Sign in or 
Share this
Course Readings
After much in-class discussion and gnashing of teeth near our Spring Break, we thought we needed a central online place where we could collect our thoughts about the readings. Below are student-written thesis statements for each of the readings assigned since then. In addition, there are links to student-written and -answered questions about each reading. (Feel free to add your own opinion in the body of the page or as a comment below.)
27 March
Wolf:
29 March
Bolter and Grusin:
Andrejevic:
3 April
Filiciak argues that with the decreasing effect of traditional social institutions in the formation of peoples’ individual identity comes the increase of other social entities in influencing our identity formation. Filiciak calls the new reality we form our identity from a “hyperreality” because it is a multiplicity of influences that form a complex layer of identities called “hyperidentity.” He sees the mass media as a large influencer in forming the “hyperidentity” specifically multiplayer role playing games because the create an identity that is not controlled at all by all institutions or norms and therefore is a better reflection of who we are without the influence of the constraining “real” world.
(nwithers)
Filiciak: The first interactive mass medium to unite entertainment and communication in one phenomenon is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). Features such as ‘free communication on both person-to-person and many-to-many level’ and creation of self, allow the user to simulate reality. Due to this ever evolving medium, one’s own identity and hyper-identity become a flexible apparatus. (ckaczmarczyk)
5 April
Armstrong:
Balderston:
Technology has allowed a whole new playing field for pornography where women can create and distribute their own kind of pornography. Women now have the opportunity to not only change the meaning of "femininity" but also to represent a wider variety of women's sexualities and in turn, normalize them. Balderston also addresses the fact that developed theories have yet to explain lesbian pornography. The difference between porn and erotica is discussed as well. (kmartinez)
10 April
Swidey: Accessing information on a public search engine has made lives much easier, but has also made other lives harder to live. There is a fine line between public and private information and there must never be a crossing between the two; of course they cross anyways, as having the ability to save the past puts many under the spotlight. Surprisongly enough, the background check has helped people with jobs, while at the same time, not allowing them to ever get one again. (rsororian)
Questions about Swidey
Mulrine: Online dating sites have become a big part of many American's lives. "In a typical month, as many as half of all singles, approximately 40 million Americans, may visit an online dating site." (Bucy Pg. 133) (schilmeran)
Smit: Smit's article deals with "fascination" and the way the internet changes roles of those being watched and those watching. His claim is that in the past people had to actually leave their houses in order to be entertained. This relationship included a consumer and a performer. Today this relationship becomes overtly voyeuristic where those being watched become objects instead of individuals. This is augmented by site owners advertising those featured on the site like a product, and the fact that those viewing these sites view them alone furthering their connection to the subjects of their amazement. (dphipps)
Questions about Smit
12 April
McChesney: "The New Global Media" discusses globalization of many New Media corporations and the domestic effects of these companies. Although a majority of profits come from the United States many companies will spread across foreign borders (even though foreign consumers are currently not very beneficial) simply to jump on a likely potential for sale growth in foreign countries. Some companies live by the mantra, "Expand or die" and it is this mentality that leads McChensney to conclude that "rich media make for poor democracy." (cellis)
Compaine:
Clear Channel emerged in the wake of the FCC radio ownership relaxation. From this time, Clear Channel now owns 1225 radio stations all over the world. Since this company is dominating the market of radio communication and broadcasting, many concerns arise about freedom of speech, artistic diversity, advertising rates and much more. (ckaczmarczyk)
Light:
The issue of digital division has been a debatable aspect of society since the instigation of cable television and has continued to grow since the implementation of stronger technological advancements. There is an unequal distribution of information that is being provided via technological means. People cannnot access it given their societal position and this issue must be addressed as this debate continues to grow and inflame as a result of constant advancements. (ijoshi)
We must not only be able to access computers physically wherever we go, we must also be able to access them systematically, socially, and cognitively. The access to the internet is good when it benefits interactivity and researching, not just a "two-dimensional structure". In today's society, too much revolves around the Internet for it not to grant us the trpe of access we desire, due to the constant cultural growth of our society as well wider ranges of thinking. (rsororian)
Adler: America can now be split into two groups: the overclass and the underclass. The overclass knows they have created a system within America that only perpetuates their success and never classifies them as failures; and none of them would ever admit it. With enough money and credentials to influence major decisions and still keep an opposing side off their back, the overclass has been able to further isolate themselves from the underlcass and the rest of society all together...ultimately as they would like it to be. (kmartinez)
