Media Deprivation Dos and Don'ts

As we established at the very beginning of the semester, mass media in its many forms dominates every waking moment of our lives. TV, Internet, iPods, video games, cell phones, movies, and radio are just some of the many forms mass media takes today, and we are all subject to its stranglehold whether we know it or not.

The point of this experiment is threefold:

1. To see just how powerful that stranglehold is on our daily routine.
2. To discover the advantages of being free of the many distractions mass media provides for us.
3. To leave our cocoons of indoor media consumption and be more active, more social – Get outside for a change!

PROJECT GUIDELINES – YOUR "DOs and DON'Ts"
The following guidelines will help you determine when you can and cannot use a form of mass media in your daily routine:

CELL PHONE - TELEPHONE USE:
DO use your cell phone and/or telephone for basic contact purposes. You may call or text message but only if it's for a good reason; DO NOT pass the time texting or talking to someone. Finally, DO NOT use your cell phone for web surfing. You may check email, but no social networking, games, videos, etc.

COMPUTER - INTERNET - GAMING USE:
DO use your computer/laptop for educational purposes such as writing papers, doing research, checking email, etc.; but DO NOT use it for recreational purposes such as social networking, gaming, online shopping, fantasy sports, file-sharing, etc. Academic purposes only!

RADIO - STEREO - MP3 PLAYER USE:
DO NOT listen to the radio, stereo, or any MP3 players under almost any circumstance. The only instance you can listen to music is if you're at a restaurant/bar/party and there happens to be music playing in the background. DO NOT listen to your iPod or stereo while working out or studying, and DO NOT listen to the radio while driving. NO MUSIC!

TV - DVD - MOVIE THEATER USE:
DO NOT watch any TV or DVDs under almost any circumstance. The only instance you can watch TV is if you're at a restaurant/bar/party and there happens to be a TV playing in the background. DO NOT watch the local or national news. DO NOT go to the movies either. NO TV, MOVIES, OR VIDEO GAMES!

NEWSPAPER - BOOK - MAGAZINE USE:
DO read the newspaper, but only the print edition; no online news is allowed. DO NOT read any magazines, unless it's for academic purposes. DO read books, both for academic and recreational purposes. Graphic novels and/or comic books are acceptable reading, too. Like that old NBA commercial once said: READING IS FUNDAMENTAL!