Grace Sin's Blog

I posted a comment on Grace Sin's blogpost about the internet today.

Whither the Individual

            There is no doubt in anyone’s mind nowadays that the generation of Facebook is taking over. There are many debates at this point as to whether or not my generation is the “dumb” generation because we put so much faith into our new technologies. This faith has caused those in the previous generation to question our intelligence and dependence on technology. But the way I see it, no one knows how our generation will turn out because there has never been such a technology boom at any other point in time. When the car and the telephone were invented, the generation had to adapt with the new technologies of the time but they were not looked as dumb for relying on these new advances, but were praised for what they had found. Why is this not the same for my generation? We have adapted better than any other generation to the advances around us. We are the first to grow up with the technology that we have, so I think it is unfair to say that it has made us stupid, it had just caused us to think differently. We cannot determine whether this is a bad difference or a good difference, but instead have to just see where it leads us. The advances in technology are not going to stop, and nor is our dependence on them, so it is best to learn to change our mindset as technology grows.

            The Facebook boom has caused people to question where the individual has gone. This is relatively stupid. Instead of conforming to one idea through the social site, individuals have learned to express themselves and their interests. Through Facebook, people can choose exactly what they want put to the public, and it increases each person’s chance to get focused on. Most strive for that few minutes of fame, and Facebook allows a person to feel like they get that every day. When people complain that they don’t get the privacy they want from social networking sites, it’s frustrating because they choose what gets put out there. If you don’t want it known, don’t put it on Facebook. It’s really as simple as that. Somebody doesn’t want an employer to know that during the previous weekend, they got too drunk to remember some of the pictures being taken? Fairly simple answer. Do not put those pictures up, or ask friends to delete them if they don’t come from your camera. There’s no use in complaining about the lack of personal space on these websites. At this time they are such a social phenomenon that not everyone on it can be pleased.

            Is the individual withering? I don’t think so. I know who I am and I believe that my Facebook only helps others increase their knowledge of me, because I choose to share. People can argue that in today’s world, everyone “needs” a Facebook in order to stay connected with work and school, and I believe that this is true. However, this Facebook does not have to be used as a place to post pictures, write inane statuses and to let friends write stupid wall posts. My twenty six year old cousin has a Facebook, but he works with the government in Washington D.C. so his is fairly professional. Instead of posting of stupid things he spent his weekend doing, he posts blogs and political issues of today’s world. Facebook is not necessarily a bad thing; it can be used to increase one’s professionalism as long as one learns to control it.

            Mark Bauerlein, author of The Dumbest Generation, believes that the internet is where people "seek out what they already hope to find, and they want it fast and free, with a minimum of effort.” So? Maybe this is the new way of life. Bauerlein agrees that "never have the opportunities for education, learning, political action, and cultural activity been greater," but does not understand that the internet only helps students feed that information. Why is it a bad thing that we can get all the information we need to know from the click of a button? As long as education adapts to these sorts of advances, we have the opportunity to go far beyond what has ever been dreamed. Think of how powerful one can be with not only all of the history of the world at their fingertips, but also the knowledge of today’s society and the ability to keep up with the changes. My generation can all do that.

            Yes, the world has gotten smaller because of these kinds of sites. But does that make us bad people? Is it a bad thing that if I wanted to, I could meet someone in Greece? In Egypt? In Russia? No. Social networking sites may make our society smaller, but only more unified. It doesn’t squash the individual, but brings out the creativity in all of us. If this is not wanted, it does not have to be accepted. I don’t believe in the “hyper-people” theory as long as everyone keeps to reality. And, in today’s world, reality is definitely focusing more in the internet world. Is it a bad thing? Only time will tell. We can’t be sure until we experience it, and that is what my generation is trying to do.

Social Media and Web 2.0

1. Today many TV shows and advertisements try to look amateurish or "homegrown" to emulate what is often seen on the Web. Do you think professional production values will continue to drop, or do you think amateur user-generated content will get better over time? WHY??

   I believe that as the web changes, tv shows and advertisements will continue to change to reflect what is seen on the web. With how fast aspects of the web are changing, I do not believe that it will stay looking as amateurish or homegrown as it does now. For example, Paranormal Activity did well in the box office because people were interested to see how a movie would be looking as though it was shot on an everyday video camera. However, the next big visually exciting movie may not be looking ameteurish, but something new entirely. When this look fades and something else comes along for the internet, this will be the new way to shoot these tv productions.

2. What social media sites do you find yourself using the most, and why? In your opinion why is Facebook so much more successful than MySpace, and do you think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term.

   I use facebook more often than any other social media site, and I believe that as it is so popular, it is here to stay. However, I believe that as our technology continues to grow, websites that are popular will develop even more. I have had a facebook for three years, and it looks much different now than it did when I first joined. I believe that once I have children and they get facebooks that how they use the site, how they access it, what the website does, and how it looks will be foreign to me. I think that facebook is so much more popular than myspace because it is a lot safer and more easily controlled by its user.

3. Why is transparency such an important concept in the Social Media world? Is it MORE or LESS important in the offline world? Why?

   I am very confused as to what transparency is, however it is defined as openness, communication, and accountability. From reading the article, I do feel that it is an important concept because I think it allows for people to communicate with people they may not know and make themselves seem different than they actually are and this should not be taken lightly. It is less important in the offline world than it is in the online one because so much of our communication today is online that our true "selves" could potentially become abolished with how much we use our social medias. If a person spends most of their time online and creates this new persona there, then face to face communication will continue to slowly decrease.

Effects of Online Television

Online Television serves the general public in a way that is entertaining for all. It is easy to use, and it gives one the power to basically watch any show they would like at any given time. This kind of freedom is making many people of this generation shrink away from the standard television to turn their attention to their personal laptop. The picture above depicts how the world is at our fingertips with our laptops. The information that can be found on a laptop far exceeds the use of just being able to watch shows, but it certainly is a large factor in changing the way we entertain ourselves.

Effects of Twitter

Twitter has become a place for people of all ages to express themselves. The tweets are all public, and anyone can comment or discuss someone else's post. This picture above expresses a tweet of Bo Burnham's, a comedic singer, that launched an interest in another aspiring artist. This aspiring singer, Momo the Sheep, had posted a cover of Bo's song "Art is Dead" on YouTube. Bo saw the video, and posted a tweet telling those who follow him to take a look. In a matter of a few days, the Sheep's video was watched an incredible number of times more than it had been. Because of Bo's public announcement of how much he enjoyed her version of his song on Twitter, the Sheep's publicity skyrocketted. This is a small example of how Twitter is a new medium that helps connect millions all over the world. Momo the Sheep is from Germany, and Bo is from Boston, and yet so many people listen to both because of communication mediums. A simple, public post can make a huge imapct on someone's life. Twitter has revolutionized publicity in that its content is being used in ways not previously done before. This new medium has been an public expression for the individual.

Current Mediums of Communications

Online Television- The internet has slowly started taking over as this generation's main form of television entertainment. Things like YouTube, Hulu, and other television channel sites post shows for a more convient way of watching.

Twitter- People now are able to share any thought they have with the use of twitter. Anyone can see what people post, and comment on others' tweets.

Texting- Instead of having to call friends for conversation, people are able to use texting to connect with more people than ever before. It enables its user to do multiple things without distracting them as much as a phone call would.