19 April
Stoll: Stoll feels as if the internet is a burden to social interactions today. He feels that there is a big part of true life missing from these interactions. "We chat without speaking, smile without grinning, and hug without touching."(Bucy, pg189) We are also relying on them way to much, we are counting on them to practically think for us. He also feels that they are good for "wasting time that might otherwise be difficult to waste."(Bucy, pg 191) They bring us together by isolating us. You can never really get to know how someone really is over the internet. He ends his writing with this: "Once teenager in Berkeley began using a computer when he was three years old; today, he's utterly fluent in getting around the internet, but can't converse with an adult." (Bucy, pg192)
Media has expanded it's reach to the people via expanded technology such as the internet. There has been an increase in the interactivity of media and technology that has allowed the people a new sense of democracy. Due to the more immediate responses from the government through sources such as media, people feel a greater sense of connection. Though it is a symbolic sense of democracy, it is prevalent amongst the mindsets of the people. (ijoshi)
Mann: Mann discusses the thought of "intellectual property" and talks about how piracy affects what may happen in the future. "Copyright chips" and other solutions are looked at, as well as organizations and the ideas behind these organizations that either are against or support copyright laws. Mann focuses more on the "what is art and who does it belong to" side of the issue rather than the more legal side. (murban)
Barlow: With the popularity of filesharing programs increasing, there was a great concern among recording artists and Motion Picture associations about a huge increase in piracy. As soon as these companies gave up on all their copy protection (which were easy to get around and basically useless) piracy had continued to grow, but so did the software, music, and movie industries. The "revolution" of piracy is over, but now a new economic must be made to replace the old one, an economic model which takes ideas like, "abudance breeds abudance" into consideration and improves upon it. (cellis)
Lessig: The idea here is that everything shared on the internet should be free. We are able to do so much more than we ever imagined because of the internet. It is so important that these resources be free because they are like muse's for everyones creativity. Innovation will occur at a much slower rate with regulated resources and restrictions all over the internet. It is a place for free thinking, sharing, and creation. (Ty)
Olson:
26 April
Garfinkel & Shelat: It seems as if the general public is unaware of the amount of material that is left behind on hard drives that are often discarded or given away. Most of the hard drives do contain valuable, confidential, information such as: credit card numbers, social security numbers, medical information, love letters, and pornography. There are multiple ways of which to prevent old information on a hard drive from being obtained by anyone else. After reading this section it seemed as if physically destroying the hard drive seemed like the only full proof way to keep this information from the general public. Although, there are other ways some of them are not completely full proof.
Rosenbaum:
Garfinkel: The fundamental argument here is that the United States is in need of a Bill of Rights for the computer age, along the lines of the recommendations that emerged from the 1972 Richardson report, which would provide citizens with identifiable rights to control over the circulation of personal data (bboessen).
Brin: He suggests that, first, there is no stopping the proliferation of surveillance technology in public spaces, and therefore, second, we should think seriously about how we want that future society to look. He argues it would be better to have an open society in which anyone can gain access to surveillance, as it would keep everyone honest (bboessen).
Parker:
Questions
27 March
Wolf:
QuestionsMcMahon:
Questions
29 March
Bolter and Grusin:
Questions
Andrejevic:
Questions
3 April
Filiciak argues that with the decreasing effect of traditional social institutions in the formation of peoples’ individual identity comes the increase of other social entities in influencing our identity formation. Filiciak calls the new reality we form our identity from a “hyperreality” because it is a multiplicity of influences that form a complex layer of identities called “hyperidentity.” He sees the mass media as a large influencer in forming the “hyperidentity” specifically multiplayer role playing games because the create an identity that is not controlled at all by all institutions or norms and therefore is a better reflection of who we are without the influence of the constraining “real” world.
(nwithers)
Filiciak: The first interactive mass medium to unite entertainment and communication in one phenomenon is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). Features such as ‘free communication on both person-to-person and many-to-many level’ and creation of self, allow the user to simulate reality. Due to this ever evolving medium, one’s own identity and hyper-identity become a flexible apparatus. (ckaczmarczyk)
Questions about FiliciakBlood: Rebecca Blood says that early bloggs were used by Internet users to filter the overload of information that the WWW gives them, but of late bloggs themselves have become overloaded. She also believes that blogging transformed her into a creator instead of a consumer, and helped her gain confidence in voicing her opinion. (WHO WROTE THIS?)
