Last Blog! :)

I cannot believe how quick this semester has flown by. When I first enrolled in this class, to be honest, I thought it was going to be a fun easy class that would get me closer to my 150 credit hour requirement to take the CPA exam. However, it did not end up being so simple and actually, I struggled quite a bit; kudos to the communications majors.

It was hard to get interested in some of the topics, but others I thoroughly enjoyed. For topics such as what is new media and what is new about new media I found it hard to find the relevance. It was interesting to see everyone discussing it so animately, but I questioned why this mattered in life. People really sit around and think about this? People actually have careers where this is what they do? Then I looked around…

It’s weird, but through these experiences I got a better understanding of college, of majors, of life in general. I know that was not the point of the class, but that is perhaps the biggest most interesting lesson I learned. People’s interests differ so immensely and because of that the world can work as well as it does. Every major contributes to the world in a different way. I never analyzed this prior to this class. In fact, I had a very closed mind about different majors. I honestly thought accounting was so difficult and many majors could not possibly be this hard, but as I look back, that was pretty dumb. Prior to this class I viewed certain majors as blow off majors and others I viewed as pointless, but honestly nothing is pointless; it’s just different. Just because I don’t enjoy/understand/really care about it doesn’t mean that no one does. Simple, yet I’d never thought about it. Silly me. Additionally, this brought me back to why I am in college: to get a well rounded education. Fine, I didn’t enjoy it half as much as my not-for-profit accounting class, but that wasn’t the point. The point was (or at least should have been, even from the beginning) to experience it. Why not take advantage of the large quantity of classes offered to me? My boyfriend always yells at me when I go off on my tangents about how silly this class or that class is because “I’ll never use this.” He likes to point on that college isn’t about getting a job, it is about becoming a better person. I think that is finally starting to sink in…

I know my previous rant isn’t what the professor is looking for so below is the actual required blog, but I found the above something I have been wanting to express for a while.

My absolute favorite topic to ponder was the concept of identity online. That is why when asked what topic I wanted to pursue for our group project I stressed that we further analyze identity on the web. Prior to this class, I looked at the internet (mainly social networking) and more specifically games as a time-consuming overall negative thing. I enjoy the ease of communication and research via the internet, but I did see how addictive certain site can be. If my boyfriend doesn’t read digg or his xkcd comic for the day/week he might go crazy. I was addicted to the Simms for a while. I’ve read about the extreme cases where people spend days straight staring at the computer playing games or stalking people on facebook. However, after this class I have at least seen some of the positive aspects of gaming and internet use. For example, Susanna Stern conducted a study on girls and self-expression via the web and she states, “[i]t seems likely that for some girls, the web presents the ’safe company’ they need to ’speak their experience’ and ’say what is true’. It also seems to grant some girls the freedom to develop their sense of possibility and to experience themselves as active agents in their own lives” (Lister, 246). This concept of freely experiencing oneself without the restrictions of one’s physical self can be very important. In class we spoke about Second Life and how there was a Veteran’s Day ceremony online on Veteran’s Day. At first, I was upset that someone would sit at home versus going out and participating in real life. However, after we discussed that some people are either physically unable or have mental conditions that may have even been caused by their services, I began to feel bad. These people have an outlet where they can participate and interact, when in real life they may not be able to. The following article with a video attachment addresses Second Life and stroke victims who use it as a form of recovery (http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/03/is_second_life.html). There is a whole other use for these types of games that I never considered. And although I still see the negative of gaming and excessive web use, it isn’t in such a negative light as it used to be.

Another topic of interest was McCloud’s book Understanding Comics. I loved that he presented the information in such a thought provoking and different way that I had never previously encountered. I had never reflected on comics and, in fact, I considered them dead media. However, McCloud’s book brought some light to comics and made me realize how interesting they could be. We discussed what types of literacies were needed to understand new medias and it was interesting to list all of the things that seem second nature to me as necessities. It made me think about how do not have these literacies.

