I decided to join the National Breast Cancer Foundation for my new internet community. I thought that this community would be a great one to be involved with and it is one close to my heart. The registration process was very easy, easier than I thought in fact. All I had to do was fill in a small amount of information and I was accepted as a member of the discussion group and website. I then proceeded to look at other people’s profiles and the information they had listed on them and read some of the blogs posted between the users. Some people were friends and I noticed others just responded to a person’s blog they didn’t know in support of something they had posted online. In chapter six of Wood and Smiths book they state on page 124,“Virtual communities thus allow people to transcend geographic boundaries and unite with others who share their common interests, whether that’s watching a particular television series, promoting a social cause, or collecting original vinyl recordings of ‘Love Me Tender’.” I like this quote because I think this is one of the main reasons people decided to converse online. They want to talk with other people that share the same views as them and they have the opportunity to do so whether they are living in the country or in the big city. Sometimes it's hard to find other people to relate to and the virtual communities give people a broader spectrum to find those individuals. It was very easy to assimilate into the group I chose and as far as I know if you fill out the required information then you are automatically accepted. Once I did I had a message informing me I now was a member and congratulations. I guarantee that everyone is accepted into this community if you fill out the small amount of information. My group happens to promote a social cause so that to can be the reason for the quick acceptance.
I think that it has become so easy to find an internet community today. All I had to do was search in Google related to my area of interest and I found a lot of sites. It was easy, convenient and very simple. I think that one of the draws to internet communities is that people like things to run smoothly and easily. Since it is so easy to find a community online related to your interest and then become accepted quickly, people are probably more willing to do so especially if they are not as fond of face to face interaction. Postman states on page 118, “We have devalued the singular human capacity to see things whole in all their psychic, emotional and moral dimensions, and we have replaced this with faith in the powers of technical calculation. Because of what computers commonly do, they place an inordinate emphasis on the technical processes of communication and offer very little in the way of substance.” I agree that as people we have began to rely on technology and replace what we have commonly known for a different type of substance. I don’t think communicating online equals very little substance but that is a change that has been made. There are a lot of people that probably have or feel that their online community has given them more importance because they can relate to others through this virtual realm.
For my new found community I believe that the agreements or disagreements are resolved through the discussion groups and posted blogs. For the most part though I have found through discussion and observation that the messages are of hope and encouragement. I have read some people having struggles related to breast cancer. Some have just learned they have cancer or a family member or are starting chemotherapy/radiation and are asking for advice. Others write just for someone to listen and give them guidance. Even though some of the messages and conversations are very tough and not always the most uplifting topics I haven’t found any disagreements but instead encouragement for others. I think that these online communities say a lot about our culture and society today. We like to be able to connect with those we can relate to and share similar stories with. For my community knowing that I’m not the only one impacted by breast cancer is very healing because I can go online and discuss with others who are going through the exact same experience. Now normally I might not have had the opportunity to meet them if it wasn’t for the internet. I might not have gotten along with a particular person but because we share a deep common interest in this case we don’t find those areas we might dislike in face to face interaction. We focus on the topic or area of interest whether its sports, religion or any other cause and focus primarily on that.
Our society revolves around some sort of personal connection and communication between other people that are similar to us. We choose our friends based on common interests, looks, hobbies you name it and the internet communities are another opportunity to take. I think that everyone’s internet community experience depends on the person and the community they are involved with. I think that if someone does have a negative experience because there are so many communities that the person could find another group with the exact same area of interest. I liked joining a new online community besides Facebook or Myspace and it has given me an opportunity to meet other people that share the same passionate view. It’s nice to talk to other people that want to fight for the same cause and I really like that we have that chance because of the internet, technology and all the separate realms of the internet community. What community did you join?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
To Email Or To Snail Mail...that is the question!?
I decided to write to my aunt who lives in Portland and a long time family friend who lives in Arizona. I knew before I had begun writing the letters to thank them for their continual support that I would email my aunt and write a long-handed letter to my friend Frank. I have been trying to contact Frank for quite some time now and we have failed to communicate through email. We don’t know why our letters are not sending to each other so with that I decided this assignment would be a great opportunity to send him and his family good old snail mail. As for my aunt I have realized throughout the years that the fastest way to stay in contact with her is through email.
