Illustrator Drawing

 Illustrator Drawing

For this project I found an image on the web and then drew it with the pen tool on illustrator.


Original Image

The Internet and Democracy

1. Based on this debate and previous readings what definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction with our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?
     - I think that direct democracy is the most fitting for us to use in-conjuction with our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies. With how the internet is today we are all able to voice our own opinions and hear the opinions of others. The internet also allows us to come to our own conclusions and say what we want. 


2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?
     - Direct democracy absolutely fits into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies. In todays world there is a lot of information posted online for everyone to view and read. Most people feel what the read online to be true, and don't ever worry about finding evidence to back there information up Wikipedia is a perfect example of this which was also discussed in the debate. It is a known aspect that people can go online and make their own entry's or change around entry's that were previously there. Even though many of us including myself know this we still believe what we read on Wikipedia to be true. Unfortunately there are a lot of websites that are similar to Wikipedia where all the information is not correct. 


3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that need to be addressed? Why or Why not?
     - As described in the Internet debates, a media echo-chamber is when someone who has a particular opinion on a topic broadcast their view through the media. When others hear this view or opinion than continue to spread it. As a result of media eco-chambers the opinions that were originally broadcast become a more dramatic version of their former self. An example of this effect can constantly be seen when it comes to celebrities. I know that I always find myself reading stories that a certain celebrity had just died, or went to rehab for drugs. Soon after that celebrity will send out a statement saying non of that was true. One story I remember reading was an article that said the actor Sinbad, or David Adkins had passed away from a heart attack. Even Wikipedia had changed their entry to say "he succumbed to a fatal heart attack on the morning of March 14, 2007." Sinbad's production company then cam out saying that he was alive and well and any rumor to the contrary was false. I do think that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Family members of certain people could read somewhere online that they have passed away and go through the emotions to later learn they were untrue. 


4. What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they needed or not needed?
     - Authority could and once in awhile is enforced on the internet. Most of the time the authority is through people who have developed these sites. I do believe that some sort of authority is needed on certain sites. I think this all depends on what type of websites these are, and who they are meant to be viewed by. 


5.  Give a through example of an adaptation or improvement made by a of a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.
     - I think that the website Google has done a good job keeping up with the changing nature of the internet. I think one aspect people look for when using the internet is simplicity. Google has developed themselves around the idea of being a simple internet search engine. One change they recently made is when you type into the browser it gives ideas and what they think is similar to what you were originally going to write and search for. 


6. Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet? 
     - I don't think that democracy is threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet. The internet has unleashed a new way of thinking that was never thought of before. The internet also allows us easy access to news around the world, and to interact with people in different countries. 

The Great Seduction Questions

The Great Seduction Questions

1.) How does Keen define Democratized media, and what are his main issues with this trend? Use examples from the web in the form of links

            Democratized media offers many new voices, stories and perspectives within the Internet. This allows people to create and view any kind of media they choose. A lot of people like democratized media because it allows everyone to share their ideas with anyone who has access to the digital world. Andrew Keen is not a big fan of democratized media. He says that the Internet is “destroying culture as we know it.”   He goes on to say that he is “dismayed by what he has seen.” Another way that Keen defines democratized media is by saying that it undermines truth, souring civic discourse, and belittling expertise, experience and talent. Keen says that it is threatening the very future of our cultural institutions. An important point that Keen brings up to help establish his point by saying that “Web 2.0 revolution has peddled the promise of bringing more truth to more people, more depth of information, more global perspective, more unbiased opinion from dispassionate observers. But this is all a smokescreen. What Web 2.0 revolution is delivering is superficial observations of the world around us rather than deep analysis, shrill opinion rather than considered judgment.” One link that I have found from the web that shows this point is Wikipedia.com.

2.) Compare and contrast Keens take on Social Media with Douglas Rushkoff’s. Which one peaks to you and your own experiences and why?

           

            Andrew Keen and Douglas Rushkoff have very different views on social media. Keen seems to only point out the negative. Even though there are a lot of websites out there that have been altered, there is also information on the Web that is valid and true. The Internet allows people all around the country to read important materials that they don’t have access to physically. Rushkoff portrays the Internet differently from Keen. He sees it as more of a positive source.

            I tend to agree more with Rushkoff. The web opens up a lot of possibilities for many people. Rushkoff believes that Web 2.0 is on the brink of taking over and a result will be that our lives are going to change. I agree with he’s statement of the Web taking over but I don’t think that our lives are going to change entirely. 

