene from ‘They Live‘ – the film isn’t exactly nuanced but it’s pretty F’n funny) and therefore fail to present these opportunities to evolve. These industries have been built on successfully selling us ideologies that we can recognise as the cause of so many of the world’s problems. One key to their success has been training us to be passive viewers (or consumers), where we switch off our critical thinking, making us more susceptible to influence. The power of screens can been seen to fuel insecurities, delusions and prejudices that disconnect us. On the other hand they can be used to inform and inspire us, encourage empathy and open our minds to new possibilities.

I  was a TV addict during my upbringing and have come to recognise the huge influence it has had over me. At 18 I had a revelation that I wanted to be a filmmaker. I graduated film school and am now doing a Bachelor of Arts at Sydney Uni as a mature age student (I’m not that old!). I absolutely love it as the subjects align with what I’m passionate about. Each faculty attempts to understand the society we live in from their own angle and this continues to expand my mind and spawn ideas. I’m particularly interested in what influences us and the nature of influence; how what we take in intercedes with our human instincts to inform our perceptions and motivate our actions. The lack of general conversation around this astounds me. As I study film theory, digital cultures, performance, philosophy, sociology, gender and cultural studies I come across more and more ideas that seem so relevant and fascinating yet seldom discussed. I really believe that increasing awareness about what media we consume and how we consume it can make a very real positive change on a societal and personal level.

I have just entered a field of study called ‘Digital Cultures’ that explores the impact of new digital technologies on society (it’s part of the reason I created this blog; for an assignment that was due last week!). Personally I have had a skeptical resistance to the speed at which we unquestioningly immerse ourselves into new technologies. It’s not that I think they’re all bad but I see a lot of value in understanding their effect. An increasing level of interactivity with screens especially on the internet is changing the way we see ourselves and relate to others. If the gap between our online and offline identities is diminishing what does this mean? We are identifying ourselves with increasing categorisation, signification and idealised (edited and photoshopped) representation. Our increasing engagement with computers means people are getting great at multitasking but this evolution is taking away from the depth of connection we feel with ourselves, nature and each other. It also diminishes analytical thinking that is required to solve problems. I’m not very good at multitasking and people constantly tell me I think too much but I guess I’m defending the value I see in this!

My aim in ‘Screen Age’ is to ask people to consider what they view in different ways and hopefully expand their engagement with it. I will use a theoretical basis but believe personal  testimony is really key to relate to or recognise the relevance of an idea. In a way this blog is the spill over of all the theories I am learning about at uni but are inappropriate to put in my essays.  My studies inspire me to think of examples in my own life and in the people around me and also spark creative ideas. I have generally found that people are very resistant to analyse what’s on the screens they immerse themselves in. Often it’s as if they are defending their right to use a drug they’re addicted to and I get it. I understand the much needed sense of escapism and unwinding that’s needed in this fast paced, modern, capitalist society and the content on screens almost seem to have been developed to offer this. I strongly believe though that the content and how we view it could be vastly improved without having to sacrifice on entertainment value. My aim is to encourage both our interactions with screens and life outside of them (there is one!) to be more engaging and expansive. Ultimately I would love for the blog to open up conversations with others and perhaps even find people with similar passions to work with on potential film projects.