My language was different when I look back at the two letters that I sent. My aunt’s email was shorter in length then the hand written version and I was not as cordial or professional I should say. I am closer to my aunt and we know each other very well so it was easier for me to joke around, leave smiley faces and other such things. I was also able to ask her a more serious personal question instead of being more formal toward Frank. Now, I have known Frank since I was a little girl. My mom had been very close to him and I am able to discuss openly but because we haven’t gotten a chance to really catch up recently I didn’t want my letter to include anything negative. Or perhaps something that would worry him and his family. With my aunt we can start where we left off no matter how long it may have been so it was a much easier letter for me to write. I think that these circumstances depend on how well I know the person I am writing to and our relationship. I found this to be the case as I analyzed the two different messages.
The two lengths of the messages were different as I briefly mentioned earlier. I think because I was sending a hand written letter and it was going to such a far destination that I wanted to make it much longer. With email things can be very cut and dry and you can send a message within minutes. Compared to the email I sent, my letter took a lot more time. For those of you who might know me, I really pride myself on my penmanship and want things very neat and precise. When I was writing the letter I wanted to make sure everything looked just right. I guess you could say I put much more pride and effort into my hand written message. As for the responses I received, I have only received one from my aunt a day ago. I haven’t heard from Frank yet and I sent them on the same day but of course ones slower to arrive than the other. I am curious to see if Frank will in turn send another hand written letter back to me or if he instead will send an email.
To me an email is much easier but not as personal as the hand written ones. Its shows you put some time and effort into writing the letter especially in today’s society. Postman states on page 72, “The relationship between information and the mechanisms for its control is fairly simple to describe: Technology increases the available supply of information. As the supply is increased, control mechanisms are strained.” I really like this specific quote and I have to agree. The more information technology is able to put forward, the harder and more difficult it becomes to control the situation. I also can compare this to our assignment because before email people relied more heavily on hand written letters. I know there were other forms to communicate but specifically comparing these two with one another, letters came before emails. People relied on letters for their interpersonal communication not emails. With technology constantly changing and people now having the option of emailing they rely more heavily on this method. Therefore technology is being increased, the old methods are being used less and less and its becoming harder to control the realms of communication.
Chapter five in Wood and Smiths novel goes into detail about therapy online. They state on page 107, “Cases of people whose lives have been negatively affected by the presence of the Internet.” I believe that email messages can be sent very easily. Perhaps you’re writing a mean message in your drafts when you’re angry not meaning to send it to the person but you do so anyway on accident. The internet has made things very accessible and easy. Its also very easy to find someone or past information that could in turn hurt an individual. With a good old hand written letter, people are aware of what their sending, probably are taking a little more time and putting more thought into it. They have a lot of time to think about what they wrote while they get a stamp and then mail the letter.
So the question now is what is the importance of all of this? I think that this assignment says a lot about our culture and society today. I think we have become lazy, including myself and the idea of sending a hand written letter just seems to take too much time. I bet if I asked people if they emailed or sent a personal letter more, I guarantee they would say email. I think that its fine but I think we also have lost sight on what’s important. Taking the time to send a personal letter to a friend, thanking them for having influence in my life is huge. I have not specifically sat down to write a thank you letter in a very long time. It felt great to do so and I think that sending a hand written letter is the way to go if possible. Our society is constantly changing but I hope to rely more on the good old fashioned snail mail. Does anyone else agree?
My language was different when I look back at the two letters that I sent. My aunt’s email was shorter in length then the hand written version and I was not as cordial or professional I should say. I am closer to my aunt and we know each other very well so it was easier for me to joke around, leave smiley faces and other such things. I was also able to ask her a more serious personal question instead of being more formal toward Frank. Now, I have known Frank since I was a little girl. My mom had been very close to him and I am able to discuss openly but because we haven’t gotten a chance to really catch up recently I didn’t want my letter to include anything negative. Or perhaps something that would worry him and his family. With my aunt we can start where we left off no matter how long it may have been so it was a much easier letter for me to write. I think that these circumstances depend on how well I know the person I am writing to and our relationship. I found this to be the case as I analyzed the two different messages.
The two lengths of the messages were different as I briefly mentioned earlier. I think because I was sending a hand written letter and it was going to such a far destination that I wanted to make it much longer. With email things can be very cut and dry and you can send a message within minutes. Compared to the email I sent, my letter took a lot more time. For those of you who might know me, I really pride myself on my penmanship and want things very neat and precise. When I was writing the letter I wanted to make sure everything looked just right. I guess you could say I put much more pride and effort into my hand written message. As for the responses I received, I have only received one from my aunt a day ago. I haven’t heard from Frank yet and I sent them on the same day but of course ones slower to arrive than the other. I am curious to see if Frank will in turn send another hand written letter back to me or if he instead will send an email.
