This post is due by Tuesday, January 21 @ midnight for full credit.
Email late posts to rob.williamsATmadriver.com for partial credit.
Read our MEDIA@CULTURE book, assigned chapter(s) above.
In a SINGLE blog post below for ALL chapters in the section, provide for EACH chapter:
1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the THESIS (main argument) for each chapter.
In a SINGLE blog post below for ALL chapters in the section, provide for EACH chapter:
1. A single sentence, IYOW, that captures the THESIS (main argument) for each chapter.
2. THREE specific pieces of supporting documentation - ideas, concepts, stats, data - to bolster your thesis for each chapter. (Use 2 - 3 sentences for each.)
3. A single PERSONAL story of 3-4 sentences that connects the chapter directly with your own personal media experiences.
4. A SINGLE specific question you have after reading and blogging on ALL chapters of assignment.
Game on,
Dr. W
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter illustrates how media and the digital age have evolved from many years ago to present day.
2. The oral and written era of communication brought us its own variety of stories and qualities. The print revolution was the next step in the media and digital evolution, which brought along the printing press and with that the newspapers. With the development of the newspaper, the media took a great big step. This allowed everyone to know about important and not so important information at the turn of a page. The next big era was the electronic one. This opened even more doors for communication than the printing press. The next and last big thing was the digital era. This is what we are currently experience in our generation. We got to grow up with this and watch it evolve into what it is now. I can only image where it will end up going.
3. I personally don’t find the digital era all that exciting like others in my generation. I am not like others because I don’t have a Facebook. I never had one and I don’t ever intend to. I think the info people share on this media site is too personal and not necessary for the public eye.
Chapter 2:
1. This chapter attempts to illustrate all the different types of mass communication, the different types to home pages, and the effects the internet has on the economy and the media.
2. I find it interesting all the different companies who have owned a major part of the internet at one time of another. It started out with Yahoo!, Microsoft, AOL, and Google. Today the major companies that control the internet are Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook. I find it interesting that Google has remained a top company to own a portion of the internet to this day. So many other things have evolved from the internet and the companies involved with it, like blogs, email, Web browsing, and the all popular iPhone.
3. I have not yet used blogging until this class. I never really understood how it worked or the point of it, but I am realizing that it is pretty cool. I also am a big iPhone user myself, along with many other people.
Chapter 3:
1. This chapter is all about GAMING, its effects on America’s youth, its advancements, types of games, and the types of employment opportunities it allows.
2. I think that the biggest debate among people today is about video games and whether they can be addicting and whether there is a correlation between acts of violence and time spent playing video games. I think this point stood out to me the most out of the chapter. I don’t know if I 100% agree with the addiction theory that a lot of people seem to have about video games, but there is valid evidence to support it. I also am not sure I agree with the correlation between increased violence and playing video games. They are often police stations that use video games and video simulations to reenact scenes for training procedures. So using this info, I would believe that video games can’t be all that bad in increasing the rate of violence.
3. I don’t play video games and I never really have. I have never really been interested in them. I have been around people who play them and I have never noticed an increased in violence. I think some a very violent, yes, but I also think that people know that when they buying them.
Chapter 1, 2, and 3:
4. How do all these chapters and there main topics connect on a bigger level?
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1) In the first chapter, media is shown how it has become an influential piece of our lives over time.
2) Starting from the beginning, media was nothing more than the spreading of stories and teaching. This was during the oral and written era. Even the printing age was slow to become modernized since it took from block printing on china in 100 c.e. to reach our modern day printing process in the fifteenth century. The sleeper curve is a good explanation of why media influences us without realizing it. This idea is that we are actually furthering ourselves by wanting more out of the media instead of just looking at media senselessly. Finally, something a bit more specific that we can take from how media has influenced us, are the images and stories we see on a day-to-day basis. For example, the images that came out of Vietnam caused many people to change their mind on the war effort and saw the attacks in a different light.
3) I cannot think of a specific time that I can relate to the influence of media affecting my life. However, I know that some stories and images that I have seen through a newspaper, a television broadcast, or the Internet have affected me and change my life. These images opened my eyes on the day that I saw them and forced me to see what I was either neglecting or ignorant to previously.
Chapter 2
1) The second chapter consists of explaining how we are converting to a digital and Internet era.
2) We are always able to stay in touch with the Internet and media thanks to phones. An excerpt from the book says, “We may be on the go, but we aren’t disconnected from the mass media- we take it with us”. We are also transitioning from printed newspaper and television to online sources of media and news. On Page 53, a picture of the Huffington Post is shown and talked about it influence and important in our current time. We are also addicted to our new way of communication and email. The nickname “crackberry” emerged when owners of the new blackberry allowed them access to their email accounts and they would become obsessed with this new available mean of communication.
3) The beginning of the chapter speaks to me the most because I grew up at a young age when all of the large media companies were just starting out and growing. I originally followed the news through television. As I grew older, I began to use the Internet to keep myself up to date. Finally, I use my phone and use either twitter reports or a news app on my iPhone to follow the news.
Chapter 3
1) The purpose of the third chapter is to give an overview of gaming history and the different genres of games.
2) Originally gaming was in arcades and small franchises. The gaming console changed all of that by allowing gamers to have the ability to game to whenever they wanted in the comfort of their home. Games also started out as single player and first player settings. They have been able to evolve with the technology around it and can even play with other gamers on the other half of the world now. Thanks to evolution, there are many new genres of games extending from first player, action, sports and role playing games.
3) I have grown up playing video games my whole life and have seen this journey take place in front of me. I often play the sports genres and have owned just about every hockey game available for PlayStation or Xbox. Thanks to the live gaming upgrade, I don’t have to be using the same console as one of my friends, yet I am still able to play them.
Chapters 1,2, and 3
4) If we are in the direction of entering the semantic web era, where are we going to end up with gaming?
Chapter 3
ReplyDelete1.This chapter helped give and overview of the gaming world and how it developed.
2."...modern indoor playground: the Penny arcade"(P.81)" This gave the public an opportunity to find enjoyment for a cheap price. The public were now able to rely on entertainment for a low price no matter what the climate was like. This was the first step in a whole new world of opportunities for people."Very early home computer games, like the early console games, often mimicked popular arcade games.." This invention now gave people the opportunities to find the games they loved without leaving their homes. For the first time people had the ability to having their gaming enjoyments in the comfort of their own homes."Communties also form outside of games, through Web sties..." People now had the ability to form friendships with people who they had never met before. Also, this was the first big step of really bringing a new community over gaming that the public had never seen before. This made it so people didn't need to go to the parks anymore to play and see with people because they could get all the same benefits without having to go anywhere.
3. I have never really been involved in the whole gaming community like other people have. I do see the benefits of how people love video games, but I was never really good at them and I hate to lose. Also, the consoles are very expensive and my family could never afford them when I was younger.
4. Will there every come a time when people do not need to leave their homes because everything they need is in the comfort of being home?
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter discusses how media and the digital age have evolved over the years to present day.
2. The oral and written era of communication brought us a variety of stories and qualities. The print revolution, the next step in the media and digital evolution, brought along the printing press and newspapers with that. With the development of the newspaper, the media took a great big step. This allowed the spreading of information on a larger scale at the turn of a page. The next big era that arrived was the electronic era. This era opened even more doors for communication. The last era is the digital era, which we currently are experiencing in our generation.
3. I personally find the digital era to be extremely exciting, much like so many others in my generation. I could possibly be considered a snapchat and twitter addict. I find myself fascinated by the growth of social media and am curious to see where it will go from here.
Chapter 2:
1. This chapter illustrates the different forms of mass communication, the different types of home pages, and the effects of the Internet on the economy and media.
2. I find it extremely interesting that there are so many different companies that have owned a major part of the Internet at one time of another. Initially, it began with Yahoo!, Microsoft, AOL, and Google. Today the major companies that control the Internet are Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook. I find it interesting, but not surprising, that Google has remained a top company to this day, seeing the amount the company has expanded over the years.
3. Personally, I have a couple blogs that I started back during high school that I maintain today. Not only do I use Blogger, but I also use Tumblr. For me, my blogs are a creative outlet. My Tumblr is mostly for my love of photography, whereas my Blogger account is used for more personalized writing that relate more to my everyday life.
Chapter 3:
1) The purpose of the third chapter is to give an overview of video gaming history and the different genres of video games as well as its affect of America’s youth.
2) Originally gaming began in arcades and small franchises. The gaming console changed everything by allowing gamers to have the ability to play their games whenever they want in the comfort of their home. Games also started out as single player and first player settings, but have evolved with the technology around it. Today’s video games have allowed gamers to play with other gamers on the other half of the world now as well. Thanks to evolution of video gaming, there are many new genres of games extending from sports, first player, action, and other genres of games.
3) Growing up, I was exposed to video games simply because of my two younger brothers. Personally, however, I have never had an interest in video gaming, perhaps with the exception of MVP Baseball 2004 for Nintendo GameCube. I never felt the need to play video games; therefore I have not noticed the increase in violence. In my opinion, the consumer should know how much violence a video game contains prior to purchasing, so the amount of violence gamers are exposed to is at the discretion of the consumer.
Chapters 1-3:
How much farther can the era of social media go before me move on into the next era?
CH 1
ReplyDelete1) This chapter covers how media and the digital age have evolved into our everyday lives.
2) We are shown in this chapter how the evolution of media has changed through several key tools. One of these tools that were a catalyst for media production was the printing press, which changed how stories were told for generations. It wasn’t till the Internet and the digital came along and changed the medium once again.
3) To me this chapter brings up the idea of media and its connection with human growth. I have been subject to so many media information format changes in my life. I’ve always wondered whether these changes are always for the best for society.
CH 2
1) This chapter is about the effect mass communication and the Internet has not only on the world but the economy as well.
