Tuesday 24 January 2012

Web 2.0

" our devices extend us, and we extend them " (8, O'Rielly) Web 2.0 article .... Interesting thought, it's very true that the internet would be impossible without us (humans) but I never thoroughly explored the relationship. It's very dependent of one another, I know I feel distant without my cellphone, but what would be that cellphones purpose without me? There truely would not be one, we create these devices and outlets as if they are commodities for us, but we are a commodity to them as well. The internet and cellphones are there for us to take advantage, but they also take advantage of us. Through marketing, advertising, and reliance upon these items an ongoing relationship has been formed. It has become less of a material object and more of a necessity - or that is how we should feel about them. We rely on them, for many everyday activities. A system as been created of giving and taking on both ends of the scale.        I have never really considered the term “Web 2.0” and that’s a bit scary considering the fact that I am writing this blog for a media studies course. Web 2.0 is simply the second generation of the World Wide Web. The web is a huge place, and is evolution is going to repeatedly assist me and frustrate me during my schooling, my career, and my social life. It’s a tool for those not only in the media field but for every person who has access to a computer. It enables collaboration between many people in any given area, and allows them to interact and share information online. Contributions of Web 2.0 are blogs, wikis, and facebook. I’m already being exposed to blogs (for the first time), as well as wikis through this course. I look forward to pursuing my knowledge of Web 2.0 and watching it change and evolve.

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Book or computer? I hope that’s not a serious question…

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy reading as much as the next nineteen year old, but as I gaze at the screens illuminating light I realize that this question is being launched into a seventeen year old boys mind. Vishal, a student at Woodside High School was the perfect subject for the article “Growing up Digital, Wired for Distraction” by Micheal Zimmer. The article focuses on our youth generation, depicting how we spend our time -online. The world seems to be extremely hypocritical when it comes to media. Media is our world, it is advertisement, entertainment, communication, knowledge, and it’s always evolving. To me the article wanted to suggest that as children and teenagers we are using media too heavily in our everyday lives. Yet, at the same time, insisting that bringing media into the classroom is a new, and efficient way to get the students attention. A little contradictory, right? Well I get the feeling that even though, media (internet) is our societies norm there will always be people who are going to challenge this revolutionary tool.  

I’m curious to investigate the reasoning behind the current students mind set and brain activity. We are the generation of multitasking. Homework, facebook, television, all open at the same time and still getting things accomplished, or are we? It’s one thing to have a desktop computer, but as Web 2.0 discusses, it is a fact that smartphones have given us full wireless connectivity. Does this make us a socially incompetent society? With no real use for personal, one-on-one conversations, and social outings that involve your partner constantly checking their phone, updating statuses and “liking” wall posts…but wait then why is it called social networking if the true socialization of personal interaction is being shut out and undesired? With the enormous amount of apps already in existence, and many more to be announced, are we too busy trying to keep up with technology that we are leaving our old social interactional roots to dry up and eventually perish completely?

The conclusion I have made in my own mind is that, our hierarchy has changed, once again. We are now involved more deeply in peoples personal lives and our social status is based on the amount of followers, or friends we acquire. This works both for and against us. The good thing is, that we no longer need to be fascinating people in order to be social butterflies, it is easier to find friends, and make new friends online when we are not trying so hard to impress these people with upbeat conversations. At the same time this media tool is a distraction from work, school, and meaningful human relationships.

I hope that this class can help me answer some of these questions, and perhaps confirm whether this generation, hyped on media is speeding on a course for self-destruction, or revolutionary impact.

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