Another topic that I was interested in was the inequalities of the digital world and networks users and economics. Of course not everyone has a computer and of course not everyone has internet access, but to see a number put to that was a little overwhelming. The concept of the digital divide where access to online resources are globally uneven and correspond with income inequalities in Western countries, “[i]n 1999 the US Department of Commerce reported that urban households with incomes of $75,000 and higher were more than twenty times more likely to have access to the internet than rural households at the lowest income levels, and more than nine times as likely to have a computer at home” (Lister, 199). We discussed the implications of this in class and how the divide will only continue to increase if something is not done. It was scary to think of a significant portion of the world falling further behind. Certain organizations are trying to close the gap by providing laptops to children (http://laptop.org/en/). We also discussed if it is our obligation to provide others with computers. In class I said that I think we have an obligation to provide public computers to libraries or other public places, but not on the individual level. That way access will be easy and the goal is easier to obtain. It would be near impossible, especially economically, to provide everyone with a computer. Not only would the computer have to be provided, but the internet access and other applications and software would have to be provided, otherwise it doesn’t solve the divide at all. Also, there would be an issue of access to power to keep the computer running. Some areas do not have access to power sources like that. Also, I argued that there are more important things such as getting fresh water to areas that do not have it or getting food to the starving. Necessities should come before luxury.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the new media fast project, even if I wasn’t that successful. It taught me how dependent on media I am due to my jobs and school. I could only give up a select few things, because if I stopped e-mailing or answering my phone calls I could have missed an associate trying to schedule a meeting or a message about how the website I am supposed to be operating isn’t working. I would have fallen behind in my job and would have made my superiors quite upset. Overall I think the project taught me how the world works and revolves around new media. If all of a sudden new media stopped working, we would be lost. It’s actually quite terrifying. Our economy and lives depend on media whether it be to contact someone in a hurry or invest in stocks. It was interesting to have to analyze everything I did involving new media and ask myself, “is this necessary?” In most cases it was. I learned a little bit about myself in that sense because I realized that my primary use for new media is business related. I rarely use new media for social activity. The biggest exception was my phone.

Overall I really learned a lot in this class, even if it wasn’t what I was meant to learn. It was interesting seeing this class from a different point of view (as an accounting major) because we addressed many issues that I would have never been exposed to without taking this course. I challenge a communications major to take an upper accounting class to have a similar experience. It is really eye opening.

The Digital Divide – Availability and Use

Lister touches on the unevenness of access of new media in Western countries.  I think it is fairly obvious that there would be a correspondence between income and the availability of new media.  I did not realize that the statistics were so high, “… urban households with incomes of $75,000 and higher were more likely to have access to the Internet than rural households at the lowest income levels, and nine times as likely to have a computer at home” (Lister, 199).  As much as I am not shocked by these results, I am concerned about the effects of these statistics.  What are the long term effects on the lower income households?

In an increasingly digital world, the gap is increasing and the lower income households are falling further behind.  The internet, for example, allows people to have access to news, job searches, real-time information, social networking, and educational tools.  Lower income households were found to want access to the internet for educational purposes.  According to this study, one man said he moved to the United States so that his kids could study (http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=2977).  This further demonstrates how the increase in the gap will influence our culture.  Lower income households will fall further behind in education also.  Many lower income households already are in poor education systems and the lack of access to new media limits them even further.

We must find a solution to lessen the gap before the lower income households fall further behind.  The problem has been recognized and many programs exist to try and integrate new media into lower income households.  For example, The Children’s Partnership has made an attempt to study and influence lower income households access to new media (http://www.childrenspartnership.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Case_Study_Online_Content).  What other solutions can close this increasing gap?  Something must be done, before it is too late.

Survivor Sucks… no really.

I think my favorite quote from chapter one of Jenkins’ Convergence Culture was “‘People take it way too seriously.  It’s just a TV show.’”  I don’t watch tv often.  The one show I follow is LOST, but even for that when my boyfriend and his best friend start theories and discuss what they think is going to happen I sometimes find my eyes glazing over.  Why not just wait until next week?  It ruins the show for me.  I want it to unfold as I watch and get that “Oh my gosh I didn’t see that coming feeling.”  Why are we so obsessed with tv shows?

I’ve never understood it, and as I read some of the outragous lengths that some people go to to try and predict/guess what is going to happen I’m almost disgusted.  Do these people work?  Do they have a life outside of predicting where this show is going to go?  As I read, I was fascinated that it isn’t tv to these people, it is a real life puzzle where an individual can’t do it alone, but together they can conquor the show!  In that sense I can relate and see how it may appeal to people.  Let’s play a real life mystery game.  That sounds kind of fun.  However, I can’t understand someone that devotes hours upon hours to solving this mystery or pretty much stalking the contestents on the show to figure things out.  It’s creepy and weird and wow get a life. 

Survivor Sucks is where people post all of these spoilers and work together to figure who will be booted and who will win etc.  To explore more into this you can visit the cite http://www.survivorsucks.com/  Please don’t get sucked in.  There are so many more sites deticated to picking apart Survivor; http://survivorwiki.wetpaint.com/thread?offset=80&maxResults=20 is another popular one.

Piece of You

While reading Scott McCloud’s “Understanding Comics,” there were two concepts that really stuck out to me.  I have never been a big comic buff, in fact, I cannot recall ever reading one before this book.

