Ghost World Scene

Seymour - Garrett Bouslough

Rebecca - Megan Fisher

*Special thanks to Harrison Stagner for Shooting and Editing!*

Howl - My Generation

Trying to define my generation in only a few works would be very difficult, as it would be for any generation.  My generation, even as babies, has never been in a world without technology. Although they were very simple and much more primitive than they are today, we are the generation where televisions, computers, and mp3 players have always constantly been being upgraded, bringing us into this digital age that we are in now. Because we grew up with this technology around us, and it grew with us, we are accustomed to it, and find it very easy to navigate. Even as a child I remember using the computer to play games on Nickelodeon’s website, based on my favorite shows. Now a days, this is still available to kids, only much faster and in higher definition, meaning the newer generations of children will have even less trouble navigating new technologies than we did. Our generation is different in the way that today, we aren’t as influenced by songs or music as previous generations were, but more so by these technologies.

Since we grew up surrounded by these technologies, there has never been a reason for us to stop. I believe that as a result from using these devices for all of our lives, it has shaped our generation. One way it has molded us is that we are clearly a generation of consumers. Growing up, there were always advertisements for super soakers or stuffed animals on commercials in between my cartoons, and if I wanted to buy them I’d have to beg my parents to take me to a toy store and buy it for me. But now, from canvases to clothes, I have it all at the tip of my fingers. Online shopping is fast, quick, and I don’t even need to leave my room. Because we are used to this privilege, the act of going to a mall and searching through endless piles of clothes is unappealing to most.

If you were to walk down a busy street in Manhattan on a Saturday afternoon, out of all of the people you pass by, over half of them would have their eyes glued to their smartphones. As we grew up, cell phones steadily became more advanced, and as they did, so did its users. Because these phones make it possible to do so many things at once, we have become accustomed to being the generation of multi-taskers. We could be on the phone with someone, whilst looking up reviews to a new movie that just came out. Our minds are always in many different places at once, and the way we use our phones is directly correlated to that. So those people you passed in Manhattan that look like they’re just texting or calling, are probably doing three things at once. However, even though our generation is talented in the aspect of multi-tasking, it isn’t always a good thing. I’m slowly beginning to realize how hard it is for me to put my phone down, and just relax for a minute. I always feel like I need to be doing something, or stimulating my brain somehow. There are so many things I could be browsing on the web, for example, checking my art blog, checking facebook, or checking my email, etc. that I find it difficult to put down my constant flowing source of information and friends, and just be bored for a little while. Because we have these entertainment devices on us most of the time, and we’re used to having them on us, that when we don’t, we as a generation get bored very easily. We’re accustomed to flashy video games, and tv shows that when something feels out of place, we aren’t entertained by it.

Another interesting affect technology has impacted our lives, is social media. In my opinion, social media has one of the biggest effects on our generation and how we have come to be. As a freshman in high school I was first introduced to facebook, and continue to use it to this day. Sometimes I don’t even know why I check it, because I’m not all that interested to see what people I knew years ago are doing on their Tuesday afternoon. These sites have become so popular among our generations, and the ones around ours. I’ve seen children as young as ten are exposed to this type of social contact. We live in a world now where people share even the tiniest pieces of information, and we can constantly be updated with what our favorite celebrities are up to. We are not a private generation; in fact, we’re probably the opposite. Social media breaks boundaries with privacy, and gives users the opportunity to be open about their lives, without saying a word to an actual human being. We are willing to share to the Internet everything we’ve done in a day, even if nobody’s listening. The newer generations on these sites are becoming desensitized to everything much quicker, because everything is so out in the open for them to find out now, which can be pretty scary.

            As for works that describe our generation, there is only one I can think of, and that being the Harry Potter series. Growing up, this series meant a lot to me. My mother would read a couple chapters to my sisters and me before we went to bed each night, because we were too young to read such a long book. We grew up with Harry Potter, and the movies, as well as with the actors that casted them. They’re such a popular series that I think nearly everyone in our generation read and adored them. Not that this book was a ground-breaking piece of literature that stood up for our beliefs as a generation, it was more of a comfort, Harry was almost like a friend, and I always loved listening, and reading to what he would do as he went through his years at Hogwarts. 

          The Medium is the Massage

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