2) This chapter really brings about the idea of control and whether we are really in control or not. One point that the chapter really hits me is when it talks about how with technology we no longer shut it down and leave it at home; we take it with us where ever we go. The chapter also goes on to talk about who controls the internet these days as opposed to the companies who were in control were in the start of the digital age.
3) To me the addiction of the Internet is everywhere. It’s almost unavoidable these days. We literally carry it in our pocket and can access what ever at the swipe of a finger. To me I try and stay away from the addiction of the Internet as much as possible. However, whenever I do log on the Internet I cant step away from the Barstool and funny cat video’s of the Internet.
CH 3
1) There’s really only one word to describe this chapter…. Gamming
2) In this chapter we see the discussion of addiction continue in regards to the video game industry. We also see the idea of video games growing with the digital age as well. We are also told about the history of video gaming and how it has evolved from arcades to home consoles
3) The idea of too much violence in video games has always been a grey area for me. I think that there is a connection of violence in video games and violence in the real world. However I think that the nurture of the person vs. the nature of the person plays a huge role into how they interpret what they are seeing and doing.
Question 4 Ch 1-3
These chapters have gotten me think about the bigger picture and where does the digital age end? and how will we know?
Chapter 1:
ReplyDeleteBoth mass communication and culture has changed throughout time.
"In most early societies information and knowledge first circulated slowly through oral traditions passed on by poets, teachers, and tribal storytellers." page 7
"Throughout the twentieth-century America, critics and audiences perceived culture as a hierarchy with supposedly superior products at the top and inferior ones at the bottom. .. In this model, the top floors of the building house high culture, such as ballet, the symphony, art museums, and classical literature. The bottom floors... house popular or low culture..." pg 17
"We know that people have complex cultural tastes, needs, and interests based on different backgrounds and dispositions... In other words, as part of an ongoing process, cultural products and their meanings are 'all over the map'". pg 26
I know that my tastes don't always make sense. With culture I love Vincent Van Gogh and Mozart, but I am also equally infatuated with dubstep and Bansky's art. Like it says cultural products and meanings are all over the map nowadays because of how our culture has molded into others to create new ideas.
Chapter 2:
We have made a huge technological leap since the creation of the internet and social media.
"The introduction of the World Wide Web and the first web browsers, Mosaic and Netscape, in the 1990's helped transform the Internet into a mass medium." pg 49
"In less than a decade, a number of different types of social media have evolved, with multiple platforms for the creation of user-generated content." pg. 52
"Covergence of media and technology has forever changed our relationship with media. Today, media consumption is mobile and flexible; we don't have to miss out on media content just because we weren't home in time to catch a show... we demand access to media when we want it..." pg 59
I am always the last of all my friends to get new technology and I always have the hardest time staying up to date with social media. I just recently received a smart phone and couldn't figure it out of a good month. I am constantly mocked for my technological impairment, and this chapter did not reassure me at all and makes me think I will fall further behind the crowd.
Chapter 3:
Digital gaming is one of the fastest growing forms of media.
"In their most basic form, digital games involve users in an interactive computerized environment where they strive to achieve a desired outcome... They often entail sweeping narratives and offer imaginative and exciting adventures..." pg 80
"Virtual communities often crop up around online video games and fantasy sports leagues. Indeed, players may get to know each other through games without ever meeting in person." pg 94
"Today about 72 percent of households play computer or video games. The entire U.S. video game market... adds up to about $25 billion annually..." pg 104
This is my sorest subject, I honestly do not know much about video games. My parents never let me have a console when I was younger so I didn't get a chance to learn how to play different games. One thing I do know a little bit about is The Sims, but for such a small computer game, I can't really say I have much of an education towards video games.
Where can we go from here in technology and social media?
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1.) Media has evolved since it’s early beginnings in oral tradition and has become a major component of life in the twenty-first century presenting both advantages and drawbacks in modern society.
2.) Mass Medium transitioned from storytelling to print, prompted by Guttenberg’s press and on to electronic breakthroughs such as the e-mail. Stories presented in the media can mold a nation’s perspectives and attitudes. News coverage of the civil rights movement bolstered support for equality for African Americans, coverage of the Vietnam War spurred protests by the American people. Especially in the postmodern era people are directly participating in history through social networking, voices are being heard now more than ever. However, with most of our media existing on the Internet a culture of excessive information and pursuits for personal agendas has discouraged the socialization in earlier forms of media.
3.) Instead of talking with friends and family after a television show airs the following day, I can communicate immediately by live-tweeting it and getting it trending. This lessens one on one contact with other people but helps me see what people are saying about the show quickly and easily.
Chapter 2:
1.) The Internet has grown into a thriving entity and has become a search engine, social platform, and a vital part of modern life.
2.) The internet began as a centralized form of communication for the military. It soon became a browser for the web as internet service providers and broadband connections developed. Search engines served as quick routes to finding content. Google, created in 1998 used an algorithm that presented links based on popularity. Google is now one of the most powerful companies in the world. Internet users participate in social media, a form of social interaction. This platform for communication has led to further democratization as it calls attention to issues ignored by other media, such as the Occupy Wall Street movement.
3.) When I hear a song I’m interested in I use an app called Shazam, which directly tags the name and artist of the song. From there I can go on YouTube to watch the video for the song and directly share it with my followers on twitter or friends on Facebook.
Chapter 3:
1.) Video games has progressed into a major industry, it’s often debated whether or not the addictive qualities of video games has prompted negative psychological qualities in younger generations.
2.) Gaming has often been cited for it’s misogynistic and violent characteristics and people consider whether or not this behavior transfers into the real world. Studies show that it’s the players with neurotic personality traits are most susceptible to the negative effects of gaming. The Entertainment Software Rating Board was created to inform parents on the sexual and violent content of the game. Games were soon given the freedom of speech granted by the First Amendment. The technology of gaming will soon move into a more interactive world.
3.) I’m not very involved with video games, but my sister sometimes plays the Sims games. They seem pretty interesting and I think its cool when technology tries to simulate reality.
4.) Do you think as media improves, there will be a high demand for those looking for the nostalgic forms of media?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1
ReplyDelete1. The first chapter shows how media has become such an influential part of our lives and how it has evolved.
2. The oral and written eras in communication played out largely with the Greek philosophers for example the Socratic method, which was heavily used by those who believed in the superiority of the oral tradition. This era brings up points of contemporary culture discouraging face-to-face communication. The printing revolution was the next step that allowed media to mass-produce materials that would spread quicker. The electronic era brought people from the farms to the cities where the telegraph was later created and changed everything. Then the digital era brought about cable television and the Internet which rules our society today.
3. I think that my parents do a great deal of trying to bring my siblings and I back to reality when we get consumed in social media and television. I was lucky back in 6th grade when my parents let me get a cell phone but they never knew how much time I would spend on it and always wanting the next best thing as soon as it came out. I’ve learned overtime not to let the media rule influence my life because most items or stories are far fetched from what they seem and people can get consumed in it so easily.
Chapter 2
1. This chapter shows how we have converted to a digital media world and how the media has changed our lives.
2. With the creation of the Internet during the 1960’s, the amount of social media has greatly expanded. With the expansion of social media our face-to-face conversations have moved to the World Wide Web. Our social interactions become set in stone as people post their life stories to their favorite social media outlet. We now have all sorts of social media that came about through the Internet and attract all ages to their sites. Also if you’re wondering who owns what sites, Google probably does.
3. I can say that I am “involved” in many times of social media ranging from instagram to twitter. After hearing about all the scandals that involve people posting things they shouldn’t to social media I have learned to limit what I say and where.
Chapter 3
1. The purpose of this chapter is to give us an overview about gaming and its advancements.
2. In 1880 the penny arcade was one of the first indoor “playgrounds.” People congregated here to test their strength, bowl, and play football. It was all in innocent fun but games have changed since then. Gaming has gone from Super Mario Bros to Call of Duty. People want blood, guts, and violence. I think the stimulus it gives the players is beyond addicting. I know my brothers can stare at the screen for hours on end playing call of duty, yet it doesn’t do them any justice in the long run.
3. I’m not really into playing video games. I have done my fair share of watching them being played by my brothers and still have no interest. I would rather get out and ski or do something active and real instead of play video games.
how has social media changed the way we interact with each other?
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. Chapter one discusses the evolvement of media and the digital age over time, and how they have grown and transformed.
2. Media is a form of communication, and over time, the way that people communicate has evolved from strictly oral communication to the formation of an alphabet and written communication. With this evolvement, the use of print also changed, and transformed from being only accessible to the wealthy elite, to being accessible to people of all classes. “Books eventually became the first mass-marketed products in history” (Media and Culture, 7). Society gradually changed from a print-based society, the Industrial age, to a more electronic, Information based age. Over time the use of images and text evolved and became more commonly integrated into society.
3. I have witnessed the change of the digital age. I have witnessed technology and media change and advance. I remember myspace was the popular social media outlet, but by the time I was of age to have a social media page, facebook overshadowed myspace and since then has evolved and grown. Other forms of technology like cell phones have evolved quickly within the course of my lifetime.
Chapter 2:
1. Chapter two discusses the development of the Internet and its role in social media and other forms of communication.
2. The Internet was created and designed to be a superhighway of sorts, transmitting data through all different sorts of media. Since its creation in in the 1960s, the Internet has grown and expanded greatly, allowing people to communicate in new ways. With the birth of the World Wide Web, people are able to surf the web to shop, find out information, and communicate. Previously people were limited to communicating with each other through the telephone, but with the emergence of the Internet, new forms of communication arose.
3. I use the Internet for a variety of different reasons, but I do seem to use it most to communicate with others. Through my laptop and IPhone I am able to connect to different forms of social media like Facebook or blogs and through these mediums I am able to communicate with different people.
