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Audience of social media: mindless scrolling and dissociation 

The widespread adoption of social media platforms has significantly reshaped the media landscape, influencing audience behaviors and establishing novel media rituals. One such practice is the habitual consumption of content through extended periods of mindless scrolling, often leading to a dissociative state. This phenomenon raises questions about the applicability of the uses and gratifications theory, particularly in the context of social media. Are contemporary audiences truly aware of their specific needs and desires when seeking out content on these platforms?

According to the uses and gratifications theory, media consumers actively select media content to fulfill their individual wants and needs, often categorizing these motivations into personal identity, information/education, entertainment, and/or social Interaction. A significant portion of users, approximately 38.50%, utilize social media platforms when they have time to kill (SOAX, 2024). However, the algorithmic nature of these platforms complicates the process of discerning one's true desires. The content presented on social media feeds can vary widely, encompassing both trivial and emotionally impactful material, often appearing in close succession. You can see someone joining in a simple food trend in one post and the latest death count update of an international disaster in the following post. 

The constant change of media content undoubtedly has consequences for users, including desensitization to violence and serious topics, and it may contribute to the dissociative state often observed during social media consumption. A recent study conducted at the University of Washington explored this phenomenon, describing how users enter a "Dissociative State" while scrolling through social media. When online, dissociation can manifest as zombie-like behaviour, characterized by prolonged, mindless scrolling, unawareness of one's surroundings, and autopilot-like consumption of content without genuine engagement. While seeking escape through deep absorption, including social media, is normal, excessive dissociation can lead to frustration and conflict (Baughan et al., 2022).

Ultimately, the content sought by media users may merely serve as a distraction or background noise. While audiences may initially engage with media to fulfill specific "wants" or "needs," these motivations can easily become secondary to passive consumption. This reflection does not aim to refute the notion that individuals actively choose media content and certainly still has significant limitations. While the uses and gratifications theory emphasizes the active role of media users, the reality may be more complex. The interplay between algorithmic curation, psychological factors, and individual motivations can result in a wide range of engagement levels, from active participation to passive consumption, leading to similarly varying effects of media on audiences. 

Referencing:

Baughan, A., Zhang, M. R., Rao, R., Lukoff, K., Schaadhardt, A., Butler, L. D., & Hiniker, A. (2022, April). “I Don’t Even Remember What I Read”: How Design Influences Dissociation on Social Media. In Proceedings of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-13).

Baughan, A. (2022, August 5). Why it’s important to think about social media use as a form of dissociation, rather than addiction. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-its-important-to-think-about-social-media-use-as-a-form-of-dissociation-rather-than-addiction-185283

Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973-1974). Uses and gratifications research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1086/268109

SOAX. (2024, July 22). What’s the average time spent on social media each day? (2024). SOAX. https://soax.com/research/time-spent-on-social-media#:~:text=Research%20highlights%3A%20On%20average%2C%20people,a%20day%20on%20social%20media.

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The push to transform English as a high culture feature into pop culture

Within the nuance of culture, language emerges as a distinctive element. Not merely a reflection of culture, language possesses the transformative power to shape and redefine it, shifting cultural paradigms from high to low and vice versa. In this critical reflection, I want to mention the language English as a feature of high culture in the context of Vietnamese history and subsequently, how the government popularizes it. 

English's evolution in Vietnam mirrors its global rise. Despite its early introduction during French colonialism, it was overshadowed by Chinese, French, and Russian. After the 1954 partition, English was taught in secondary and post-secondary education in the South but faced challenges in the North as there were only a handful of learning opportunities at the tertiary level (Doan et al., 2018). In the following post-reunification period, Russian's dominance was reinforced, limiting English's growth (Van, 2010). The Đổi mới (Renovation) reforms of 1986 marked a turning point. As Vietnam opened to the world, English became the primary foreign language. Today, it's seen as a gateway to opportunities, essential for global communication and harmony within the modern cultural scene - a trait that is heavily emphasized in Vietnamese traditional culture.

However, as it can be seen through the history of English education, English education has been a privilege largely confined to specific geographic regions and socioeconomic demographics. The language has traditionally served as a tool of the elite, accessible only to those who could afford it. Those who can access tertiary-level education have the best chance of learning the language. The devastating impact of the Vietnam War further exacerbated these disparities, as the government lacked adequate funding, leading to a decline in the quality and accessibility of education, particularly in rural areas, further limiting opportunities for English language learning. Foreign language, in this case English, is a feature of high culture. 

Recognizing the need to keep up with the world, governmental authorities have actively promoted the widespread accessibility of English, with the ultimate goal of establishing it as a second language and integrating it into popular culture. To further elaborate, I will apply the perspective of media agenda-setting theory by Maxwell McCombs & Donald Shaw on this matter. 

The government plays a significant role in shaping the public's perception of English education. Through first-level agenda-setting, the government has made English a compulsory subject, established proficiency targets for students and civil servants, and allocated resources for English education. This demonstrates a clear commitment to promoting English language learning. Second-level agenda-setting involves framing English as an essential tool for economic development, international integration, and a marker of educational quality. By emphasizing these benefits, the government aims to create a favourable public opinion towards English education and encourage greater investment in language learning.

Media outlets have consistently prioritized English over other foreign languages, framing it as the language of the contemporary world and a prerequisite for success. They emphasize English as the key to international integration, often citing statements from government officials to reinforce this message. Similar notions are reiterated until the public's view of English aligns with the media's perspective. Its effect is evident in the surge of parental interest in English language education, as evidenced by the proliferation of private English language centres and the increasing demand for English language proficiency tests.

In conclusion, while it is crucial to acknowledge that the media reality may not diverge significantly from actual reality, the media's influence on public perception is undeniable. Nonetheless, further exploration of this topic from a policy agenda-setting perspective would be beneficial, as this brief analysis has limitations in that regard.

Referencing: 

Doan, N., Pham, T., Pham, M., & Tran, K. (2018). English as an international language in Viet Nam: history and development. Asian Englishes, 20(2), 106–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2018.1439324

Van Van, H. (2010). The current situation and issues of the teaching of English in Vietnam. 立命館言語文化研究, 22(1), 7-18.

Van, H. V. (2020). THE ROLES AND STATUS OF ENGLISH IN PRESENT-DAY VIETNAM: A SOCIO-CULTURAL ANALYSIS. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4495

McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). The Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Media. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), 176–187. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2747787