Hello, my name is Thyrston and I am a bumper sticker addict. I will sit on Facebook for hours on end, looking through pages upon pages of bumper stickers. Even if I have a test the next day and a paper to write, I always have to urge to look at just a few more. I often can’t exit the screen because I feel like the funniest, most perfect bumper sticker will be on the next page. If I quit then I’ll never know about it. I am saddened to announce that my number is 143. Yes, I have gone through 143 pages of bumper stickers in one sitting. It’s sickening, I know. I need help!
My friend and I sit through Electrical Engineering class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday looking through endless amounts of bumper stickers and sending them to friends. They typically consist of one of the following groups: LOL Catz, FAILs, Twilight, Jizz in My Pants, Nom Nom Nom, Pokemon puns, True Life, or That’s what she said. If you use bumper stickers, you know what I’m talking about. There is always one that represents an inside joke you have with someone, and you HAVE to send it to them. There are others that are hilarious, disturbing, and offensive all at once. They are a true representation of our sense of humor as a society. Yet I can’t figure out what keeps me coming back for more. What makes bumper stickers so addicting? In addition to that, how are they able to keep a person’s attention for such a long period of time?
After reading Lee Siegel’s book “Against the Machine” I can’t help but wonder, are bumper stickers making our generation stupid? I think there is a possibility that they are making us stupid. We are seeking instant gratification from the humor of a bumper sticker, gaining little knowledge in the process. It is also contributing to our generation’s issue of a short attention span. However, since the bumper stickers are so small in size and information, they are able to keep our attention. What do you think?
1 comment:
You hit the nail on the head when you said the need for "instant gratification" is the root of the problem with Facebook and other Internet addictions. The problem isn't Facebook, it's that the Internet makes it so easy to postpone the harder tasks that require concentration. Facebook offers instant fun, and who doesn't want that? This post reminds me of how my mother used to hide my Seventeen magazine under a chair cushion and wouldn't let me see it until I had done my homework. Because of the Internet, parents don't have that kind of power any more, even when the kids are in high school.
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