Chapter 3:
1. Chapter three discusses gaming, and its evolvement through media and in popular culture.
2. Digital gaming evolved from arcade based games to games that could be played on the television, computer, and handheld devises. As gaming became more popular, advances were made that improved the graphics used as well as the social aspect of gaming that we now see today. Different genres of games evolved and the gaming world grew fast.
3. I don’t really play many video games other than Mario cart or other simple games, but having three brothers I am exposed to them quite often. We have gone through many games and gaming systems, and each time something new comes out there are advances made in the technology behind them. As my brothers get older, the games they play grow more violent from what I have observed.
4. Will there come a time when people of all ages, ranging from infants to the elderly, all are involved in using technology and the media in some way?
Chapter One
ReplyDelete1) This chapter covers the evolution of media from the first forms of communication to the digital communication we know today.
2) This chapter discusses how communication has gone through five phases of development through time; oral, written, print, electronic, and digital. The chapter also talks about how humans have evolved through communication from mass communication to digital communication.
3) I grew up in an interesting time for communication in the digital world. In middle school AIM instant messaging was coming about and it gave students and friends instant means for communication as opposed to calling house phones. This digital messaging site was one of the first of its kind and it changed how kids were able to communicate amongst each other.
Chapter Two
1) This chapter goes into more depth about the internet and it's impact on media communication.
2) The US Government first used a similar system to the internet and this is when the first stages of email were used. Tim Berners-Lee is the man who invented the World Wide Web that first started with HTML. The evolution of email to mobile communication and social media.
3) Mobile communication has become a kind of life line for many people today. It is the most essential tool that they have and carry it almost all the time. Texting has become the most simple form of communication because one does not need to be online to receive it.
Chapter Three
1) This chapter discusses the evolution of gaming through arcades and the online world.
2) Digital games evolved from four major formats: television, handheld devices, computers, and the Internet. In the 70's games like Pong and Pac-Man came out. The Sega Dreamcast was the first system that used online options, but this is now a necessity in modern gaming systems.
3) This chapter spoke about the online world of gaming and this resonates with a lot of college students out there. My roommates and I have been playing video games together since we were freshman and it is a unique connection and competition that we have with each other. We have not done as much online, but when we do it is always amazing to imagine how many people across the world are playing in one game.
All Chapters
4) What is the age that comes after the digital? Will society slowly turn into a place like the story, Feed?
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1. Media has been apart of world culture long before the digital age of today, the difference is today it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish the outdated media from the new and the high culture from the low.
2. Media has been evolving for centuries beginning with oral and written communication, then printed communication, then electronic, and now the digital age of constant communication.
While many critics claim that the digital age has rendered many older forms of media obsolete, the internet has actually offered these older forms of media a chance to reinvent themselves in digital form.
Culture today can be described as a skyscraper where media forms such as ballet and symphonies have become reserved for the highly cultured while many popular forms of media are representatives of the low cultured. Or as a map where the differences in popularity are attributed to differences tastes and desired experiences.
3. I can relate to the discussion of whether or not new media has rendered old media obsolete. I received a Kindle for my birthday and first saw it as proof that books and newspapers were going out of style. However, I found myself reading a larger and more varied number of books now that I had a Kindle.
Chapter 2.
1. Internet has come a long way since its original development taking over countless markets, becoming an agent for advertising, and connecting people all around the globe, but it still has kinks that need to be worked out.
2. As the internet has become more commercialized the competition between providers has become intense. Each is constantly coming up with innovations in order to stay ahead in the competitive internet market.
Advertising has become a major way for those involved in the internet market to make money in a seemingly unprofitable business. However, people are questioning the ethicality of target marketing and data mining as a means to gain more information about customers.
Governments are still working to establish rules to regulate the internet and protect those using it. Security has become increasingly important with the rise in identity thefts due to internet use.
3. I can relate to the section about digital divides. I live in a rural area and have no access to internet. While I was able to access it at my high school, the divide between fellow college students and me is glaringly obvious. It is easy for someone who is not up to date with technology to get lost when the conversation turns to Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat.
Chapter 3.
1. Digital gaming is an ever-evolving form of mass media that has grown to encompass almost all other forms of media and many forms of socializing.
2. Gaming began with physical games such as pinball and simplistic screen games.Then relatively quickly, the industry exploded and three companies came out on top Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony.
Gaming systems today allow its users to connect to the internet giving them access to a complete world of media. It is now possible to play music, steam movies, and download add-ons for games all on a single device.
Not only do the new gaming systems provide enhanced playing experiences they also provide new socializing opportunities. The option to play with or against other people has brought a new dynamic to interactions with friends and family, and provided the opportunity to play with people all around the world by connecting to the internet.
3. I can agree that while the typical depiction of a gamer is a young male, the gaming world is not limited to this demographic. When my sister and I were younger, we would often play family action-adventure games on our Game Cube, and now that the Wii has taken its place, we play games like Wii Sports and Just Dance.
Chapter 1,2,3,4
4. Was there debate over the negative effects of media during the earlier times of its development too?
Ch1
ReplyDelete1) Throughout the chapter, it is described how media has evolved and either helped or hurt people in today's day and age.
2) The first part of the chapter describes how Obama won the 2012 election. It says he won 60% of the votes for ages 18 to 29, which is considered the social media generation. It was found that Obama had about 20 million more likes on Facebook than Romney, as well as about 23 million followers on Twitter and was proven to "out-tweet" Romney by a margin of 8 to 1. Because of the evolvement of media, people would much rather be watching a movie on their computer or interact with their friends on social media sites than be in a Fine Art Museum or go to a Ballet. However, because of media advancements we are now able to spread new faster with advancements as simple as the newspaper. Printing has evolved so much over time becoming quicker and cheaper.
3) I find that with the current social media sites it is so easy to get in touch with somebody if you need to. I often will text a friend and receive no answer, but I will see that they have tweeted something recently, so I will tweet at them and receive an answer much quicker.
Ch2
1) This chapter describes the development and progress of the Internet, and the types of social media and other technology that have formed because of its creation.
2) The development of the Internet has changed this world completely, just within the last fourteen years or so of my life. The Internet started off primarily for e-mail until companies such as Google and Yahoo! created sites that included e-mail and much more. In 2002, the Blackberry was the first cell phone that was able to connect to the Internet. Apple created its first iPhone and the iPod touch and iPad came soon after. Even social networking sites have advanced. Facebook was originally created solely for college students and has expanded by allowing it to be used by anyone.
3) It's interesting to me to think back to when I was in middle school and see what was popular then compared to now. Back then, no one my age had a phone yet, so AIM was a huge form of communication. Now, my sister would have no idea what AIM is if I asked her because cell phones and texting have become so much more popular.
Ch3
1) This chapter goes over the history of gaming and explains all the different types of games that have been created over time.
2) Gaming first started with mechanical games such as pinball, and have progressed to video games such as those on the PS3 or Xbox 360. The games that emerged before the PS3 or Xbox were games you would see in arcades. These games are games like PacMan and Donkey Kong. The first console game was called the Atari. Nintendo also had older versions of gaming consoles that came before its present day ones. Gaming consoles themselves have obviously also advanced. There are multiple "versions" of each system. For example, the Playstation progressed from just "Playstation" to "Playstation 2" to "Playstation 3". There are also different categories of gaming (action, shooter, puzzle, and more) that affect how gamers act in their everyday lives. There has been a controversy over the past few years on how violent shooter games, such as Halo or Call of Duty, have influenced gamers actions to be more violent than they would be if they didn't play these games on a regular basis.
3) I have never been one to be big on playing video games, but my brother plays on an occasion. My brother has a PS3, which replaced his PS2 when it broke. We used to have a GameCube, but we sold it when we bought the Wii. I remember getting games for Christmas, each year there would be the big new game that we all wanted. I find it interesting how fast these games kept coming out, each one better than the last.
Ch1,2,3:
4) With how quick everything is moving from print to online sources, when will the time come for the US Postal Service to go out of business?
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. The first chapter discusses the evolution of media through the ages and it's resounding effects on both it users and societies alike.
2. Story telling along with similar forms of oral communication were the main form of media for centuries. The printing press helped to revolutionize the way in which information was spread and obtained, gradually allowing for a wider spread of information to pass among the masses. Subsequent media to arise over recent years have created a nonstop demand for information, where nearly all users are looking to find out "whats new" in the world. Modern media has also complicated the separation between "high" and "low" culture, an idea which separates the tasteful from the tasteless. p.21
3. I enjoy thinking about how different our culture is from ones dating back only 200 or so years. The idea of a connected world is very interesting to me- yet I realize the term its self isn't anywhere near true yet, considering only 1 in every 100 people have access or own a computer. Living without a facebook works really well for me, I used to not have a cell either, but that recently changed. Though I enjoy (for the most part) the benefits of technology, I prefer to keep them at a distance.
4. Where will social media be in 50 years? Will the world finally be completely connected?
Chapter 2:
This chapter discusses the spread of modern media through the internet and its relationship with modern business politics and society.
2. Due to the widespread popularity of mobile devices, we are now more connected to the internet than ever. Although a mass collection of information, companies such as apple and search engines like google have "streamlined" or created a "walled garden" internet, (p.60) limiting the amount of information to appeal to the interests of their users. Similarly, countries such as China, Egypt and Tunisia have all at one point attempted to censor their internet. Though some regimes more successful than others, the act of limiting available information often leads to a public outcry. Similarly, the internet has provided for great social change in struggling countries, as demonstrated in the Arab Spring incidents on page 55. Furthermore, activist groups such as Anonymous have worked to keep the internet and truthful information available, while also wreaking havoc on large corporations and countries that allude these ideals.
3. I find the aspect of internet suppression to be one of the most interesting topics in this chapter. My main interest falls on the Patriot Act, which effectively enables invasions of internet privacy, justifies by the need for national security. I realize however, that far more people have it far worse. Censoring countries like China and North Korea for instance not only limit the amount of information available to the public, but silence nearly all voices of dissent.
