The Daily Rambling Artist: Navigating Media in the Digital Age - A Parent's Reflection

As a parent in the digital age, I find myself marveling at how my kids interact with media and entertainment. It's a stark contrast to the days of my own childhood, when sitcoms featuring characters like Steve Urkel reigned supreme. But you know what? The entertainment media experience hasn't become any less absurd.

Watching my kids navigate through the endless options of media is like witnessing a constant channel-flipping frenzy. They effortlessly swipe and tap, hopping from one show to another, exploring a plethora of genres and content that were unimaginable during my own childhood. Gone are the days of being limited to basic TV channels and waiting for specific time slots to catch a favorite show. For them, it's a world of instant access and endless possibilities.

As I observe their media consumption habits, I can't help but feel relieved that they don't have to trudge through channels to find what they're looking for. The options at their fingertips ensure that they are far more likely to discover shows and movies, or in their case “content" that align with their unique interests. They can explore various genres, uncover new perspectives, and delve into entertainment and educational content tailored to their age and preferences.

The impact of this media revolution on their upbringing is something I often ponder. I wonder what it would have been like growing up with all that they have at their fingertips. While there are certainly pros and cons to this change, I generally find it exciting. The rapid evolution of media has opened up new avenues for creativity, learning, and exploration. It's a world that offers endless possibilities and opportunities for my children to shape their own media experiences. More importantly, I believe they'll find their respective communities more quickly.

In this ever-changing landscape of media, I'm grateful that my kids can curate their own entertainment and find content that resonates with them. I guess that’s what keeps me painting nostalgia. They're relics of another age, sometimes getting rapidly buried day by day. Or sometimes, rediscovered in the age of the snippet on social media. It’s why I texture my pieces so heavily—I see them as archaeology. Life is always a strange, beautifully absurd experience, and our intake of entertainment is not excluded from this experience as we bury and unbury our experiences. 

-Sergio Santos