To me an email is much easier but not as personal as the hand written ones. Its shows you put some time and effort into writing the letter especially in today’s society. Postman states on page 72, “The relationship between information and the mechanisms for its control is fairly simple to describe: Technology increases the available supply of information. As the supply is increased, control mechanisms are strained.” I really like this specific quote and I have to agree. The more information technology is able to put forward, the harder and more difficult it becomes to control the situation. I also can compare this to our assignment because before email people relied more heavily on hand written letters. I know there were other forms to communicate but specifically comparing these two with one another, letters came before emails. People relied on letters for their interpersonal communication not emails. With technology constantly changing and people now having the option of emailing they rely more heavily on this method. Therefore technology is being increased, the old methods are being used less and less and its becoming harder to control the realms of communication.
Chapter five in Wood and Smiths novel goes into detail about therapy online. They state on page 107, “Cases of people whose lives have been negatively affected by the presence of the Internet.” I believe that email messages can be sent very easily. Perhaps you’re writing a mean message in your drafts when you’re angry not meaning to send it to the person but you do so anyway on accident. The internet has made things very accessible and easy. Its also very easy to find someone or past information that could in turn hurt an individual. With a good old hand written letter, people are aware of what their sending, probably are taking a little more time and putting more thought into it. They have a lot of time to think about what they wrote while they get a stamp and then mail the letter.
So the question now is what is the importance of all of this? I think that this assignment says a lot about our culture and society today. I think we have become lazy, including myself and the idea of sending a hand written letter just seems to take too much time. I bet if I asked people if they emailed or sent a personal letter more, I guarantee they would say email. I think that its fine but I think we also have lost sight on what’s important. Taking the time to send a personal letter to a friend, thanking them for having influence in my life is huge. I have not specifically sat down to write a thank you letter in a very long time. It felt great to do so and I think that sending a hand written letter is the way to go if possible. Our society is constantly changing but I hope to rely more on the good old fashioned snail mail. Does anyone else agree?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
The World of Facebook and Myspace
Before I came to college I was emailing me future roommate whom I was going to live in the dorms with. We had been emailing each other for some time but we both hadn't seen a picture of one another. She mentioned to me that she had a Myspace and I could add her as a friend so we could communicate through there. Now when she told me this I had just finished my Senior year of high school and had no idea what she was talking about. I felt a little ridiculous but I had to ask her, "What was Myspace?" Okay so I'll admit I was definitely not the "in crowd" especially when it came to technology at that time. Some people had a Myspace years before I even knew what it was. Soon afterwards I found Myspace, created an account and it became my new realm of communication between my friends. Instead of email I would use Myspace. Then after I came to college sometime after, Facebook was created. At the time Facebook was only meant for college students and I loved the idea of being part of the "selected" one's who got to use it. Myspace became the sloppy second shortly afterwards because Facebook was for college students for goodness sakes, there were no 15 year old girls posting pictures as if there were 21.
Now if you look at how Myspace and Facebook have changed our form of communication it is HUGE! Everyone I know has chosen to create accounts at either one of the networks. Some people in the beginning said they would never have one or decided to get rid of it because of the changes that it had made...but after a month or two either that friend had created an account or the other decided to join again. Why, you may ask? The reason is because it has become such a large social network that people will feel left out if they don't have one. What do we all hear nowadays when were trying to meet with a classmate or communicate with a new found friend? We don't ask for their email anymore, we ask, "Do you have a Facebook?" The answer is usually, "Great I'll find ya/I'll add you." I know of so many parents that now have a Facebook as well. The majority I have seen are not to check up on their kids (well that's probably a bonus) but to communicate in their own social network with their friends who as well have a Facebook. Myspace was the beginning of the technological change but now Facebook has become the new rage and everyone uses them...okay not everyone but all college students I know have/use it to communicate.
I think the fascination with Myspace and Facebook is how easy it has become to communicate with other people. Perhaps you have lost touch with an old friend. These networks allow you to find that friend and communicate with them no matter how far away you might be from each other. It's fun, you can add pictures, updates and people have a better idea of what's going on in your lives....or at least what you choose to show. I remember in the beginning of Facebook it was all about how many friends you had. It didn't matter if you never talked to that person from high school or only had one class with that cute guy, "friends" were still automatically added.