4.) It seems with every attempt to further censor the internet by the U.S. there has been widespread discontent. Does further censorship in the name of national security seem possible? How far could it go?
Chapter 3:
Delete1.) Video games have become an immensely popularly form of technological entertainment, despite speculation of their negative effects on users.
2.) Much like transformation of social media over the past few decades, video games too have shaped to fit the beat of their present consumers. Beginning with games such as pin ball/ frogger and other early electronic forms of interactive entertainment, the video game industry has grown dramatically to keep its consumers entertained. With the emergence of more modern machines, like the xbox or playstation, users are able to mix gaming with a variety of other media, whether it be video streaming or social networking platforms. The ability to play and communicate with other users around the globe without having to divulge personal information has also been a key contributor in the success of present gaming devices. Xbox live for instance, released in 2004 by Microsoft has created to a chair reaction, where online play is the norm. As Randy Marsh points out, a player can take on any sort of identity or alter ego in an online game. Although widely popular among its youthful players, there are concerns surrounding addiction and desensitization to violence due to the nature of video games. As mentioned on page 99, when mixed with the right type of people, violent video games such as GTA or Call of Duty have the potential to carry out negative effects on their players.
3.) I used to play video games such as Call of Duty and GTA on a regular basis in my early teen years. I can't say I've become desensitized to violence or actually become addicted, but during those years I did feel a strong pull to my xbox. I could go a while without playing it and often times I did, but I frequently felt like I needed to be gaming or talking to my online friends in my spare time. One thing I've come to notice as well was my aggressive tendencies towards my devices. I would occasionally get mad enough so I'd damage a controller or some part of the xbox. However, I get pretty agitated with most of the technological devices I use today.
4.) I'm always wondering where video game console manufactures will take their products next. Though I know little about them, the PS4 and Xbox 1 seem like glamorized reproductions of their earlier models. What will gaming look like in the next decade?
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1.) The first chapter of Media & Culture shapes an outline of how media has formed itself to what it is in our current day lives.
2.) The billions of dollars that were spent on campaigns caught my eye first. They spent more on making sure that they won the election instead of aiding the people who the candidates were supposed to represent. The second and third facts are about the electronic era. The 80% of Americans that lived on farms moved to cities. The cause of this was the industrialization of our country. By bringing people in, the audience for newspapers and other forms of medias grew exponentially.
3.) During the election of 2012, I personally remember seeing ads multiple times a day. There is always a push to get attention of viewers but I feel that it does not pursued the educated viewer. Scandals that are released seem to get more popularity and more attention than ads that are paid for.
Chapter 2
1.) Chapter 2 is all about the internet and how it provided a platform for social media to grow upon.
2.) The ARPA network interested me the most in this chapter. I didn’t know how the internet was formed and the birth of the internet is fascinating. Apple’s starting date surprised me. I did not know that they started selling music in 2003. Lastly online fraud and it’s 3.4 billion dollar industry stood out because of how easily people can take advantage of online websites.
3.) Throughout my generation’s time we have seen the introduction, rise, and eventual downfall of many giant web companies. We have seen Netflix take over physical businesses such as Blockbuster. It still interests me on how a small website can become an overnight sensation.
Chapter 3
1.) The introduction of gaming and how it has aided in growing social media is the topic of chapter 3.
2.) Seeing the pictures such as Super Mario Bros and Doom to newer games such as League of Legends amazes me on how far they have come. It is like the games have become as smart as us and the experience they offer to users. South Korea’s section on gaming was surprising because of how involved they are in the image of gaming. They have TV shows about Starcraft and money prizes.
3.) Personally I have played three different gaming systems throughout my life. It all started on the Nintendo 64. What is really cool is that people still play the games from Nintendo 64 like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.
Chapters 1,2,3
4.) Media has come so far and has seen rises and dips in it’s economic stages, my question is how will people take advantage of the web’s applications to take media to the next stage.
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter focuses on mass media as well as culture’s role in a number of stages of development of communication across time.
2. One was printing which was a true innovation back in time with the involvement of the printing press which made an instrumental difference in the more efficient duplication speeds of hand-copied texts. Also, the printing press lower-priced total costs of remade hand-written works to the benefit of hard-working authors and publishers. Another phase was the electronic age that began rapidly with the invention of the telegraph that in connection with newspapers made knowledge into a hot commodity important to human society. Following the telegraph, other electronic technology innovations were assembled such as film, radio, television, and cell phones. Then there was the digital age with the commercial development of the internet allowing aspects of web searching to be transmitted globally with the monitoring of tracking devices. Digital communication is seen as a welcomed stream of information with social media forms such as Blogging, Twitter, and Facebook to see at one’s own pleasure.
3. Of the types of eras referenced to, I am the most involved with the electronic age in the form of television because I watch a decent number of basketball and baseball sporting events as a means of relaxing and pleasure throughout the MLB and NBA seasons. I do sometimes feel though that the access and amounts of coverage of these potential hobbies for people in life are too overblown, hyped, and addicting for people who get caught up in the action. These athletic happenings are primarily known extra-curricular activities instead of more useful ways to allocate time to. All other forms of electronics forms of technology I am minimally involved with because I see them as unnecessary and have been told by my friends they can become distracting for long periods of time getting you off track from primary focuses.
Chapter 2:
1. This chapter demonstrates The World Wide Web going social media communication savvy with the second generation human beings of the internet along with the Economics of the Internet over recent decades.
2. The second generation of the Internet has moved toward being a fully interactive medium. Social media is still growing, but is known as a location of popular as well as consistent societal communication among friends and family. Types of social media that exist in the world today include ones such as blogs, content communities, social networking sites, and virtual societal gaming worlds. It is very thought-provoking to me that a major specific World Wide Web company in Yahoo has fallen out of the upper echelon rankings in terms of the leading forces of the Internet over the last two decades while Google has remained stable in its standings because the two companies are extremely similar multinational corporations with close to the same extra Web offerings. On the other hand, I can definitely understand the fact that in currently today Facebook and Apple sit atop the standards needed for success because of their two primary products of social media/ networking and the Apple iPhone. Also, Amazon’s high standing for companies online surprised me because I was not aware of what products were producing high supply and demand turning into large profits in total revenue for them. Now though I have become informed of their popular Kindle e-reader, Kindle Fire touchscreen tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad, as well as other around the house merchandise.
3. I have not experienced or used any types of social media excluding Facebook for 2 years as well as blogging once in a class in high school. I only check my Facebook account about 2-3 times a week for about 10 minutes, so I am not extreme part of the loop of chatter that normally occurs online of these social media networks. I have no need to always have my electronic gadgets by my side because I’m not obsessed with the need of knowing to be informed of every signal happening taking place quite frequently.
1) Chapter one discusses the development of media in society as well as the way in which it impacts people’s lives. The origins of media start in oral tradition. People received their “news” through the sharing of events and stories. With the print revolution news and stories could be mass-produced and shared on a massive scale for the first time. With this new platform in media writers began to express views contrary to popular opinion/belief on a major scale, changing the way in which some people used media. The digital era has again created a revolutionary fashion in which we use media. Today media is so customizable that “the notion of truly “mass” media may no longer exist” (5). In addition through the use of facebook, blogs, etc. people have been empowered to create their own news and have their voices heard by large groups if they choose. Personally I have found this new digital age to be overwhelming. Since there is so much information available and often contradictory of other information I often struggle to know what to read/believe.
ReplyDelete2) Chapter two discusses the development of the computer, Internet, and mobile media. At its origins the military developed the computer with “time-sharing as one of the goals” (46). E-mail was later created as a means to simplify communications. Through the development of the web the marketing potential for the Internet was discovered. Web browsers were the answer, the ability to have the information people were looking for easily attainable and in an organized fashion was the next step. Currently people have this ability not just in their homes, but where ever they go on their cell phones. This allows people to be engaged online all the time at there convenience. Looking at the development of technology in this fashion both excites and scares me. I love the convenience of using my smart phone for both information and communication. However I feel that because this level of convenience is available many people don’t disengage from it and in turn are in a way are constantly dis-engaged from the rest of the world.
3) Chapter three discusses games and there transformation onto a digital platform. “In their most basic form, digital games involve users in an interactive computerized environment where they strive to achieve a desired outcome” (80). Penny arcades are where virtual games began to really gain popularity. From there the next big step was the creation of at home video game consoles. The next major leap in the technology was through the Internet. This development allows gamers to remotely interact and play with other gamers. My younger brother is currently studying game design in school, he strongly believes that video games are an art form and bring people together in a mostly positive fashion. I however in line with my other personal thoughts regarding the development of media wonder if video games are just another way for people to interact with others in a less social manner then they would without them.
4) Has social media negatively effected the way people learn to socialize?
Chapter 3:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter focuses entirely on video games in terms of its impact on children’s concepts of right and wrong in connection with violence, addiction based on the genres of the specific game competitions, and then there is the businesses way of creation/ development.
2. Video game genres include action, shooting, fighting, adventure, children and family entertainment, strategy, sports, role-playing, racing, casual, music and dance. The most controversy is involved with heated video games. A problem for those video games moving forward is that the parents of young children are concerned with the extreme violence and graphics embedded within them. There reason is because they fear the advertising techniques put forth by businesses are promoting destruction as well as pushing negative morals toward the young. Youths can sometimes be susceptible to persuasion by individuals older than them when they find common grounds in their hobbies of free time because they could possibly look up to them as a mentor or hero. I believe addiction is a possibility because children can develop a non-stopping need to complete an objective or task they get frustrated with. On the other hand, I do not believe partaking in intense video games is linked to future violence in real life because sometimes individuals can use games as a type of stress reliever after having a bad day.
