Reading Post #1

There is  an age-old dynamic between generations which involves the elder criticizing the younger. The case made in the beginning pages of this essay highlights that newer generations neglect meaning in the media they consume. There is apparently an entire generation of consumers completely unaware of the subtleties in media and photographs. I would argue; however, that this is not a new phenomenon and it is certainly not one that should be categorized by generations. It seems like in many cases, there is a reluctance of people to understand irony in writing, comedy, and many other sources of literature. While I do not disagree that the education system should teach aspects of how to analyze media for meaning, I do not believe this is anything new. Based on my experiences with friends and family members, there are many older generations who are incapable of understanding the subtleties of Facebook, Instagram and X posts. For example, an article from Clickhole (a well-known irony news outlet) is interpreted as truth from many older individuals I know, with the reasoning being: “Well I saw it on Facebook.” Ultimately, the point I am attempting to get across is that this argument is being made on the basis of age, even though younger people are more attuned to the meaning of photographs online than their older counterparts. Being chronically online, as much of the younger generation is, allows you to determine which photographs are legitimate and which are not.