Tuesday 8 November 2016

Escape from reality

Do you think that youngsters nowadays – teenagers and young adults – are absorbed in the “parallel universe” of social media, TV series, fantasy fiction and video games because they want to escape from the reality of today’s world?

Read this article by a young Indian teenager who feels it is easier to ignore the major problems in the world today by turning away from reality and living in a bubble, because that’s what adults seem to be doing as well!
http://www.vogue.in/content/confessions-of-a-modern-teenager/

Do you agree with the ideas she expresses? What do YOU think is the reason that young people like to live in their own “virtual” worlds instead of in the “real” world?

8 comments:

  1. First of all, we should first check if it is an new trend. Tv shows are not that recent and radio and newspaper always gave the public access to fictions.
    On the one hand, the reality of today's world actually is depressing and I understand how some people might search from an escape.
    But on the other hand, with internet and social medias, news travel faster than ever! Furthermore, social medias are between real people and it should be considered as a "virtual world".

    To conclude, I do not completely share this point of view. I can not deny that our world is hard but it has always been and people looking for an escape always existed. We should not blame internet and TV for everything, and I feel like these teens are a minority.

    Coline Chataing 1S4

    ReplyDelete
  2. With the extreme growth of the media these last ten years and an access always more direct and easy to the new technologies, the young adults and the teenager stemming from this generation " 2.0 " seem absorbed by this virtual world to a such point that he seems to confuse reality and fiction.Here is the subject which, for some time, hits the newspapers headlines and causes television debates. A lot of analysts explain that the young people so try to escape the reality.
    It is true that the world politic situation could urge the population to take refuge in an another world. Famines, wars, growing of social inequalities, are so many reasons which can frighten us, or disgusting us of what we see and hear every day. The virtual could thus take the aspect of a refuge. However I believe that people look rather for answers. For examples movies as "divergent" or "hunger games " present societals models which are different from those that we are using and show them advantages and the inconveniences.Many famous authors as in " Le meilleur des mondes" also handle with this subject and give us material to think. Furthermore, I think that one of the attractions of the video games is to be able to control completely a life, full of action and adventures. The real life is sublimated and we find some pleasure to evolve in a fantastic world where we are can contrôle our destinity.
    To conclude I understand this point of wiew even if I think that people don't confuse reality and fiction and just try to find answers and to feels rassured thanks to a virtual identity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yeah, I think that young people want to escape from the real world by watching fantasy shows, or dreaming, or playing video games, because that's simpler than to confront with the real problems of the world.
    Moreover, watching TV or playing video games is more pleasant than to look at the elections or to speak about the famine in the world. Even if they are very important things, the young people don't want to worry about it. That will come when they, and I with them, become adults.

    Elisa Etchegaray, 1L1

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have several opinions about that,

    First of all , the world changes and evolves , the new technology proposes much entertainment as the video games , tv show , Music in a snap , social medias , speak with people when we want ….and this is a part of our daily life ! The young people are constantly with new technology and the new generation was born with that and of course it keeps us all away from the reality ,because evertything it is more simple in the virtual world , We look for anything? It takes only seconds for finding ! We don’t care about our problems in real life , we live in a bubble and some of young people prefer to have fun that to worry about the world ( of a course it’s a generality , there are people who don’t like virtual world)
    However social medias can inform us about the current events ,In a way that takes away us less from the reality, so I think that we are not very escape to the reality , and Internet can be a good away to debate !
    Also Many teenagers can be stress ( or sad ) for several reason ( school , job , friends , family , ,,etc) and they just want to go into their bubbles
    But there are Teenagers who are intersted by the reality  and world’s problems ! And it’s a good things
    to conclude yes young people want to escape from the reality but it depends there are also teenagers who prefer the real world ! Personally I like to debate, I am interested by the reality but sometime I need to be in my bubble , just me and my computer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. HI EVERYONE!!
    To begin with social media allows us to escape the world, and to enter an alternate make-believe sphere of our own desire. Why do I say this? To list a few, we can manipulate what we wish to see in our “news feed” and whom we wish to “be friend”. We can delete people’s posts or comments if we don’t like them, and we can ‘untag’ unflattering photos. We can choose to portray a particular representation of ourselves that is not neccessarily congruous with reality, and we can seemingly engage in a conversation with our favorite celebrity on twitter. We can make a statement, and within mere seconds, have 100 people respond. We can subscribe to or “follow” purely fluffy news sources, or whatever else it is we deem relevant. Online, it feels like we have God-like powers.
    In essence, social media gives us back the control that we sorely lack in reality.
    Our goal is to look at alternative lifestyles realistically so that it’s easier to know what we’re getting into when we make a lifestyle change.  There are inevitably going to be ups, downs, and imperfections with every option but if we take the time to choose a lifestyle that genuinely aligns with our interests, priorities, and values then we’re already ahead of the social media game.

    I think personally as a teenagers we don’t wanna see the reality we don't wanna see the many problems of the world like financial or environnement or discrimination or the news because we don't like complications , we just wanna see the virtual world. To sum up, i’d like to point out that if the teenagers were more involved to the reality in my opinion i think the society would be better.
    Xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Books, video games, movies encourage people to dream and imagine an other life. Social medias can be seen as a parallel life by some people.

    Sometimes life can be hard and we need to think about something else, to "escape the reality". Series and movies are the best way to imagine a new world without problems where we can be whatever we want. It is the reason why some video games are so popular. We can create a character, start a new life and do things we actually couldn't do in real life. However some people tend to lock themselves in this parallel world where they feel safe and can control everything. They forget about reality, have no real friends anymore and become alone. It usually concerns people who are withdrawn but nobody is sheltered form this parallel world.

    I believe that the fact young people have the felling they can control their life trough videos games or other technologies, plays a big role. Reality can be hard and this virtual world represents a safe place.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello,

    After reading the article, i agree with most of the things that Zuni Chopra says. in fact, being a big fan of TV Shows myself, I understand the enthusiasm she has for watching series, films ... Being in a story outside of reality allows us to always dream, to get out of the world around us as she says. When I read a book I can be totally absorbed by the story and completely cut myself off from reality to be able to imagine a whole new world, to live the hope thoroughly.
    TV Shows, video games, books are also a way to breathe without escaping reality. I think our parents, some of them can understand that because perhaps not with movies or other away from the life but with games, go out ...
    The "virtual world" is therefore sometimes preferred by young people than the "real world" because life is difficult, sometimes sad, depressing.

    Marine Castelli T°ES4

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've made a mistake :
      - "I think our parents, some of them can understand that, maybe not with movies or with a video game but with books, board games or even hang out with friends, family ..."

      Delete