Nothing New about New Media

Isn’t it during exams that you think about all the things you can do other than studying? When you pick up the notes and pretend going through them, you’ll see some animated self-made character laughing at you for the sheer stupidity of what you’re reading. What was I thinking when I took up the Masters in Communication and Journalism I don’t remember. And nor will I remember these really silly theories propounded by some seemingly intelligent fellows. A better word for them would be ‘dimwits’.

One of the subjects of my curriculum calls itself ‘New Media’. And what does it encompass of? Everything old. Not kidding, seriously! The very first slide of the PPT we are given to study has humans jumping out as frogs on a green globe which has social media sites encrypted on it. How thoughtful? Sigh…

Page after page there are dimwits flaunting their English language skills to get to one stupid point- Internet has changed the world. And some of them go ahead and give steps to foresee these changes. It is not even funny how nonsensical is it to study it at this point of time when I’m typing out to the wide world sitting in one corner of my bedroom, while my parents think I’m studying. On another tab I’m streaming a video to watch next. So sexy na? Multi-tasking n all on one small device which facilitates the greatest invention of all time- the internet. Or what they say? The New Media.

I’m glad when my professor said you’ve to argue with the theories and present your views. To hell with them I’ll argue. If I could induce an argument I’d even go up to why these people even used so much of their brain. And more so why were these theories put in my syllabus? Bhai, simple si baat hai, internet aya aur apne saath information laya. You give free food to people, you’ll see rush outside your house. Here you’re getting anything and everything for free, obviously people will make the most of it. Sexual fantasies and doubts are being demonstrated, forget cleared. Why won’t people be attracted? Sex sells and gets searched most. Hogaya degrade society tumhara. Ye hai next theory!

They talk about the pornography and obscenity of information because of the new media. Matlab kya bhai? Post kare toh innovative and jyada post kare toh problem. Who had even asked you’ll to analyse so much in the first place? They born and died in an age when they were not introduced to internet but they kind of thought of remaining mortal by stating the obvious in their theories. So cool! Little did they know one fine day their theories will be done and dusted on a blog post. 

To wind things up, I’m a student who is literally trying to make sense of matter that is put forth in front of me. In the 21^st century I’m learning how some people thought internet will change the world. And then we complain (in another subject) about the next lot of journalists being too old-fashioned and not technically aware. In short-

MCLuhan k Maa ko Pranam,

Carrey k Dad ko Saalam,

Aur hum bane hai New Media k Gulaam!