As Wood and Smith state on page 59, "However, in an online forum, he can more readily adopt and enact a change in his gender, race, or any other characteristic he chooses. In whatever identity he selects, he can exert greater control over his identity in the online environment than in face-to-face interaction. In face-to-face interaction, we communicate not only through our words but also through our appearance." This is exactly the same message that is portrayed via Facebook or Myspace. Yes, a lot of time we try and befriend others that we know or at least are acquaintances with but what we choose to disclose is still our choice. I have seen on Myspace in the past young girls who are either 12 or 13 and on their profile it says 21 or 22 years old. Now I have known for a fact that some of the girls are indeed 12 or 13...It has made me wonder, why do they say their older than they really are? I conclude that either their parents require they put an older age so that they are "less" at risk for predators or perhaps they are in fact trying to be older than they really are and grow up way too fast. Either way the internet and Facebook and Myspace in general allows any of us to choose the route we want to take. It's our Freedom of Speech!
In Chapter 4 of the Wood and Smith's book they go into detail about online dating and the relationships that have or try to take place over the internet. They state on page 78, "However, a growing body of literature argues not only that people use networked technologies for social purposes but also that, in some cases, people prefer the medium for interpersonal relating." People seek interpersonal and romantic relationship via online. My best friends parents met on Match.com and they are still happily married. There are people who are constantly meeting online with Facebook and Myspace as their networks. If you notice on both sites there are constant advertisements that are associated with the networks in finding "true love" and so on. These communication realms have sparked a new wave of interpersonal interaction.
So what does all of this information say about our culture and society in general? To me it says that we are continually relying on technology and it's advancements to communicate with other people. We use Facebook and Myspace to communicate with friends and family. To be perfectly honest, I feel that it has become a cop-out. Instead of sending a nice card or even calling a friend on their birthday, instead what do people do? They write happy birthday on their friends page. Now how many of them would have known it was their friends birthday if they didn't have the constant reminder on Facebook and Myspace? I can't answer that question but I do know that I have done that before as well. I'll admit it's nice to wish someone a happy birthday, someone who don't talk to or see, it's a nice gesture...but I still think that a card, a face-to-face interaction or a phone call is still better. I realize that sometimes face-to-face interaction is not possible but when someone actually goes out of their way to write a hand letter or send a card to a friend, to me it show they care more than just a few words and a click of a button.
What's ironic to me about all of this is the fact that I'm saying a phone call now is more personal when before that was unheard of as interpersonal communication. I think our society is relying so much on technology that the telephone/texting became the new "face-to-face" interaction, email became the new phone and Facebook/Myspace has become the new email. It's a constant pattern that is continuing and were getting farther and farther away from good old face-to-face communication. It makes me sad. I love using the technology given to me, I think it's great but another part of me cant help but wish texting and all of that form of communication was gone so we could concentrate on the person not the device. I know that we all can make a personal choice for ourselves though and choose what we do. I have a professor that absolutely hates cell phones. He doesn't like them and his entire family is the same way because he and his wife raised them to be self sufficient without them. I think if we were raised without the technology we wouldn't know any better (just as the people in our history) but if we have it and then it's taken away like our first assignment, well then that's where it tends to get real sticky.
If someone has a bad experience on Facebook or Myspace...like the examples I gave in the beginning about not joining or refusing to re-join...I think in today's society the majority of people would crumble and resort to these networks. I'm not saying its a bad thing, I use them and nor am I trying to be pessimistic...I like to think I'm optimistic, but in reality with our world revolving around technology I think the majority will automatically resort to it in the end. Do you agree? Or perhaps you have some more insight that I missed?
Now if you look at how Myspace and Facebook have changed our form of communication it is HUGE! Everyone I know has chosen to create accounts at either one of the networks. Some people in the beginning said they would never have one or decided to get rid of it because of the changes that it had made...but after a month or two either that friend had created an account or the other decided to join again. Why, you may ask? The reason is because it has become such a large social network that people will feel left out if they don't have one. What do we all hear nowadays when were trying to meet with a classmate or communicate with a new found friend? We don't ask for their email anymore, we ask, "Do you have a Facebook?" The answer is usually, "Great I'll find ya/I'll add you." I know of so many parents that now have a Facebook as well. The majority I have seen are not to check up on their kids (well that's probably a bonus) but to communicate in their own social network with their friends who as well have a Facebook. Myspace was the beginning of the technological change but now Facebook has become the new rage and everyone uses them...okay not everyone but all college students I know have/use it to communicate.