Responding to Alexa Cupo

Digital Nation- The Mob

Digital Nation- The Mob

         Our society’s connectedness to the virtual world has unleashed both negative and positive outcomes. Today everyone is much more connected then they used to be. It has become something that we as a population have become so dependent on. We use the virtual world for multiple sources like; connecting with friends, researching information, booking travel plans, reading digital books, and a wide variety of other methods. Without the internet I think people would be stuck and not know what to do. People our age and younger have developed extreme internet addictions. One article that I found online was about how there is a thin line for teens and adolescents between casual internet use and addiction. They define internet addiction as “compulsive use that interferes with the natural flow of one’s daily life.” Some form of internet addiction affects most people today. Now a day we can use the internet to take college, high school and elementary level courses, and have office meetings without physically being in the office. Developing some kind of internet addiction is much easier then it used to be because of everything that is possible from the internet.

            Internet is not just an addiction but also harbors negative aspects that are affecting society today. The internet is the source for social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. All of these allow other ways for people to communicate. Even though it gives other ways to connect with one another Facebook is one of the causes for the elimination of the face-to-face interactions that there once was. Some wonder if Facebook has made us less human. An article by Amar Toor asks if the rise of social networking signal the end of Western civilization, as we know it? One aspect that he says we do know is that Facebook has definitely put us in situations that would have never been possible before the creation of the Facebook era. Facebook today has infested virtually every facet of our lives. Today it can make us paranoid, or be the source of illegally information. Facebook or the fact that most people are connected to the virtual world can make a criminal’s job easier. There is a lot of information online that sex offenders, stalkers and hackers can see. I know that I am constantly hearing how someone’s Facebook was hacked into or how some feel they have stalkers because what is written to them by unknown people. Even though there are all these risks to being so connected to the virtual world, it doesn’t seem to stop or slow down anyone. We are all warned of the risks of the cyber world but we still choose to share information and pictures. Why is it that we know these risks but don’t choose to listen?

            I don’t think that anonymity plus connectedness always equals misbehavior and cruelty. The development and the widespread use of the internet unfortunately have just made it easier for people to be cruel to one another. People were cruel and mean way before the internet was developed. The development of the internet I feel has just fueled the anger and hate some people have. Today I have heard a lot of stories of how internet cruelty has caused many young people to commit suicide. If you Google “suicide deaths by internet bullying” hundreds of stories come up from across the country.  Unfortunately as much as people love the virtual world it is also a harmful place that many people choose to take part in. I don’t think that the collective anger online is there because of the internet. The internet wasn’t developed as a way for people to by mean to one another instead it was developed for government departments to research and work from any location. It is what some people have made the internet into and how some choose to use it today that have unleashed these negative thoughts about what the internet truly is. 

Discussion Questions

1.) I don't think professional production values will continue to drop over time.  I think there will always be a want for the amateur user-generated content but I think that will be along side professional production values. Using amateurish or "homegrown" television shows, or advertisements will cut out a lot of jobs in the television industry. When reality t.v started to come out there was big backlash because it was cutting down on jobs. Just like we still see reality t.v. today I think we will also continue to see these amateur user-generated things. I also do think that eventually they will get better over time.

2.) The social media sites that I find myself using the most are Facebook. I think I use this site the most because it is a way to stay in touch with friends. I find using Facebook as a way to stay in contact a lot easier than texting or talking on the phone. It is also a more constant source. Another reason why I use Facebook the most is because it is a way to store and view pictures. Pictures can be posted on Facebook by friends and I can save and download it to my iPhoto to save them on my computer.

I think Facebook has been a lot more successful than MySpace because I find it to be an easier site to use. When MySpace came out it was the newest and best thing. When Facebook was developed that became the new craze and everyone soon had it. Nothing has been created after Facebook to make that the new "must have" social media site.

I do think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term. Very rarely do you meet someone who does not have a Facebook. At first it was popular with college kids. Now all different age groups have one. My sister got one when she was a sophomore in high school. My mom also has one as a way to stay in contact with her friends from grade school and high school. Another way she uses it as a free advertisement for her real estate business. Some people will get sick and get rid of their Facebook pages, but I just think than there will always be a new group of people who create one.

3.) Transparency is such an important concept in the Social Media world because it "implies openness, communication, and accountability." We have all learned since we were little not to lie. That same lesson should be carried over to the social media world. Social media is a way for people and companies to represent themselves honestly and to build real and lasting relationships.

I think transparency is just as important in the offline world. When you lie most of the time you get caught. In life you have to build lasting relationships. This relationships can be with friends, family, and co-workers. I think all of these people play a part in you being successful in life. If you lie and are deceitful you burn bridges and than are forced to do it on your own.

Why is transparency so important in Social Media? | Social Media Blog by Michael Brito

McLuhan Photoshop Final Post

The medium I choose was the iPhone. With the photoshop assignment I wanted to show how people across the world can stay connected. The content of the iPhone is a telephone, text messaging, video chatting, internet and more. These are all tools that people can use to stay connected. The medium of the iPhone is another tool that keep lines of communication open.