115. Experiencing Media

Every piece of media I encounter changes me. The magnitude of the change cannot be predicted in advance. I might watch a complex film only to remain much the same person as I was before. I might listen to a simple song and discover a whole new way of seeing the world.

The direction of the change is equally unpredictable. Reading a thousand social media posts drenched in cynicism will not necessarily make me more cynical. Reading a novel where the characters demonstrate incredible insight will not necessarily make me more insightful.

The effects of media are uncertain because there is another factor present in each encounter. That factor is me, the cumulative being that I already am. Even more than the substantive beliefs and values I hold, there is the intractable mass of experiences I’ve had throughout my life that influences the outcome. The very same piece of media can produce completely different experiences for different people.

Engaging with media is an experience that takes place in me. The media object itself is the recipe I follow. The brewing of the potion begins when I give my attention to the piece of media. It communicates the ingredients to me through the words, images, sounds, and other perceptions it provides. The communicated information mixes with my past experience to produce a unique potion. But I’m not only the one brewing, I’m also the one drinking. And I cannot know how I will be changed.

In each encounter with media, the possibilities are almost endless. I’m at risk of becoming anyone, even someone I barely know. Even so, the risk is worth taking. For each media experience is always also an opportunity to open myself up to a new way of seeing the world and myself. By taking the risk and allowing myself to change, my awareness can expand and I can become more than I previously was.