Step 1 of Winter Project

The question that I am interested in exploring is question number 1: How has our relationship to art changed by virtue of the fact that new media allow us to more easily be producers as well as consumers? (If, indeed, you find that it has).

The fact that new media allows anyone to be a producer diminshes the basic need for talent. New media can produce a great sounding song that has no actual talent behind it, besides a computer savvy person. There may be no actual bands playing the instrumentals or a person behind the voice that comes through our speakers. Our relationship to art changes because we are appreciating a form of art that is only virtual; it does not exist in the physical world. Many singers cannot perform live concerts because they do not have their aid of technology by their side, allowing them to create a voice for themselves instead of using their own.

This new relationship to art leaves a slight divide between singers with musical talent and those whose records have been technologically created. This divide is not always easily spotted though. For example, I would consider Alicia Keys a greater artist, in a sense more "real", than Heidi Montag. The new accessible media has made it difficult to determine the actual artistic ability of the artists by clumping them all together into one category. In this category, the media has made the recording artists both famous and rich. Talent or no talent, both groups of artists become one - each becoming successful in their own way.

Our role of producers allows us to put our own input in this high-tech media stream, entrancing us even more to the artists. Anyone now can become a dj and create their own songs, allowing them to more easily relate to the artists that the media is advertising. The divide between the talented artists and the technology-created ones leaves a gap for the public to play a new producer position, giving them hope to acheive the stardom status.

Nov 17th Lecture :)

In this lecture, we took a philosophical approach to the course discussions. I thought it was very interesting because it allowed us to look at course content in a new perspective. I think that it is important to look at an issue from as many angles as possible in order to get the most accurate bigger picture.

In this lecture, we discussed Plato and his idea of the forms, which are now known as Platonic forms. The forms are the class concepts; the standard for everything we see in the physical world around us. Plato states that the physical world is not in fact the real world. In the physical world, we can only see examples of these forms. For example, we can't see "roundness", but instead we see examples of roundness in everyday objects, such as in cherries. I also thought it was interesting that Plato was the first to claim the seperation of the body and the soul, which then the Christian fate pushed along and developed.

In addition, to disussing Plato in this lecture, we also discussed Descartes and his theories. I remember learning about Descartes in previous years, so it was interesting for him to be brought up in this context. Descartes' main idea of "I think, therefore I am" was brought up and expanded to enable us to see his views. Descartes goal was to refute skepticism and he went about it by denying the existence of everything, until he concluded that the only thing he can't deny the existence of was that there was an "I" doubting.

I enjoyed this philosophical lecture, even though it requires a lot more abstract thinking. I prefer using this abstract way of thinking in analyzing issues. This lecture explored many realms that have not been touched upon in previous lectures, making it a crucial one.

The Machine Stops

The movie “The Movie Stops” showed a great point of view towards technological determinism. The movie was an extremist point of view: technology controls the lives of people and when the machine stops, civilization dies along with it. The movie effectively portrayed the technology as a living organism when it showed the dependence that the humans had on it. Technology is a driving force in our society today but I do not think it is possible for it to ever to get to the point that it did in “The Machine Stops”. In the movie, it became so extreme that the humans could not even visit the surface of the Earth without the help and permission of the machines. Machine controlled the humans to the point that it made me think that the humans were not even living a life worth living anymore. It seemed more so that the machines were living the lives for the humans instead. Parent-child relationships were diminished, as well as everyday face-to-face communication. This is not a life that is natural for the human species, therefore transforming them into a type of machine as well. The human beings controlled by machines became a form of robots that could not successfully think on their own. Their thoughts seemed to be robotic and their lives programmed for them. I really enjoyed the movie because it made me think about many of these things and the “quality” of life. What makes our present day lives different from a robot? The movie raised many thought-provoking questions that make it worth watching.

Importance of Oct 20, 2009 Lecture

This lecture was important because it emphasized society's need for networks. We learned that networks matter because they are the underlining structure of our lives. Throughout the lecture, we analysed the readings and found supporting points for networks structuring our lives. The question of networks being a positive or negative aspect arose, which I found to be very interesting. We discussed how networks have no borders or boundaries since it is expanded on a global scale. This becomes an important thing to look at when analyzing the power associated with networks. As the networks switch, the power shifts as well. Another important question that was raised in the lecture was "does technology determine society?" This was an important question that was addressed and looked at from the different points of view. The author of an article we read wished to reject technological determinism, which was a major point both in the reading and in the lecture. Overall, the lecture was an important one because it went through the readings, analyzing them and making them a lot clearer while emphasizing the major points about networks.

Rape in Cyberspace

Julian Dibbell’s A Rape in Cyberspace demonstrates a sense of community in a virtual space. It brings the meaning of “community” to a whole new level; bringing it from our everyday physical lives to virtual reality. I believe that a community was created in LambdaMOO as it progressed on and became a cyber-like city. The citizens of the community were all of the users that took part in this online society. These citizens developed rules and a way of life in their virtual home. A “rape” took place in this society, stirring up a big controversy. Many members felt emotionally abused and sickened at the thought of this happening in their little society that they built and invested themselves in. This issue was not taken lightly, and many leaders sprung from their computers and started taking charge. Just like in a real community, someone had to take charge, and others cooperated by following their lead. Many petitions were signed, and as a result, new rules and regulations were in effect in LambdaMOO. This signifies the real progress that this cyber city had made. The feeling of a community was really expressed when members were sticking up for each other; just like they would do in everyday life with their friends and neighbours. It took an emotional/controversial issue to happen in order for the real feelings of a community to be brought out. The responsible way that most of these users handled the rape issue brought them all closer together, thus enhancing the feeling of community and togetherness that they built up in their virtual lives in LambdaMOO.