3. I have never played video games in last 8 years and have not had a passion for the virtual world encompassed inside them. The only video games I have played in my life were basketball and baseball ones. I recall back then that I partook in them with friends for fun and to have a good time hanging out together since we were not very great skill wise playing the sports at a high level. I would say video games are just a form of alternative action for people without having to actually do physical exercise.
Question from Chapters 1-3:
4. What will digital video games and the social media on the World Wide Web look like in a decade from now after increased opportunities for potential advancement or drop-off?
Chapter One
ReplyDelete1. Chapter one discusses the evolution of communication and its effect on our culture.
2. In the electronic era, the telegraph had a huge impact on improving communication. Not only did it help with military communication, but it lead us to create other electronics such as cell phones. Evolving from “snail mail” to email in the digital era today, both forms of communication still have their setbacks. “Snail mail” isn’t instant, but many have had issues sending emails as well. The idea of high culture and low culture (looking at culture as a skyscraper) depicts how media has changed our society to focus more on low culture topics.
3. Even though social media and text messaging has taken over our generations mean of communication, I sometimes find myself wanting to communicate through mail. Hand written letters may take a while to send or receive, but I find them more meaningful and more real. Looking at a computer screen or cell phone can get old, so I find it nice to send letters sometimes.
Chapter Two
1. Chapter two illustrates the Internet as a place of dangers, a place of communication, and a place that has changed our relationship with media and the economy.
2. To do most things on the Internet you need to make an account. By doing this you give away personal information that unethical data-gathering methods could collect. Therefore creating one way that the Internet can be a dangerous place. The Internet is used to communicate through instant messaging, email, and social networking sites. Facebook being the largest social networking site with over one billion active users. The Internet has had a huge impact on the economy. Amazon is the world’s largest e-commerce store today.
3. I enjoy most types of social networking including Facebook, twitter, and Instagram. I have not had any privacy problems with these social networking sites. They seem to keep them pretty secure so their users will feel safe and people will feel comfortable joining.
Chapter Three
1. Chapter three describes gaming inside and out from the first video game to how it has become a business.
2. The first video games were created by computer science students on CRT-powered screens. Gaming has turned into yet another form of socializing though social gaming. There is a wide range of types of games from shooting games to dance games. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are creating the leading consoles for gaming today.
3. I played video games more when I was younger, but I don’t play them much now. The only video game that I play sometimes is Just Dance on Wii. I have grown up with video games from having a Sega when I was little to now having a Wii and an Xbox.
4. What will be the next big thing we will be able to do on the Internet?
ReplyDeleteChapter 1:
1. The first chapter details the history of many forms of mass media.
2. Media’s roots began with the spoken word and this was then followed by the creation of illuminated manuscripts. The first revolutionary invention that contributed to mass media was the printing press and began the print era. The later electronic era began with the telegraph, which made communications between two parties instantaneous. The digital era, the era we are in now, involves the communication of images, texts, and sounds are digitally converted and transmitted throughout the world via the internet.
3. I feel as if I’ve grown up with the beginnings of the digital age. It’s amazing to me that in my lifetime that I’ve gone from taking five full minutes to type out a text on a razr flip phone to taking a few seconds to type out an imessage on my iphone’s touch screen. I’ve probably tried most fad social media sites in their heyday, it’s funny to think back and realize now that the websites I once visited daily have now been replaced by so many others.
Chapter 2:
1. Chapter two illustrates the beginning of the internet and how we’ve gotten to the internet that we know in the present day.
2. The internet began with ARPAnet and only the allowance of the military and were allowed to have access to the information that it provided. Once web browsers allowed people with home computers to access the internet, they did so first by using a dial up connection and, typically, people now use the faster, more expensive broadband connection to access the internet. Not only are we now able to access the internet via home computers but in the current day we have access to the internet via smartphones, gaming consoles, tablets, and laptops.
3. I use the internet all the time, as I’m typing this I have three different tabs of google chrome open. I first began using the internet when my family still had a dial up connection to aol. I go nowhere without my keys or my ipohne.
Chapter 3:
1. Chapter three focuses on describing the history of gaming consoles and examines the many forms of gaming that are available today. Chapter three also touches upon the idea that over the past half century gaming has become more and more integrated into the average person’s life.
2. Gaming began outside of the home largely with machines in bars and arcades. The first at home gaming consoles were played with the TV screen as the display, as most families had TVs at the time this was very successful. As the bit processing ability increases in gaming consoles, the graphics and thus the user’s visual experience increases as well. Access to video games was once only available through gaming consoles, today we have access to gaming via any device that has internet capabilities.
3. The first gaming console that I used was a playstation 2, my brother and I received it one year as a Christmas present. I used to spend much of my time gaming with that, since then the PS2 has been the only console I’ve really used. However, I now play games daily on my iphone.
Chapter 1-3:
With younger generations growing up in the digital age, will a disparity between communications in the older generations develop? ( Will those who have not been able to adapt to social media/digital communications be left behind? When older generations, that had the digital age develop later on in their lives, are no longer around will products that they used cease to exist (i.e. physical copies of books, newspapers)
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. This chapter serves as a summary of the many different ways that Mass Media and Communications have impacted our day-to-day lives and shifted forms over the years.
2. The first methods of information and knowledge came in the form of oral traditions, or stories passed on by poets, teachers, and tribal leaders. With the development of alphabets and written word, cultures started to move past these oral traditions. The next big change to communication came with the introduction of printing presses in the late 1400s and early 1500s. The printing press combined three elements: machine duplication to replace hand-copied texts, rapid duplication so mass productions could occur, and faster production to reduce book prices. The most recent large change to media communications occurred with the introduction of the Electronic and Digital era. This era saw a large reduction in “snail mail”, due to increased communication using Internet sources such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
3. The biggest connection that I had with this chapter was thinking about the Pen Pals I had in elementary and middle school. In elementary school, our assigned Pen Pals consisted of a class of students the same age of us from France. To communicate with our Pen Pals, we would send hand-written letters once a month, and receive responses back from them within two to three weeks. While the idea of the Pen Pals remained the same in Middle School, the form of communication changed. Both my class and our assigned class of Pen Pals set up specific emails and communicated solely through that. This shift emphasized to me the change from “snail mail” electronic communications.
Chapter 2:
1. Chapter 2 discusses the large ways that the Internet has grown and expanded to different parts of the world.
2. In the 1960’s, computers were first being introduced, and were only commonly found in affluent where they were affordable. When the Internet was first introduced, it was named ARPAnet and was commonly used in the military and academic research. Next came the World Wide Web, introduced in the 1980s or 1990s, which was initially a text data-linking system. More introductions, such as HTML, web browsing, e-mail, search engines, social media sites, instant messaging, texting, and blogs, all helped to popularize the use of the Internet.
3. One story that I can relate to this chapter deals with instant messaging. When instant messaging was first introduced, my brother was of the age that that form of communication was popular with. I can remember that this form of communication was confusing to my parents, who were still trying to wrap their brains around the concept of e-mail being instant. While my brother was eventually permitted to begin using instant messaging, it took my parents a while to give him consent because they didn’t understand if the technology was safe.
Chapter 3:
1. Chapter 3 discusses how gaming has changed Mass Media and the way we use it.
2. Video games are an extremely popular way to relax, hang out with friends, and some consider them to be a great way to waste time. Gaming was first focused around arcades and was dramatically changed with the introduction of the individual gaming console. These let users partake in this activity in the comfort of their home and at times it was convenient to them. Gaming greatly impacted the economy, as the entire market adds to $25 billion a year. This market not only consists of the console and the individual game, but also of the hardware, accessories, game inspired movies and apparel, books, and comic books.
3. I can remember being young and having my brother babysit me. All we would do for the three hours my parents were gone was eat pizza and play Mario Kart on our Nintendo 64.
Question 4:
All of these chapters discuss how media has impacted our social lives, but how have our social lives impacted these forms of media?
My question: What does the evolution of media mean for our ability to cope with the problems of society?
ReplyDeleteChapter 1: Mass Communication
1. This chapter details the evolution of mass media and places it into the context of our lives.
2. “Early tensions between oral and written communication played out among ancient Greek philosophers and writers.” – 7
“Printing presses and publications then spread rapidly across Europe in the late 1400s and early 1500s….Books eventually became the first mass-marketed products in history.” – 7
“Although some media depictions may worsen social problems, research has seldom demonstrated that the media directly cause our society’s major afflictions…For instance, when a middle-school student shoots a fellow student over designer clothing, should society blame the ad that glamorized clothes and the network that carried the ad?” – 16
3. I would say that mass media has always influenced my life, to a certain extent. Growing up, I read a lot of books, but even as I’ve come to spend more time on the internet, I have always read. Fiction, poetry, news articles, blog posts, it doesn’t matter. Even though I spend a lot of time on my computer, I find that I continue to be drawn to text-based media in order to convey and understand information.
Chapter 2: The Internet, Digital Media, and Media Convergence
1. This chapter shows the impact that mass communication has had on modern society.
2. "The introduction of the World Wide Web and the first web browsers, Mosaic and Netscape, in the 1990's helped transform the Internet into a mass medium." – 49
“But social media have also proven to be an effective tool for democracy, and for undermining repressive regimes that thrive on serving up propaganda and hiding their atrocities from view” – 54
“’Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google don’t recognize any borders; they feel no qualms about marching beyond the walls of tech into retailing, advertising, publishing, movies, TV, communications, and even finance.’” – 63
3. As an Economics student, I understand the success of businesses like Google in a different way than someone else might. Instead of merely seeing the success of the business, I can also see how and why they might be successful through my understanding of “consumer theory”, or the study of people’s buying habits.
