Over the Labor Day weekend, I drove 8 hours up to Albany, New York, and back. Since during the strenuous drive, I was mostly "off-the-grid" and couldn't take my hands off the wheel to access my personal electronics anyway, I decided this would be a good opportunity to observe media in the physical world as opposed to our online bubbles that we are accustomed to.
The universal motif throughout my trip was signs: signs directing travelers to food, lodging, and gas; signs loudly advertising local diners, law firms, and chiropractors; signs for job applicants and lottery winners. Of course, I expected to see such billboards and posters in the small towns and cities that I passed by, but I was caught off guard when I even saw a few popping out from behind tall tries high in the mountains, and even more prevalent in rural villages and communities. I was also caught by surprise, and slight disgust, when I saw signs promoting certain political candidates, as well as billboards promoting specific political agendas. I quote two of which particularly stuck with me: "Protect your 2nd amendment rights!"; "I still believe in global warming, do you?"
Interestingly, I also encountered "traveling media" in the form of cars or trucks with brightly colored advertisements and catchy slogans. I actually found it significantly more difficult to read these advertisements; however, I was actually more inclined to seek out their information as a result. Also because this "traveling media" was more persistent (as opposed to the fleeting, still billboards), I was able to significantly improve my comprehension of the intended message.
Summary
I do not consider myself a well-traveled individual; however, I have had my fair share of long, tedious road trips. Among all of the road trips I had ever taken before this project, I do not remember a single outstanding billboard advertisement or sign. Taking the time to observe my surroundings, however, led me to the realization that I could not record a single video without the intrusion of a man-made sign, spouting its propaganda. Unlike the convenient online world where our ads are exclusively catered to our views and interests, and more often than not we can choose whether to view a particular piece of media, the physical world is much less filtered. Many of the billboards and signs are indicative of a mindset much different from ours, catering to an audience that we are often not a part of. While I often find myself either actively or subconsciously ignoring media that I encounter online, I can't help, but be disturbed by the intrusive nature of the media that dominates our physical space. I can be fairly certain that I will not fall victim to any biased media that I see outdoors, but what of the unsuspecting, impressionable individuals who witness these messages? Can we ever be free to build our own viewpoints from objective sources?