Media Concepts and Feed

When reading multiple books at one time, things can often get a bit overwhelming. However, often one may find connections between several books if reading them during overlapping time periods. In the Media/Society book by David Croteau and William Hoynes many media related concepts are presented. One particular concept I found to be notable was that of A model of media in the social world. This concept entails different parts consisting of the social world in the center, surrounded by the readers or audience, medial message or product, the media industry, and technology.
The four parts of the model described are "simultaneously a part of the social world and surrounded by the social world" (Croteau 25). Each part of the media model are all related to one another. One component would not be the same without the others because they all work together. For example, we use technology in order to send and receive information on the medial message or product. This media model in the social world is not just a concept that exists in the Media/Society book. One may find that this concept reappears indirectly in other forms.
One such novel that presents its own version of the concept described in Media/Society regarding the model of media in society is the novel Feed. This book by M.T. Anderson tells the story of Titus, who had a Feed transmitter implanted into his brain and has to learn how to function without it. The concept of the model of media and the social world relates to this story because the "Feed" transmitters send news updates, ads, commercials, reminders and many other things directly to the brains of humans. This directly relates to Media/Society in that each aspect of the model of media in the social world work together because the industry is able to send the medial message or product information to consumers through Feed technology.

"You go try to have fun like a normal person, a person with a real life - just for one night you want to live, and suddenly you're screwed" (Anderson 53). This quote shows the display of reliance on the Feed, and how the kids in the novel realize that their everyday life depends on Feed updates constantly.