Chapter 3: Digital Gaming and the Media Playground
1. This chapter examines the history and impact of video games in modern society.
2. “Today…games can be consumed the same way so much music, books, television shows, and films are consumed: just about anywhere, and in a number of different ways.” – 87
“Communities also form outside games, through Web sites and even face-to-face gatherings dedicated to electronic gaming in its many forms.” – 94
“First amendment protections will not make the rating system for the gaming industry go away. Parents continue to have legitimate concerns about the games their children play. Game publishers and retailers understand it is still in their best interest to respect those concerns even though the ratings cannot be enforced by law.” – 111
3. I have never been someone particularly drawn to computer-animated games. When I was in middle school and high school, I enjoyed a select few games. I played them fairly consistently at that time, but never grew to have an addiction for them. As a result, I sometimes find it hard to understand why some of my cousins spend so many hours playing them.
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1. This chapter overviews the media and illustrates the evolution of the digital age, bringing it to where it is today.
2. One of the things that stuck me first was thinking about the revolution of printing. It took months to illustrate and publish a book, and only the wealthy could buy them thinking about how easily you can access printed materials today makes you realize just how far the world has come. Another example would be the way that communication has changed. The digital era has made sending messages and photographs to each other virtually effortless, though it once took weeks to communicate. The internet has brought so many things to our fingertips that were once nearly impossible to access.
3. Though I enjoy the ease of communication that technology has given us, I feel as though receiving mail is much more genuine. Whenever I get a letter or a package from a loved one I instantly feel closer to them. You don’t get this kind of luxury from e-cards or text messages.
Chapter 2
1. This chapter focuses more on the internet and what it has to offer to today’s generation, as well as how it’s developed.
2. The internet has become a place where there isn’t much information or data of some sort that you can’t find. There is music at your fingertips, you no longer have to go to a store to buy it. I had no idea that the Blackberry was the first internet enabled cell phone, it’s incredible to me that it’s now no longer one of the most well known and prominent cellphone companies.
3. Learning about how the internet was first created was incredibly interesting to me. There are so many things that I didn’t know when it comes to its development. The internet has been in my life pretty much since I started going to elementary school. It’s crazy to see how far it’s come, especially in such a short time
Chapter 3
1. This chapter discusses the history of gaming, it gives a good representation of how gaming has progressed.
2. I find it interesting that most video games have come from things such a pinball machines. During the early to mid 1900s people had to go to the arcade in order to play their video games. Today they don’t even need to leave home, in fact they don’t even need leave their seat if their cellphone is within reach. The evolution of video game graphics is also incredible to me, mostly because it involves the aspect of artistic graphic design. Today video games don’t look nearly as cheesy as they once did.
3. When I was younger I wasn’t allowed to have video games, unless they were educational like Reader Rabbit. I find it interesting how much they have evolved and how much the culture around them has progressed.
Chapters 1-3
4. Everything seems to be evolving, and becoming more easily accessible to us, though the convenience may seem great to us now, how could this have a negative impact on our futures? Especially when it comes to our ability to be truly “present” in a group of your peers.
Chapter 1:
ReplyDelete1. Ever since the beginning of electronic era, digital media has affected our lives and has been growing and changing at a rapid pace.
2. Before the digital era began, mass media started with the invention of the printing press and the beginning of the print revolution. More information could be spread faster and new ideas could be more easily circulated. This speed increased with the invention of the electronic era and finally the digital era. Communication with digital media is not as linear as say a telegraph that went from one person to another; there is very little control over where the content goes. Digital media affects us through the images, sounds, and huge access to information that is available. Our exposure to things like war images or political opinions can sway our opinions and change the way we view the world. Many people, however, believe that this digital media is "dumbing us down" by creating easy and simple content.
3. My parents used to be very cautious about the content I was exposed to as a child/pre-teen. There were certain TV programs I couldn't watch and, once we got a computer, sites I wasn't allowed to visit. I can't imagine parents would be able to have this level of control anymore because of how easily information/sites/videos can be accessed on personal computers and mobile devices.
Chapter 2:
1. This chapter walks us through the birth of the internet and its growth into what it is today as well as exposed its effects on our economy and what issues have been caused.
2. The internet was first used for military purposes and continued to grow in the late 1900s from academic to e-mail to browsers and from large stationary computers to personal ones to mobile devises. This change continued to grow and branched off into multiple search engines and social media sites increasing the percentage of people using the internet from 50% in 2000 to 80% in 2012. In the 1990s, four major companies emerged as "controllers" of the internet; Yahoo!, Microsoft, AOL, and Google. Today Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple have taken control and all have different angles and priorities in their control. As this growth continued issues like privacy, censorship, and economic issues also grew. We are still trying to figure out how to create a "net neutrality", democracy on the internet, and close the digital gap.
3. I am always amazed by the information that is shared between the sites that I visit, especially in advertisements. Whenever I log onto FaceBook the sidebar is filled with ads for sites I've visited in the past or items I've googled. This makes me nervous about what information is being shared and collected and what is being done with it, especially today when I'm almost always connected to the internet through my phone, laptop, or tablets.
Chapter 3:
1. Video games have evolved from simple arcade games to life-like complex experiences and have created a new world of entertainment.
2. Gaming began with penny arcades with mechanical games, like pinball, and evolved into the gaming we know today with its variety of games and ways to play them like MMORPG games to simpler games like Angry Birds. The internet had a major effect on the gaming industry, allowing players to connect with each other and expanding the devices people can play on. Gaming has also evolved into a social experience with communities being created both in the game and out. Video games, like many other digital mediums, have attracted a lot of controversy through issues like addiction and the violence shown in games. Steps have been taken to prevent internet addiction and research has been done on the effects of violent games and who is more susceptible to damage.
4. Was there a similar backlash and questioning of other "new" technology when it first came out like the printing press, television, or basic arcade games?
Chapter 3
Delete3. I have never been exposed to/played a video game except for the simpler ones that can be played on hand-held devices. Although I'm sure games like Candy Crush are nothing close to the experience of playing a multi-player game where you're creating and living in your own reality, I do understand how one would become addicted to it and why gaming addiction is a real issue.
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1. Media are ever changing for many reasons in many ways, sparking many opinions about the change.
2. Media convergence is an example of how media have changed in recent history. Now people can watch TV, browse the internet, listen to music, interact with others, and much more, all from one device.
Present day media has become a way for ordinary people to express their opinions and be heard whereas before social networking sites, the everyday person played little role in the media. Youtube, for example, has put normal people out there for the world to see, a privilege only celebrities held previously.
Some people are wary of the trend of society toward lower culture media. These people believe that reality TV for example, is diminishing the audience for higher culture media, like ballet.
3. I have discovered first-hand that today's media distracts me from perhaps more enriching, higher culture media. When I realized that the battery on my iphone was close to zero before I had done anything productive one day, I decided to delete many of the apps that I spent most of my time on. With less distractions, I spent the rest of my day reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, what many people, including me, would say was a much better use of my time. However, an argument can be made that in my case the apps were actually beneficial to me, because they were all word games, and that them being on my iphone gave me easy access to games that strengthen my mind.
Chapter 2
1. The internet has revolutionized the way media are shared in making the sharing easier and more important to society, and will continue to change if media corporations hope to continue their success in this digital age.
2. Search engines have become necessary in order to navigate the world wide web, and have made it extremely simple to find virtually anything a person searches for. Google made this process better by collecting websites based on links to the webpage rather than solely by the number of times a keyword is mentioned on a page.
Media in recent years have played a role more important than ever before, in political issues. Videos of protests and pictures of injuries inflicted by police have made the world aware of happenings on other sides of the globe that otherwise would not have been made public.
While it was the first company to introduce a phone on which a person could check their email, Blackberry's market dropped when it failed to add touchscreens and apps to its phones. This shows how quickly technology is moving and how competitive media companies are.
3. This chapter discusses the existence of a digital divide. That is, the contrast between those with the ability to purchase the newest technologies and those without it. While my family was financially able to afford a smartphone for me, I didn't get one until my high school graduation. My senior year, I began to feel the effects of this digital divide in my classes when I would be forced to use outdated laptops for research while other students quickly looked things up with their phones.
Chapter 3
ReplyDelete1. People have always been fond of games, so it makes sense that gaming would play a huge role in the marketing of new forms of technology.
2. Media convergence is apparent in the ways people these days are gaming. Game consoles have become entertainment centers, playing movies and serving as internet browsers, and thousands of gaming apps are available for phones and tablets, forms of media that used to be separate from gaming.
Gaming serves as a way of socializing with other people. Gamers are able to work together to beat games both virtually and in person. Games have even served as a way for people to meet and form romantic relationships.
Like any change, the revolution of gaming has some opponents. These people criticize the violence of video games these days and the addicting nature they have, both of which have been linked to emotional disorders in gamers.
3. I have recognized the targeting of different groups of people by media companies throughout my life. When I was in middle school, I was a big fan of club penguin, a virtual world targeted at preteens. More recently, I, as a teenage girl who wants everyone she knows to see that she drank a Starbucks coffee earlier, spend a lot of my time on Instagram. Different games and virtual worlds (Instagram has become somewhat of a world for me) are targeted at different people, and in my case, I have gone through many phases as I've aged, all of which I found myself somewhat addicted to.
4.How far will media convergence go, both in devices and in the merging of media companies?
Good first blog posts, REV posse.
ReplyDeleteMissing in action:
Saad A
Samuel B
Terrance C
Matt F
Gabrielle K
Sean L
Arianna P
Don't be bashful - be BLOG full.
Rev,
W
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1- This chapter shows us the evolution of media through various time periods that it took to reach the present.
2- The author goes from the starting point of distributing information, whatever that information was, to the point where that distribution is at now. The way that information is distributed and made public has changed aggressively, from speaking to the public to tweeting to the public.
3- It was quite interesting to me to read through times and travel thousands of years on thirty seven pages, to know the steps that the media took to reach where it is nowadays.
Chapter 2
1- In chapter two, the main point was that the more we use social media the more we become informed and connected with the outside world.