Questions about Bucy 5-3(Blood)
5 April
Armstrong:
Balderston:
Technology has allowed a whole new playing field for pornography where women can create and distribute their own kind of pornography. Women now have the opportunity to not only change the meaning of "femininity" but also to represent a wider variety of women's sexualities and in turn, normalize them. Balderston also addresses the fact that developed theories have yet to explain lesbian pornography. The difference between porn and erotica is discussed as well. (kmartinez)
QuestionsConsalvo: In this article, Consalvo discusses sexuality and how it is represented in two different ways in two games. In Final Fantasy IX, the traditional heterosexual romance is the only type of relationship possible, but in The Sims, depending on what actions the player makes their Sim take, any Sim can potentially be bisexual, homosexual, heterosexual, or even nonsexual, it all depends on the action they take. (schilmeran)
Consalvo 5-4 Questions
10 April
Swidey: Accessing information on a public search engine has made lives much easier, but has also made other lives harder to live. There is a fine line between public and private information and there must never be a crossing between the two; of course they cross anyways, as having the ability to save the past puts many under the spotlight. Surprisongly enough, the background check has helped people with jobs, while at the same time, not allowing them to ever get one again. (rsororian)
Questions about Swidey
Mulrine: Online dating sites have become a big part of many American's lives. "In a typical month, as many as half of all singles, approximately 40 million Americans, may visit an online dating site." (Bucy Pg. 133) (schilmeran)
Questions About Mulrine
Smit: Smit's article deals with "fascination" and the way the internet changes roles of those being watched and those watching. His claim is that in the past people had to actually leave their houses in order to be entertained. This relationship included a consumer and a performer. Today this relationship becomes overtly voyeuristic where those being watched become objects instead of individuals. This is augmented by site owners advertising those featured on the site like a product, and the fact that those viewing these sites view them alone furthering their connection to the subjects of their amazement. (dphipps)
Questions about Smit
12 April
McChesney: "The New Global Media" discusses globalization of many New Media corporations and the domestic effects of these companies. Although a majority of profits come from the United States many companies will spread across foreign borders (even though foreign consumers are currently not very beneficial) simply to jump on a likely potential for sale growth in foreign countries. Some companies live by the mantra, "Expand or die" and it is this mentality that leads McChensney to conclude that "rich media make for poor democracy." (cellis)
Questions
QuestionsAufderheide: Pat Aufderheide discusses the issue of net neutrality and uses for examples companies like AT&T and AOL Time Warner. Aufderheide takes a strong stance on keeping net neutrality, praising the actions of Portland, Oregon for fighting the policies of AT&T to keep "access to the internet ... as open and reasonably priced as possible." He speaks against the FCC's "watchful waiting" way of dealing with the situation, and says that we have to "protect what we've got, and make sure we can build on it."(105) (murban)
QuestionsSharlet:
Clear Channel emerged in the wake of the FCC radio ownership relaxation. From this time, Clear Channel now owns 1225 radio stations all over the world. Since this company is dominating the market of radio communication and broadcasting, many concerns arise about freedom of speech, artistic diversity, advertising rates and much more. (ckaczmarczyk)
Questions17 April
Light:
The issue of digital division has been a debatable aspect of society since the instigation of cable television and has continued to grow since the implementation of stronger technological advancements. There is an unequal distribution of information that is being provided via technological means. People cannnot access it given their societal position and this issue must be addressed as this debate continues to grow and inflame as a result of constant advancements. (ijoshi)
QuestionsNewhagen and Bucy:
We must not only be able to access computers physically wherever we go, we must also be able to access them systematically, socially, and cognitively. The access to the internet is good when it benefits interactivity and researching, not just a "two-dimensional structure". In today's society, too much revolves around the Internet for it not to grant us the trpe of access we desire, due to the constant cultural growth of our society as well wider ranges of thinking. (rsororian)
Questions
Adler: America can now be split into two groups: the overclass and the underclass. The overclass knows they have created a system within America that only perpetuates their success and never classifies them as failures; and none of them would ever admit it. With enough money and credentials to influence major decisions and still keep an opposing side off their back, the overclass has been able to further isolate themselves from the underlcass and the rest of society all together...ultimately as they would like it to be. (kmartinez)
QuestionsTurkle, Diaz Dennis, et al.: Even though computer technology is used seeminlgy everywhere the gap between men and women in skill and use of computers is still very large. It is important to make changes to computer use in order to increase the interest in girls and women. Once increasing interest in computers it is important that women can receive the skills necessary to overcome the gap in computer knowledge between the genders.