I think the fascination with Myspace and Facebook is how easy it has become to communicate with other people. Perhaps you have lost touch with an old friend. These networks allow you to find that friend and communicate with them no matter how far away you might be from each other. It's fun, you can add pictures, updates and people have a better idea of what's going on in your lives....or at least what you choose to show. I remember in the beginning of Facebook it was all about how many friends you had. It didn't matter if you never talked to that person from high school or only had one class with that cute guy, "friends" were still automatically added.
As Wood and Smith state on page 59, "However, in an online forum, he can more readily adopt and enact a change in his gender, race, or any other characteristic he chooses. In whatever identity he selects, he can exert greater control over his identity in the online environment than in face-to-face interaction. In face-to-face interaction, we communicate not only through our words but also through our appearance." This is exactly the same message that is portrayed via Facebook or Myspace. Yes, a lot of time we try and befriend others that we know or at least are acquaintances with but what we choose to disclose is still our choice. I have seen on Myspace in the past young girls who are either 12 or 13 and on their profile it says 21 or 22 years old. Now I have known for a fact that some of the girls are indeed 12 or 13...It has made me wonder, why do they say their older than they really are? I conclude that either their parents require they put an older age so that they are "less" at risk for predators or perhaps they are in fact trying to be older than they really are and grow up way too fast. Either way the internet and Facebook and Myspace in general allows any of us to choose the route we want to take. It's our Freedom of Speech!
In Chapter 4 of the Wood and Smith's book they go into detail about online dating and the relationships that have or try to take place over the internet. They state on page 78, "However, a growing body of literature argues not only that people use networked technologies for social purposes but also that, in some cases, people prefer the medium for interpersonal relating." People seek interpersonal and romantic relationship via online. My best friends parents met on Match.com and they are still happily married. There are people who are constantly meeting online with Facebook and Myspace as their networks. If you notice on both sites there are constant advertisements that are associated with the networks in finding "true love" and so on. These communication realms have sparked a new wave of interpersonal interaction.
So what does all of this information say about our culture and society in general? To me it says that we are continually relying on technology and it's advancements to communicate with other people. We use Facebook and Myspace to communicate with friends and family. To be perfectly honest, I feel that it has become a cop-out. Instead of sending a nice card or even calling a friend on their birthday, instead what do people do? They write happy birthday on their friends page. Now how many of them would have known it was their friends birthday if they didn't have the constant reminder on Facebook and Myspace? I can't answer that question but I do know that I have done that before as well. I'll admit it's nice to wish someone a happy birthday, someone who don't talk to or see, it's a nice gesture...but I still think that a card, a face-to-face interaction or a phone call is still better. I realize that sometimes face-to-face interaction is not possible but when someone actually goes out of their way to write a hand letter or send a card to a friend, to me it show they care more than just a few words and a click of a button.
What's ironic to me about all of this is the fact that I'm saying a phone call now is more personal when before that was unheard of as interpersonal communication. I think our society is relying so much on technology that the telephone/texting became the new "face-to-face" interaction, email became the new phone and Facebook/Myspace has become the new email. It's a constant pattern that is continuing and were getting farther and farther away from good old face-to-face communication. It makes me sad. I love using the technology given to me, I think it's great but another part of me cant help but wish texting and all of that form of communication was gone so we could concentrate on the person not the device. I know that we all can make a personal choice for ourselves though and choose what we do. I have a professor that absolutely hates cell phones. He doesn't like them and his entire family is the same way because he and his wife raised them to be self sufficient without them. I think if we were raised without the technology we wouldn't know any better (just as the people in our history) but if we have it and then it's taken away like our first assignment, well then that's where it tends to get real sticky.
If someone has a bad experience on Facebook or Myspace...like the examples I gave in the beginning about not joining or refusing to re-join...I think in today's society the majority of people would crumble and resort to these networks. I'm not saying its a bad thing, I use them and nor am I trying to be pessimistic...I like to think I'm optimistic, but in reality with our world revolving around technology I think the majority will automatically resort to it in the end. Do you agree? Or perhaps you have some more insight that I missed?
