COMPARATIVE STUDYEUMIND -MIND BOGGLERS

GROUP-MASS MEDIA

This Diwali vacations all the five members of our group “The Mind Bogglers” interviewed people from three different categories.Category 1: Our grandparents or the people who are of the same age as theirs.Category 2: Our parents or the people who are of the same age as theirs.Category 3: teenagers of who are as old as we are. While interviewing these people we learnt that with times not only people change but also the technology and the mass media available at their household has changed.

INTERVIEWING OUR GRANDPARENTS

• Each of us interviewed our grandparents. While doing so we learnt that there was no technological advancements. There were no smart phones, televisions, and computers etc. People were ignorant of what was happening around the world. Their knowledge was confined only to the happenings around their locality. Moreover the sources of information were also limited. The only mass media available were newspapers, weekly magazines and books. Purchasing books was also quiet a costly affair then. So people preferred using the public library set up by the panchayats. The only means of communicating with people who lived in the other village, town, city, state or country was through letters. It would also take an entire month to get back a reply.

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS AT THEIR TIMES….

• The positive impacts of mass media during their time was that most of them spent some time in reading and also spent a lot of time with their families as there were no smart phones to get them addicted to. There were no negative impacts of mass media during their time. They also said that they were hardly aware of what was going around in the world as they rarely got to know what was going on in the country or in the world. The news would be mostly about the happenings in their locality. The world was disconnected at that time.

INTERVIEWING OUR PARENTS…

• Next we interviewed our parents. During their time the technology was a little advanced or at least there were televisions and computers! However most of the houses still did not have televisions and computers. The sources of getting information increased. Besides books, the televisions, radios and computers helped keeping people up to date with the happenings around the world. However there were no mobile phones, but there were telephones. At least people could contact each other instantly.

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS AT THEIR TIMES….

• The positive impacts of these technological advancements were that the world somewhat seemed closer. The newspapers also had daily updates about the happenings around the country as well as around the world. There were no negative impacts of these mass media at that time.

INTERVIEWING THE TEENS….• We then interviewed teenagers. All of us are tech savvy now.

There has been a lot of advancements in technology today. Today every household has a smart phone, computer, television etc. In fact every individual owns a smart phone and a laptop. Today the sources of information have multiplied as compared to the earlier days. One touch and everything we require is available. We are immediately cognizant of something that is happening in the other end of the world by just browsing an app. These advancements in technology has not only enabled people to contact each other instantly but also they can share the happy moments of their life with their loved ones even though they are not in the same place. The presence of mobile phones, computers, televisions, newspapers, books etc. has changed our lives immensely

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS NOW….

• The positive impact of these changes is that the people of the world have grown closer. One is able to communicate with people who are continents far. We are always updated about the events occurring in the world through the internet. The computers and mobiles are provided with internet connection and hence we have an ocean of information accessible. Unlike the times of our grandparents’ and parents’ time where mass media had no negative impact, today the smart phones or computers in the hands of youngsters is proving to be really dangerous as they have access to almost any information and parents just can’t control them. Moreover it is proving to be a distraction for them as they can’t concentrate on what they are presently doing. They are just longing to get their hands on their mobile phones or computers. Also as the internet is being widely used, they are security concerns arising. People are becoming very dependent on their smart phones to accomplish simple tasks. Also these advancements in technology have created a void in family relationships. Smart phones have become like a part of the body. Nowadays you can hardly see people without a phone in their hand. Some also have nicknamed it their surviving tool! These smart phones have also penetrated into the living rooms, which used to be an area for having fun and exchanging stories with family. Nowadays the dining room is occupied by people each busy with a phone in hand. When was the last time one had dinner laughing and talking with family, rather than craning our necks to see the program going on T.V.?

CONCLUSION

• We thus arrived at a conclusion that though the progress in technology is appreciated, it comes with some negative aspects.

• After interviewing all these people we have concluded that with there has been a drastic advancement and in mass media as well as in technology over the years.