Questions
19 April
Stoll: Stoll feels as if the internet is a burden to social interactions today. He feels that there is a big part of true life missing from these interactions. "We chat without speaking, smile without grinning, and hug without touching."(Bucy, pg189) We are also relying on them way to much, we are counting on them to practically think for us. He also feels that they are good for "wasting time that might otherwise be difficult to waste."(Bucy, pg 191) They bring us together by isolating us. You can never really get to know how someone really is over the internet. He ends his writing with this: "Once teenager in Berkeley began using a computer when he was three years old; today, he's utterly fluent in getting around the internet, but can't converse with an adult." (Bucy, pg192)
QuestionsMcKenna and Bargh:
QuestionsBucy and Gregson:
Media has expanded it's reach to the people via expanded technology such as the internet. There has been an increase in the interactivity of media and technology that has allowed the people a new sense of democracy. Due to the more immediate responses from the government through sources such as media, people feel a greater sense of connection. Though it is a symbolic sense of democracy, it is prevalent amongst the mindsets of the people. (ijoshi)
QuestionsSunstein:
Questions24 April
Mann: Mann discusses the thought of "intellectual property" and talks about how piracy affects what may happen in the future. "Copyright chips" and other solutions are looked at, as well as organizations and the ideas behind these organizations that either are against or support copyright laws. Mann focuses more on the "what is art and who does it belong to" side of the issue rather than the more legal side. (murban)
Questions
Ty: Is Copyright about creation or distribution? why?
Barlow: Barlow who apparently is a "deadhead" feels that this file sharing is a great thing and that more good than bad can come from it. "Nothing makes you famous faster than an audience willing to distribute your work for free." (Bucy, pg 293) Very few artists are yet to look at it from this perspective. Barlow feels that artists should be more concerned with the actual creation of their craft. "Cyberspace is un-realestate."(Bucy, pg 294) To much time is spent arguing over what is wrong and what is right with the copyright issues on artists work. Effects from these cyber worlds have had no effect on any of these entertainment industries income. If anything it has been boosted by free file sharing.(Ty)
Questions
Questions
Barlow: With the popularity of filesharing programs increasing, there was a great concern among recording artists and Motion Picture associations about a huge increase in piracy. As soon as these companies gave up on all their copy protection (which were easy to get around and basically useless) piracy had continued to grow, but so did the software, music, and movie industries. The "revolution" of piracy is over, but now a new economic must be made to replace the old one, an economic model which takes ideas like, "abudance breeds abudance" into consideration and improves upon it. (cellis)
Questions
Lessig: The idea here is that everything shared on the internet should be free. We are able to do so much more than we ever imagined because of the internet. It is so important that these resources be free because they are like muse's for everyones creativity. Innovation will occur at a much slower rate with regulated resources and restrictions all over the internet. It is a place for free thinking, sharing, and creation. (Ty)
Questions
Olson:
Questions
26 April
Garfinkel & Shelat: It seems as if the general public is unaware of the amount of material that is left behind on hard drives that are often discarded or given away. Most of the hard drives do contain valuable, confidential, information such as: credit card numbers, social security numbers, medical information, love letters, and pornography. There are multiple ways of which to prevent old information on a hard drive from being obtained by anyone else. After reading this section it seemed as if physically destroying the hard drive seemed like the only full proof way to keep this information from the general public. Although, there are other ways some of them are not completely full proof.
Questions
Rosenbaum:
Questions
Garfinkel: The fundamental argument here is that the United States is in need of a Bill of Rights for the computer age, along the lines of the recommendations that emerged from the 1972 Richardson report, which would provide citizens with identifiable rights to control over the circulation of personal data (bboessen).
Questions
Brin: He suggests that, first, there is no stopping the proliferation of surveillance technology in public spaces, and therefore, second, we should think seriously about how we want that future society to look. He argues it would be better to have an open society in which anyone can gain access to surveillance, as it would keep everyone honest (bboessen).
Questions3 May
Parker:
Questions
|
GM_of_OLC |
Latest page update: made by GM_of_OLC
, May 7 2007, 9:33 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by GM_of_OLC
view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