The first concept was the thought of being such a self-centered race that we see ourselves in everything.  In the book he has a picture of a car, a parmesan cheese container, and a generic circle with two dots and a line.  I found myself able to see a face in each one, and I would be lying if I said I have not seen faces in certain images before.  However, I saw a face, not myself.  I didn’t feel related to that car in the least bit. I do agree that we are self centered in the sense that things that we use become extensions of ourselves.  It was interesting to see that the more realistic an image became the more I took notice of it, not because I didn’t see myself, but because it had it’s own personality and qualities to focus on.  The author says that if himself were more realistic the reader would be less focused on the message and more focused on the messenger.  I think out of the whole book, that is the statement that stuck the most out to me and I agree.  He goes on to say that I would start to wonder details about this realistic person such as what his politics are or where he got his outfit.  Would we be less interested if things like comics were more realistic?  I think yes, but not because the story is not about me.  Now, if you were to go and create a cartoon of me with my picture, I might be able to relate a little more (see link below).  Otherwise, it’s just another person.

Another concept that really stood out to me was the chapter on reading the gutters.  The gutter is the space in between the two pictorials (for more vocab see the link below).  The first example was of a man with a raised ax saying “now you die” and a man in front of him screaming no with a terrified look on his face.  The next panel shows a dark city with “EEYAA!!” written across it.  It is our imagination that takes those two separate images and transforms them into a single idea.  At first I concluded that the ax man must have killed the other man.  After reading the chapter, I went back and said to myself “wow, I am gruesome.”  For all I know the man with the ax was yelling because he cut down a tree next to him and it took a lot of effort.  I as the reader made the crime occur in my own style.  The story was my own.  Does every person that reads something have a completely different view?

Vocab – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics_vocabulary

Cartoon Me – http://www.cartoonme.com/en/

Corporate and Social Convergence

“Welcome to Convergence Culture, where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways” (Jenkins, 2).

The concept of convergence culture is very intriguing to me.  As a business student, it is interesting to approach this convergence from a how-does-this-impact-the-corporate-environment standpoint.  This convergence can positive and negative effects.  For example, I am currently looking for a full-time job, as I am graduating this December.  As a potential employee, I am no longer solely evaluated via my resume and interviews.  Employers now look at things like facebook and blogs and any other “new” media – it is all fair game.  One man applied for a computer securities position and was turned down because he mentioned that he was a leading hacker on his facebook profile (to read more see link below).  Is this fair?

The social media and the corporate cultures are converging.  Zappos, an online shoe retailer, is using Twitter and blogs to keep employees and consumers updated and involved (article below). Is this convergence something we should be excited about?  I believe that to an extent the convergence of corporate and social cultures is a good thing, but there is a limit.  My first thought in response to Zappos employees using Twitter was, “wow they must really have to watch what they write.”  I do not want my co-workers or customers stalking me on facebook or twitter or whatever else. I don’t like that thought of someone following my every move and having to censor my words.  I don’t keep a twitter, I keep my facebook settings limited, I don’t blog (except for this because it is required), and I don’t have a myspace.  Overall, I don’t like this convergence.  Call me old fashioned, but I enjoyed the separations we used to have.

Job candidates get tripped by Facebook – http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20202935/page/2/

HR Forum: The impact of social media on corporate culture – http://gneil.blogspot.com/2008/06/impact-of-social-media-on-corporate.html

New Is The New Old

One thing that stood out to me in reading the first assigned reading in New Media: A Critical Introduction was the concept of understanding innovation and “newness” through an understanding of the past. I have never thought about the concept of how I perceive and understand something to be new. I believe the authors bring up a good point that in measuring newness one must compare it to the old. Without the old for reference, how would one judge what is already in existence? It not only applies to media, but it applies to anything that I have ever perceived as “new.” The new metal palladium, used for jewelry (website with more information listed below). One could argue that it is not new, the metal was discovered in 1803! It isn’t new because palladium has existed for a long time and rings have existed for a long time and therefore it is not new because it is just the joining of two old ideas. I argue that the joining of two old ideas makes something new. The idea of teleology, where new media is perceived as a “direct culmination of historical processes” (45) in theory is not new to me, but it is something I have never purposely questioned or evaluated.

Can something be new if a similar version of it exists already? Is it new if it is the joining of two or more olds? In my opinion something like the Iphone is new. Yes, the phone already exists and yes, the internet already exists and yes, all those silly little games and applications exist, but no one has ever put them together in the way that Apple has. If you look at the website listed below, it shows all of these “new” features. In reality, these have all existed in some form, but again, not in that way. Is that innovative? I would say yes. Is it new? Again, yes. My definition of “new” includes things that have evolved. I disagree with the thought that in order for media to be new it has to break away from past and older media.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladium

Bonjour

This works.  Fabulous.  Apparently this class I am taking requires me to blog, so here I am.