2- People are now dependent on the mass communication and their device that keeps connected to it. This dependence is obvious that, almost, everyone is constantly checking on their devices to see what happened since they put their cellphones in their pockets it is difficult to shut down the mass communication.
3- I have a facebook account, which I do not use. It has never had that importance to me that I would keep on logging in to find what’s happening. I’m certainly backwards with the mass media, which is a relief because I’m not really the one that follows the trend.
Chapter 3
1- This chapter is dedicated to gaming and video games and its effects on gamers in associating their behaviors with violence.
2- The genres, shooting, action and crime, of video games are strongly addictive to those who are in a bad mode or stressed. Thus, it helps them release their frustration through violence. The violence that games project could influence the people who watch it, and repetitively play it, in developing similar behaviors.
3- I play video games a lot, and I have been playing video games for a long time. I do think that it is a good release of a negative energy; however, I do not see a great impact for the violent influence.
Question: Since we people are so connected, and perhaps addicted to the social media, or gaming. Would there be a way to create some space between ourselves and these two forms of media?
Chapter one:
ReplyDelete1. Chapter one describes the evolution and coming of mass media and the way it has been integrated into our every day lives.
2. The first forms of media were seen very early on in history, emerging into society as an oral/written form of communication. The oral aspect of an earlier media age allowed societies to have a greater sense of closeness with one another, however, as society began to lean towards written word, communities saw the decline of oral traditions/ communication. This led into the printing age, where we saw books transform from huge, sacred, and expensive materials, to smaller, quicker, and less expensive pieces, affordable to many. Since printing became easier and more affordable, the print revolution saw an increase in literacy among working folk which also lead to an increase in education. Printing soon gave way to the processing of electronic information, where we saw telegraph, television, fax machines and cell phones transform means of communication to a quicker and simpler agency. This form of communication was drastically updated as our society shifted into a digital era, making communication even faster and wide-spread.
3. I was born into an era that began the shift from electronic to digital; I grew up with my favorite movies on VHS tapes and my favorite tv shows on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. After reading this chapter, I realized that my childhood was fostered by the media through big-time businesses such as Disney. My childhood was filled with a great deal of trips to Disneyland, trips to the movie theater to watch the newest Disney movies, and fawning over the newest toys that were relevant to Disney. I was unaware that my knowledge of Disney not only came to me from my parents or older sisters, but through its advertisements on tv during commercial breaks of my favorite shows.
Chapter 2:
1. This chapter focuses on the birth of the internet and its global expansion and influence on the economy.
2. Though the birth of the Internet in the 1960's originally intended to be a military program that allowed "researchers to share computer processing time," it's further development exploded and not only transformed the way we get and receive information, but also became a vital part of our lives which connected people globally. "..In 2000, about 50 percent of American adults were connected to the Internet; by 2012 about 80 percent of American adults used the Internet" (46). The Internet's development of the first web browsers, Mosaic and Netscape, lead into the creation of a world-wide web, created in the 1980's for the purpose of scientific research. This is where the internet as we know it began, as such things as web pages and links caused for a great deal of mass audience. This opened up the world to web browsers which lead into the creation of Microsoft's first web browser, Internet Explore, and soon other web browsers emerged such as google, Firefox, etc. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter grew from the development of such browsers and soon, these social media sites became our main source of information, debate, etc, which heavily influences our economy. As is stated on page 73, "The biggest threat to the Internet's democratic potential may well be its increasing commercialization."
3. I can relate greatly with this chapter because, although I hate to admit, social media sites play a huge role in my life. Even as I type this blog, I have multiple tabs open on Google Chrome, one of which is twitter, and the other which is Facebook. I cannot complete over an hour of homework without "rewarding myself with a twitter break." As is said in the chapter, social media is something we take along with our person, and is not something that is left at home or in the dorms, and that statement is entirely accurate.
Chapter 3:
Delete1. Gaming has been transformed into a huge industry over the years with the help of the internet.
2. The Gaming Industry began long ago in the 1880's as coin-operated, mechanical machines found in hotel lobbies, bars, and restaurants for the purpose of leisure. Gaming snowballed into the pinball machine and from there, video games were created. The invention of CRT-powered screens allowed for games to be displayed on tv and early computers, and as television made its way into the homes of many, video games found their way from the arcades to the homes itself. Advancing technology allowed for many great advancements in gaming consoles and programming, which allowed for video games to shift from mechanical to digital/virtual. Video games became heavily influenced by the internet when Sega Dreamcast in 1999 launched a console that had access to online gaming, involving many players. This drastically shifted the way people played games, which now involved people from all over the place. The introduction of gaming into the Internet made way for many other online games, which found popularity in the sheer fact that most are free. Gaming can now be done anywhere at anytime with a computer, console, or smartphone. With more access to gaming, video games and computer games alike have attracted a lot of attention in social media as hot topics due to the violence and negativity seen in these games, thus contributing to it's greater popularity in the media.
3. Though I am not a gamer myself, I have had my fair share of experiences with the gaming world and how it's popularity can negatively affect certain aspects in a person's life. I dated a guy who's addiction/obsession to an online game called "League of Legends," caused a rift in our relationship and left me feeling annoyed/irritated with him most times because all he seemed to want to do was play this game. As a result, I was neglected and ignored several times because of a machine, so naturally, I got fed up and stopped seeing this individual.
4. If this generation has already witnessed major developments and advancements in the development of social media, will future generations attempt to exceed such advancements, or remain content with where it is at?
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1.) I hate that description, that all things have a hypothesis, and all hypotheses are arguments one way or another. But the theme of this chapter is to look at and explore the progression of communication technology.
2.) At the very beginning of the chapter, they list investigating important eras of communication as one of the things they will cover in the chapter. This is listed under the listed learning goals on the first page of the chapter. This is the only outright statement of what the chapter is about, the rest of the chapter being concerned with simply talking about those things whilst ignoring the matter of speaking in a self-aware fashion.
From there, the chapter spends time talking about early eras of communication. It talks about things like oral communication and the basis of communication and media being stories. It finishes with a continuation into more modern media.
Finally, the chapter finishes out with an exploration of modern media. It talks about things like radio and television, and especially the development of the internet as a medium.
3.) Interestingly, most of my life was spent away from the effects of most mass media aside from books and television, and I was not completely aware of the existence of things like Facebook and other social networking sites until I was about 13 years old or so, and didn't even have any understanding of them for another two years. Once I found out about these things, I never really took to them, though I consume much of the content on the internet voraciously and enjoy its culture.
Chapter 2
1.) This chapter mostly looks into the variety of social media and forms of mass communication available today, as well as how our media have succumbed to convergence.
2.) The chapter begins by looking into the origins of the internet. In the beginning, the internet was actually a strict military information sharing network, designed for use by the US military in transmitting important data.
The creation of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee resulted in the internet we know of today, where hypertext allowed for pages to link directly to other pages, no matter their location, resulting in a more navigable internet suited to later commercialization
Finally, the web began to produce so-called Social Networking sites, and began to create a new social layer of internet culture and complex milling about by users. The internet became more like a massive, anonymous ant farm, with people capable of speaking to one another in complete privacy or broadcast their words worldwide for the purpose of protest. Thus, the new age of social media was born, capable of supporting middle-eastern revolts and the mass protest of social conditions worldwide.
3.) I don't really blog at all. I didn't have a blog until this class required me to, and while I do have a Twitter account, it only exists at the behest of a business class back in high school which required it for much the same reason. As it stands, the only social medium I really contribute to is Facebook, where I rarely post thoughts and ideas which I find to particularly stand out, and which I feel ought to be shared with the people I know and am close to.
Chapter 3
1.) The purpose of this chapter is to explore the topic of video games and their culture, as a new medium in the world which has its own variety of genres and styles, and a considerable impact on modern society.
2.) The chapter starts off with an exploration of the history of gaming. First, it looks at the mechanical Penny Arcades which preceded modern video game arcades, before the arrival of electronic games shortly after the invention of the pinball machine, itself descended from Bagatelle. It then looks at the history of home consoles, and the rise of the MMORPG, such as World of Warcraft or Guild Wars.
DeleteThe chapter then moves on to convergence of phones and gaming, with casual games like Angry Birds or any number of block-matching games, and even more complex games like the Infinity Blade series (a sci-fi/fantasy series focusing on swordplay and mythology). It then goes into the various conventions of video games like avatar representations of players, and genres of video game like Strategy or First-Person Shooter or Platformer.
Finally, the chapter explores the effect of video games on society, and its trends and issues. It looks at matters like adver-games (Blech!) and the problems faced by the gaming community, like addiction, alleged tendencies towards violence and misogyny, and the efforts of governments to regulate gaming and game content. It also looks at the holdings of various corporations, and the command structure of gaming companies like Microsoft.
3.) I have not dealt with many of the problems with gaming depicted here, but I have often had to deal with the hysterical stigma against my hobby. The fact that I am willing to apply the same analysis to games as I would apply to a book or film seems to get me branded as ridiculous, as others seem to see me not as someone trying to treat the medium equally, but instead as someone who takes this 'fad' too seriously and ought to go and read a book. I get sick of people rolling their eyes at me when I try and defend a games themes, or correct them on matters they know nothing of- I actually found the accusations in the book that Red Dead Redemption was misogynistic and cliched to be rather annoying, as a cursory look at the cliches of Wild West stories and the nature of misogyny show that most of the game is spent undermining and subverting the cliches of spaghetti westerns and the historical truth of misogyny and racism, with only the values of villains or the possibilities presented to the player being taken into account. The only thing I can think of from that game that encouraged misogyny was an achievement for tying someone to train tracks, which was really just a joking reference to the even-older cliché of spaghetti western villains always doing this. The story of a game about a grizzled bandit looking for Redemption is considered silly and stupid, while exploring the bad grammar and pointless rambling of “Catcher in the Rye” is considered high art! I do tire of people comparing my hobbies of tabletop gaming and video gaming to satanism or psychopathy, while people who read books and play chess are considered some sort of eccentric geniuses... event though both of us are judged by our introversion! Can't a guy get some peace and quiet without an angry mob coming after him for not partying enough?
