Write one paragraph comment for each post:

1)The textbook states that "Nostalgia describes the bittersweet emotion that arises when we view the past with both sadness and longing" (139). There are tons of ads airing today that invoke a nostalgic feeling within me. The first ad that came to my mind is a 1996 commercial for M&M's that still airs to this day during the holiday season. I have seen this commercial a million times over the years, and personally, the holiday season has not actually begun until I see this commercial. The commercial shows the red and yellow M&M's arguing over whether or not Santa will like the red and green M&M's that they are leaving out for him. They eventually bump into Santa and they are all shocked that they "exist." The commercial may be short, but something about the commercial reminds me of Christmas time during my childhood and it brings me a lot of joy. The longevity of this ad really shows me that there are probably a lot of other people that share a similar feeling to me when they view it. A more recent commercial that I have seen is a 2018 ad for Facebook Portal, a webcam that allows you to make video calls with your friends, family, and colleagues. This commercial features different characters from The Muppet Show. "Marketers often resurrect popular characters and stories from days gone by; they hope that consumers' fond memories will motivate them to revisit the past" (140). The Muppets help to demonstrate how the Facebook Portal works when you can't all be in the same place, and the commercial begins with the iconic intro song from The Muppet Show. I am someone who grew up watching The Muppets, so seeing a brand shed light on these iconic puppets takes me back to my childhood and the happiness that I felt while watching The Muppet Show.

2) Honestly this is probably my favorite chapter since it brings up being addicted to social media. I could sit here and write an essay on social media addiction because it is a real thing. I know 100% that I am addicted to social media. I will be honest with you guys, when I wake up I immediately go on TikTok... It is very unhealthy but it is true. I was never really a fan of TikTok but nowadays everyone always get everything from there and is influenced by that app. I was never the type of person to keep up with the news and what is going on and I feel like everyone is up to date with everything that is going on because TikTok is a quick source for these things. TikTok has also raised awareness for MANY things. Aside from this specific platform, I think instagram is my biggest concern. I still compare my life to others and how others are getting to do certain activities and getting to travel. I think this is a big issue because now, a lot of younger girls are comparing themselves and how they look to others and what no one knows, is that everything on social media is fake. I can sit here and take videos of broadway and make it look like I am having a blast but in reality behind that screen I am just trying to be aesthetically pleasing and make it look like I have a fun life. I do like taking pictures of everything and posting on my feed and story but at what point will I ever just put down my phone and enjoy the moment. Some people will sit here and say "oh well I want memories" but memories are in your mind and heart.

3) Since I do not use Facebook, I will be using my experience with Twitter to answer this question. I do not think that I would handle a break from the platform very well. I could maybe go without Twitter for a week to 10 days, but I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I had to go without it for two months. This is also why I do believe that it is possible to become addicted to social media. I have been hyperaware of this issue lately, and that is part of the reason that I have decided to try and limit my time spent on the platform. "A former Facebook executive questioned publicly whether the platform has addicted us to 'short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops' that 'are destroying how society works'" (164). I have definitely become addicted to short-form content in the past few years. I think the pandemic definitely heightened this issue due to the fact that all of us were locked in our homes with nothing better to do besides consume media. Limiting my screen time within the social media world hasn't been an easy thing to do. There are still times when I catch myself in the middle of a neverending scroll.