Children of the Screen

In her essay, Children of the Screen, Hannah Baylon asserts that people are completely controlled and exhausted by media and advertising. She claims that media dictates the social and cultural norms which in turn drive and control people. She advocates an upheaval of this system to regain human ingenuity and creativity, as well as our true identities. While I agree with and support the majority of her claims, I do not believe that being a “child of the screen” is all bad.
There is no doubt that television and advertising drives people’s actions. Commercials have become increasingly sexual since the “sexual revolution” of the 60’s. These commercials, combined with clothing manufacturers producing clothes with less and less fabric, have had drastic effects such as skyrocketing teen pregnancy. However, events such as the upcoming Super Bowl, which drive and promote these commercials, bring people together. In thousands of households this weekend, people will be joining for food, laughs and a good time, albeit around the TV. Humans are by nature social beings. In ancient Rome, people would gather in the coliseum to watch the gladiators. The only difference now is that more people can partake and it allows people to entertain in their own homes. This is far from the nightly “vegging out” that Baylon uses as evidence. Though the nightly “vegging out” does occur it is not to say that the TV is strictly a bad thing.
There is also an element of media that promotes creativity. That element is known as the “viral video” which can be found on YouTube. Though riddled with silly videos of people immolating themselves or imposing other various pains and ailments upon themselves, there are many creative and useful videos. Many people can find how-to videos for things that have nothing to do with screens, like learning to play the guitar, or change the oil on a car, or make chainmail out of wire. These videos allow people to discover the innate creativity and brilliance that Baylon claims we have faded away from.
Though Baylon makes many good and true claims, I do believe that she does not recognize the bonuses of being a “child of the screen”. I would support a revolution and a break away from media wholeheartedly as it is destroying our culture and our human identity, but I wouldn’t say that we need to erase it completely.