Week Eight Reading Reaction #3

I was struck by this term that kept appearing in the reading for the week: "expressive privacy." I was not sure how exactly to take this idea, but apparently it is something that a great meany bloggers value as they post information about themselves on the internet. I was surprised at the level of want of privacy on the internet by bloggers because as an individual who is posting information, i should be prepared for any all all reactions from various people. The idea that the internet is a forum where people can freely express ideas in a manner that is free from invasion is too idealistic. Of course, who would not want to be able to freely express themselves and post pertinent information that is a reflection of their own development? However, people must think of the internet as a public space, just like a park, a street or an open public space. Just because an individual may be in the privacy of their own home, does not mean that their ideas a private. Once a person posts information on the internet, they have exposed themselves to the public and to all the risks that come with such exposure. Clearly having expressive privacy is ideal, but anything that is worth doing always comes at a price.    

Week Eight Reading Reaction #2

In the articles for this week's reading, the question as to privacy, identity and community are all topics that are within the notion of posting ideas on the internet. In most instances, people believe that what they post and the information they share is meant to create a forum where people are able to freely exchange ideas and information. The problem is that too often we are foolish to believe that every online community in which we partake is honest, open and is willing to create a congenial exchange. In some instances people look for ways to exploit information or to use ideas against one another. There does not seem to be a presence of etiquette or at least a sense of what of appropriate for some people. Then again the actions of some in a virtual world are reflective of the same types of action in a virtual world or in other cases because of the lack of consequences in a virtual world, people feel free to behave in various unbecoming fashions. I believe that there is a sense of patrolling that each of us must do but above all to agree to the policies that the internet is a forum of openness and exchange; a place where ideas are meant to flow and people are encouraged to be expressive.

Week Eight Reading Reaction #1

This week one of the readings looks at the issues of blogs. Most of us will recognize the points made in this article as it should be familiar to us since we have done this over the course of the summer. However, I was thinking about the issue of privacy which is pointed out in the article and many of the points that are made I thought brought up a couple of issues for me about blogging. The first issue was the types of rights people have on their blogs when it comes to privacy. In this ever shrinking world where every bit of information is collated, recorded and transferred, there seems to be very little hope of keeping information private. This seems even less so when you decide to put your information out into a public sphere, which I feel should not warrant any sense of privacy. I feel that when you decide to actively put information out into an arena where their is public view, the right to privacy can only be controlled by the person doing the posting. Ultimately it is up to the person to decide what to and what not to post depending on how much they wish to be revealed. The real control rests with the poster of the information.

Week Seven Reading Reaction #3

In thinking about the articles and chapter we read for this week, I am thinking that there needs to be more of a reflection on the role of technology and how technology ultimately never really develops from something completely new, but is merely an improvement from something old. It seems that the most technological or "advanced" pieces of equipment are nothing but the result of common sense and simplicity, which seems to indicate that such achievements are nonetheless the result of natural, evolutionary developments that simply develop because of that which already exists within our own cognition. Consider that whenever a new form of technology develops, it is sometimes referred to as the staff of dreams. Well, if we consider technology to be the stuff of dreams, then that which we use today is nothing but a reflection or an improvement of what was developed in the past, as our dreams are only a reflection of what we know or think to be true.

Week Seven Reading Reaction #2

I find the concept of "sight dominance" to be an issue from which there could be both great benefit and great loss. There is little doubt that our culture has become dominant in terms of being visual and because we have moved from an oral tradition to a visual tradition, there have been many advances. I am concerned, however, about the impact so much visualization is having on our ability to process information. There are two different types of processing that takes place depending on if the information is visual or audio. Given the fact that the majority of the information we take in is visual, the processing is different than audio. This may be one reason why there are more people are having problems with verbal communication especially with one another. People are so quick to avoid conversation in the name of confrontation when I suspect that the issue really has more to do with the fact that they are unable to verbally communicate because of the lack of an ability to process a thought and verbalize it. Visual communication does not require words to express emotion, however verbal communication more certainly does if it is to have any meaning. 

Week Seven Reading Reaction #1

The article Navigating Tecnomedia, makes clear that technology is not about getting rid of the old in favor of the new. Technomedia is all about the blending of various technologies into new and different ways of performing. The idea of technology be outdated is a way of thinking that prevents people from understanding how technology builds and shapes people. One central point to the article is the idea that technology as a development can influence people in different ways during different periods of development. Given that a certain piece of technology is developed, does mean that its impact will develop in a vacuum. This piece of technology may in fact influence people generations in the future who had little interaction with the technology, but nonetheless have been impacted by the technology and thus are influenced to makes impacts of their own. Technology is a process to which people experience the use of forms that influence and later their perceived world.

Week Six Reading Reaction #3

I am fearful that out improvement in this world will soon only be judged by how fast our computers and phones can download music or the latest bit of data. It seems to me that we are more interested in measuring "progress" through speed rather than through achievement of thought. I think that much of the progress that is given to technological improvements take away the process of gradually improving ourselves in a capacity that improves our minds. I think that too much technological engagement risks our ability to think because the processes which once required each of us to think, reflect and consider the next step afterwards, allowed each of us to be engaged in thought continuously. Now, that technology has replaced most of the thinking, I do not feel that society has replaced these processes with anything but a greater capacity to be lazy, demanding and to have a sense of over privilege.    

Week Six Reading Reaction #2

One area that I feel the readings brings up in terms of the relationship between machine and man but does not go into too much detail is the invasive character of electronic gadgets into our everyday lives. It is clear that the majority of our tools exceed what they were originally designed to do. Take for example the cellular phone. Most people do not use their phone for making calls, they use their phone to text, email, download or participate in an experience that is largely influenced by a "me" factor. However, I feel that this texting and downloading can be invasive and is making each of us more "robotic" and reactionary to our mobile devices. As soon as the phone rings or vibrates we have to check and see what has been sent. There seems to be an automation in our process of reacting to our technological connection to others.

Week Six Reading Reaction #1

People often have a tendency to think of the future as a positive experience; things will always be better later than they are now. This rosy sense of optimism that clouds the minds of many people is not wrong, but definitely shortsighted, especially when it comes to technology. Too often people demonstrate social success or cultural achievement by technological advancement. Unfortunately I do not think that just because the new iPhone has improved in speed that somehow life is better. Of course technology is helpful and has improved many aspects of life. However, caution must be exercised when thinking about the role of machines as we move to a more automated society. When people create machines that complete a task or no longer require a human element to be present, the process of thought and experience become absent from that act. I do not mean that suddenly the task is useless, but the interactive nature between man and machine suddenly becomes minimized in terms of mentally benefiting the human involved.