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Blog 2: Media, Brad Paisley's Online Video
Brad Paisley's music video is a great representation of our modern online society. The main character played by Jason Alexander represents the "nerdy" man who is still a kid at heart. The first scene where we are shown his white socks with tevas and glasses sets the tone for the video clip. As he delivers the pizza to his customer, he is disrespected and called a jerkwad. He was excited about the party in the background but was dismissed none the less. As soon as Jason Alexander's character climbed into his beat up car, he has his computer by his side and watches Brad Paisley perform in front of a large audience. He instantly gained confidence and held his head higher as he drove away. As Wood and Smith stated on page 37, "The world wide web is exciting because of its transformation of how people interact with computers and each other." The fact that Alexander had a computer in his car shows a glimpse of society's need for technology and specifically the internet. When he gets home he instantly logs onto Myspace and again that is a representation of our culture. One of the song phrases is, "everytime I login." If you ask students today, even adults for that matter if they have a Facebook or Myspace, I guarantee they will say yes. Those internet communities are realms for mass wide communication.
The next scene of the online video shows him going home and he still lives with his parents. His character is shown as a sci-fi "nerd", who has asthma and is scared of girls. Now with all of that said when Alexander logs online, he can transform into anyone he chooses and no one would know the difference. He puts on his cowboy hat and has all the confidence in the world. In his world, with the power of the internet he can be anyone he chooses. The internet is a huge realm of possibilities. The line sang throughout the video, "so much cooler online" says it all. Anyone can choose the be another person when they're online. The idea is that you can be successful, smart, funny...you name it. Its whatever and whoever you chose to be. The freedom of speech.
In the video when Alexander goes online he is Brad Paisley. He is good-looking, famous and well liked. The women he is having a three way chat with, have no idea what he really looks like, everything can be fabricated. It can be extremely difficult to distinguish between fabrication and the truth. As Postman stated in chapter 3, page 45, "Technocracy filled the air with the promise of new freedoms and new forms of social organization. Technocracy also sped up the world. We could get places faster, do things faster, accomplish more in a shorter time." The internet has given our society the option and choice of how we want to represent ourselves. It's a unique form of social organization and Postman is correct when he states technocracy has created speed. Today you can create or change a profile online, and talk on instant messenger with someone far away within seconds. The speed is increasing at an alarming rate.
So what does this idea of online communication say about our society and culture in general? If we didn't have the internet to communicate or have the opportunity to be someone else in the online realm, things would be a lot different. There are so many people who thrive in the "made up" online world. There are games where you create characters in altered realities and also internet communities such as Myspace where its just a click of a button to become someone new or anyone of your desire. I think that our culture would be completely different and society standards would be altered. If the online media was stripped/taken away or someone had a bad experience, our society would still keep on going. We would continue as is and make adjustments along the way. That's what both authors express in their chapters, the need for technology and the advancement of it. The internet online is a huge new reality that anyone can join. It makes me wonder, have any of us pretended to be someone else online?
The next scene of the online video shows him going home and he still lives with his parents. His character is shown as a sci-fi "nerd", who has asthma and is scared of girls. Now with all of that said when Alexander logs online, he can transform into anyone he chooses and no one would know the difference. He puts on his cowboy hat and has all the confidence in the world. In his world, with the power of the internet he can be anyone he chooses. The internet is a huge realm of possibilities. The line sang throughout the video, "so much cooler online" says it all. Anyone can choose the be another person when they're online. The idea is that you can be successful, smart, funny...you name it. Its whatever and whoever you chose to be. The freedom of speech.
In the video when Alexander goes online he is Brad Paisley. He is good-looking, famous and well liked. The women he is having a three way chat with, have no idea what he really looks like, everything can be fabricated. It can be extremely difficult to distinguish between fabrication and the truth. As Postman stated in chapter 3, page 45, "Technocracy filled the air with the promise of new freedoms and new forms of social organization. Technocracy also sped up the world. We could get places faster, do things faster, accomplish more in a shorter time." The internet has given our society the option and choice of how we want to represent ourselves. It's a unique form of social organization and Postman is correct when he states technocracy has created speed. Today you can create or change a profile online, and talk on instant messenger with someone far away within seconds. The speed is increasing at an alarming rate.
So what does this idea of online communication say about our society and culture in general? If we didn't have the internet to communicate or have the opportunity to be someone else in the online realm, things would be a lot different. There are so many people who thrive in the "made up" online world. There are games where you create characters in altered realities and also internet communities such as Myspace where its just a click of a button to become someone new or anyone of your desire. I think that our culture would be completely different and society standards would be altered. If the online media was stripped/taken away or someone had a bad experience, our society would still keep on going. We would continue as is and make adjustments along the way. That's what both authors express in their chapters, the need for technology and the advancement of it. The internet online is a huge new reality that anyone can join. It makes me wonder, have any of us pretended to be someone else online?
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