Chapters 1, 2 and 3
1.) What assumptions do people make about new and rising media that result in their rejecting them and making assumptions about them? For that matter, what threat do new media present to old media that make content producers demonize new media?
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete1.Media has been around for a very long time, and its evolution has progressed dramatically over the years.
2. the first form of media was the telegraph, which began to overwhelming control over society and marked the beginning of the digital age. The telegraph promoted the movement into the radio then the television and then eventually the Internet.
-The digital age made a movement into the social culture of society. Now, the digital age is used as a marketing aspect of many companies during the entrepreneurial stage. This marketing aspect followed media through the decades.
-Media changes with the generations and strives to accommodate its customers. Different periods or eras took place as time progressed. Things such as the modern period and the post modern period both took place during the progressing media.
3. I remember having to beg my dad and mom to unplug the telephone cable cord so that I could go on AOL, and check to see if any of my friends were also online. I could only stay on for about a half hour at most, and it was the best half hour. Now I can access the internet while talking on my phone, and be able to multitask during this entire process in one hand held device. It is amazing to think back to just about 10 years ago when things were much more difficult to obtain and now almost everyone has access to it all.
Chapter 2
1. The Internet has proven itself to be the most successful and important mode of media in today's age, making access to all things simpler, faster and more efficient.
2. Social media continues to grow and is developing many modes of interactive websites. There are many categories such as blogs, social networking, collaborative projects, content communities and online worlds.
-The Internet is a powerful source of democracy that lets people express things going on in the News and in other countries through social media. Things such a Facebook can be used to spread word faster and less censored than that seen on the news.
-Economy has also flourished upon the Internet making its breakthrough in the social world. Advertising and marketing has taken over almost every site on the Internet, drawing its viewers into buying things.
3. I have noticed that if I ever needed something online and searched for it once, let's say a pair of shoes, I will be bamboozled with advertisements of shoes on the sides and the top of every website that I go to that does not pertain to buying shoes. I find it interesting and also a little creepy that the internet keeps tabs on what you look up and focuses on drawing your attention to objects marketed by companies that may help me get a new pair of shoes. It's interesting to say the least.
DeleteChapter 3
1. Video games have created a new form of lifestyle for many people in the digital age.
2.The digital gaming systems strive to put people into an interactive world through Internet where they are put in situations that make then strive to maintain a certain outcome. Role-playing games have come to be very popular in the later years of gaming, where people actually create avatars and put them into real life situations, online.
-The video gaming is very accessible for people which makes it a popular source of entertainment. This grabs many people making them want to play. The newest addition of gaming comes from phones, where people can buy apps and play anywhere portably.
-Because video gaming has become more popular people have created things called in-game advertising which creates subtle advertisements within the game. This is interesting because it almost is subconsciously shoving ads down someone without them even realizing it.
3. I have never been a very big "gamer" and seem to focus more on social networking than the online gaming world. I do know that my brother is absolutely obsessed with gaming and constantly wants the latest and creates gaming systems. The quality of these games have progressed tremendously over time and I now see the improvements that have happened which makes it seem as if it is real life. It kind of freaks me out how real it looks.
Chapters 1,2&3
Is there any farther improvements that social media can go to push their advertisements and economy driven intentions without ruining the social aspect of it?
Ch 4
ReplyDelete1. The content and influence of music has transformed as much as the ways in which it is produced and shared.
2. Musicians of the 1950s and 60s began to challenge societal norms, eluding to sex in their lyrics, dance moves, and appearance. Today, with so much sexuality in popular music, Elvis Presley’s gyrating hips would seem commonplace.
Rock and roll blurred the borders between the north and south, in a way uniting previously disconnected groups of people. While the secretary of the North Alabama White Citizens Council believed rock and roll to be undermining the morals of the youth of America, it instead was a way of finding something all people could enjoy.
Like most technologies, music playing has transformed. Listening to music has become more convenient with its evolution from record players to audiotapes to cds and finally to mp3s.
3. When I came to college, I didn’t know anyone and needed to think of ways to connect with people I didn’t think I had anything in common with. One way I found successful was through music. While I could debate with people over what music was good and try expose people to my favorite bands, I found I got along well with people that shared a taste in music with me. One of my best friends to this day is someone I connected with for the first time because of our mutual love for the same band.
Ch 5
1. Radio has transitioned from being solely functional into a form of entertainment, survived the development of new technologies, converged with the internet, and played a major role in today’s culture.
2. Wireless radio was invented to communicate with ships so that ship owners wouldn’t have to translate mores code. Furthermore, when the Titanic sank, wireless radio reports played a role in locating the ship, saving hundreds of lives.
Television in the 1950s stole virtually everything radio had: advertising, programs, and even a place in the house. However, radio was able to adapt to compete with television by becoming portable, developing better quality and playing the most popular songs at the time.
Radio gave us many types of programming that are now a big part of society today, although now they are often on TV. Variety shows, game shows, and soap operas have origins in radio, along with the idea of serial shows, which have played a major part in television today, especially with the current Netflix obsession.
3. I have found that radio appeals to public interest very well. When I drove to high school I remember liking the music that was playing on my favorite radio station, but if I was listening in the middle of the day, like during vacations, I couldn’t even listen to that station. I especially dislike the retro lunch section on Thursdays because it is targeted at retirees who are able to listen during the day.
4. What impact does the way music is listened to have on the public’s opinion of that music?
1.)Our methods of storytelling are constantly evolving yet the one constant is the need for a story.
ReplyDeleteThe transition from oral tradition to written word marks the beginning of a series of developments leading to the multitude of social media experienced today. While communication has evolved drastically since then every book, poem, song, tweet, or instant message can be seen as a story; a description of events whether they be real or not. Every piece of information displayed through a medium is a recognition of existence and participation within a culture. While social media may seem quite different than any piece of ancient literature especially in reference to what is experienced by the audience, the common theme of any medium is to tell a story to an audience.
I see parallels between our recent eruption in social media and the introduction of the printing press. At first it was used largely to print Bibles as the Church was so dominant at the time. It was later however when it reached its full potential when it gave traction to movements like the the Reformation, Enlightenment, etc. The internet is still being used by forces larger than individual Facebook users as a means of generating revenue and introducing a new era of targeted marketing and mass data collection. That's why every time I read a terrible tweet, a big part of me blames the Bible.
2.) With its roots based in the government, the internet has become a globally dominant facet of industrialized culture that is constantly aimed at improvement/progression/change.
At its core the internet is a streamlined method of sharing information; a medium with far less time and labor constraints than anything experienced previously. It's become, or always has been intertwined with politics and our culture as a whole that it no longer represents simply the passing on of information but also a method of gaining influence, control, and wealth as seen in the coverage of the 2012 election. This was a government's tool that gave way to a massive digital revolution and an era of individuality in realm which is 'virtually' public. This has aided revolutions within nations as well as suppressed forces of change. The internet era is here, now it's just about who's using it the most efficiently.
A few months ago Snapchat's twitter account said something like 'You guys do know we can see all your snaps, right?' Social media is public, every key stroke is recorded and retrievable to some extent. So why does the 'virtual' public appeal to such bold and outlandish calls for attention and individuality? At some point in our existence storytelling became intrinsic except now it's public and stored permanently. I'm not sure if I care about the government monitoring my internet use but the idea of being taken advantage of for profit because of my attempt to establish a virtual aspect to my identity makes me wish I could not only participate in the system, but also beat it.
3.) Video games are a relatively new form of media that continue to increase in popularity and constantly update and change as a result of cultural phenomenon and the introduction of the internet as platform for gaming.
DeleteIt costs fifteen dollars a month to play as a fictitious character in the World of Warcraft. Games, apps, and other tools can constantly be bought, downloaded, and updated without ever seeing the inside of a store. Video games represent a direct commercialization of the virtual reality that only becomes increasingly tangible as time passes. The introduction of the internet has created entirely new markets and economies for the video game industry as every gaming system can now be hooked up to the internet producing an entirely new gaming climate. Gaming has always relied on the one principle of enticing players to continue playing and purchasing more.
Have you ever played a game of Super Smash Bro's on the N64? Perhaps the best video game of all time relies on a simple combat system and a mildly interactive environment leaving players with a countless number of possibilities to execute moves and input strategies (so it shares some characteristics with MMORPG's). I may not be a 'gamer' in the classic sense but I do understand the pride that comes with succeeding in a mythical world. There is something so satisfying about literally wasting my life on a game when I'm able to see positive results. Virtual reality becomes part of my reality: don't tell how good we are though, it's kinda sad.
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Media plays a crucial factor in how a society tells its side of the story. My question is: Who is more responsible for the content put on a major news station, its CEO or its constituents?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. This chapter follows the history of magazines from their rocky beginnings to the convergence to the digital age today.
1. Magazines started in 1704 with the publication of Review in London. They continued to play an important role in the American colonies, spreading changing information and laws, and continued to change through the 19th century, turning towards specialization of their content to specific groups. Other developments, like the being able to put photography in print media, the inclusion of women in the reading of magazines, and reduced cost production, shaped the path of the magazine. Because of the price, magazine have been embracing the internet as a way to distribute to readers, some magazines going exclusively online. This convergence has expanded the amount of material available and had been expanding into realms like 3-D images.
3. I am subscribed to about 10 magazines, I absolutely love them. Most of them are fashion and women's magazines, but I am also subscribed to Time and The New Yorker. Although many magazines allow access to read online, I have never taken to this. I enjoy having the physical copy that I can cut out parts that interest me and to have to carry around with me.
4. Will magazines be more successful than newspapers as we enter this fully digital world?