Heeeere's Linda...and Feenberg, and Barney, and Levy
This week we're moving into the notions of collective intelligence, democracy, and electronic writing. This is going to be challenging material, and I know Linda's going to give it her best to motivate us toward working through these writers.
We'll do a lot of work in class tomorrow night. Until then, Linda, take it away!
Diane
We'll do a lot of work in class tomorrow night. Until then, Linda, take it away!
Diane
posted by Diane Penrod at 3/05/2006
6 Comments:
Challenging ... what an understatement. Despite my insecurities with these readings, here it goes.
Let’s begin with Feenberg and Barney – since they are my fav!
It seems as though part one of “Community in the Digital Age” focused primarily on defining a technological community and elaborating on how that community influences the way we live and communicate with one another and how technology affects other communities like our workplace community or fiction-based communities.
1). In Poster’s article “Workers as Cyborgs …,” he details how technology is affecting the workplace, but also how this technology is helping to create a shift in power. Poster gives the example of employees launching email complaints about management or teenagers using their programming skills to threaten major corporations. We are also seeing shifts in power related to computer usage, in general, with more minorities and seniors “logging on.” (p.85-88)
Online communities have opened the door for various shifts in power (workers to companies, pedophiles to online watch groups, etc.). Are there indicators of future power shifts and if so, which groups (or types of individuals) do we feel will benefit and/or suffer from these shifts?
2). Sally’s Turkle’s article, Our Split Screens” describes how online communities are helping to change the way we think, present and view ourselves. “When people adopt an online persona they cross a boundary into highly charged territory. Some feel an uncomfortable sense of fragmentation, some a sense of relief. Some sense the possibilities for self-discovery, even self transformation.” (p.103)
As a psychology major, I am concerned with how online communities are enabling these split personas, especially as they relate to young children and teens. Do on-line communities like MySpace or MUDs encourage multiple personalities or a fall sense of self OR are they therapeutic and giving people an outlet for self expression? People already have their own perceptions and memories of certain situations and events (i.e., Frye) Do online communities further complicate the line between the real, make believe and plain old “made up.”?
Time to switch to Feenberg …
3). On pages 41-50, Feenberg discusses labor process theory. How have we seen in today’s society a technological progression at the expense of social power, order and the labor force? How do we see this further evolving as we make our way towards total technological transformation?
4). My next question is not related to a specific page number.
If our class was charged with developing a political infrastructure for technology – what would it look like? What would be some of the most important points to include in our new political system? Who would benefit from this system and who would not?
Levy – need I say more? I was so lost in this reading. But, I’ll give it a shot.
5). Levy discusses mass levels of intelligence through technology and calls this, universally distributed knowledge. He continues by stating, “Those who cultivate human intelligence are thus the source of all prosperity.” (p.36) Who/What is our current cultivators of human intelligence and leading the way towards our prosperity? Is our collective intelligence aided or created by this person/thing? Who/What will be obsolete in the future?
1. As we discussed in class, kids have gained a sense of power because they are often more technologically advanced then adults. Like Linda, my niece has shown me how to do technological things that perplexed me. My friend has a two-year-old daughter who is still not potty trained but can easily navigate a computer mouse through her Barney computer game.
When I bought my ipod, my niece showed me how to create playlists and use itunes. I could tell it really made her feel good teaching me how to use it and I learned a lot too.
2. For me skepticism of online content has been programmed into me from society. I count even count how many movies or sitcoms I have seen with the plot of the person lying about themselves on the online dating sites. When I explore blogs like MySpace, I go into it knowing that anything can be fake. When I look for creditable information online I go to sites I feel have established creditability in other mediums, like websites for MSNBC or the NY Times.
3. Last year my sister, a radiology transcriptionist, was told that she was being outsourced and replaced by a company in Colorado that would process all the medical reports online. The technology was in place, but the doctors found the lines of communication and the impersonal connection extremely difficult to overcome. The doctors in the department rallied together to keep my sister and her coworkers and after about two months the hospital was forced to drop the Colorado company. Technology can outsource many, but we need to find a balance. Companies want to have the most cost efficient means possible, but the population needs ample job opportunities.
4. Wow, tough question. I’m having major trouble stepping out of the box and thinking of today’s technology any different. I guess this is why it is hard to change problems with today’s infrastructure. I would hate to take one’s rights away in attempt to make technology better for others.
If I were going to overhaul or restructure the political infrastructure for technology, I would have to put more restrictions on those in cyberspace who send spam and adult oriented emails. I hate that we as users have to take steps to prevent spam, like enabling spam blockers. Realistically, I know that such restrictions would be difficult and cost a ton of money to maintain.
5. When we were discussing this question in class and the possibility of losing creative intelligence, I was thinking about today’s movie industry. Lately it seems that each year we are subjected to the same old regurgitated plots and remakes. Seventy years from now someone else will probably remake King Kong, only maybe movies will be virtual reality and we can each play the part of Fay Wray.
1. As adequately discussed in class, online communities result in shifts in power for a number of groups of individuals. Particularly interesting to me is shifts in power on the economic front between retailers and consumers, at the benefit of the consumer. In using websites such “Bizrate” consumers have the power to locate and purchase the cheapest price for the desired item. No longer do individuals have to wait at the mercy of stores for “sales” or “store hours,” consumers have the power to purchase receiving the “best deal,” at any hour of the day. With this, any individual can be a retailer, selling used items, controlling the price through websites such as “eBay” or “Craig’s List.” Online communities have drastically altered the dynamics of the shopping industry as a whole, shifting even more power to consumer on the basis of convenience and expense.
2. Adolescence is an extremely grueling time in regards to physical, emotional, and social development. Individuals are experimenting with self-discovering, trying to understand who they are and balancing it with what “fits in.” I view teenage driven online communities like Myspace and Livejournal to be both beneficial and harmful to these individuals during this time of development. These communities enable free expression, which can be therapeutic. They provide the opportunity to converse with individuals similar to themselves, which can ultimately aide in adequate growth and understanding. It can work as an outlet and support system, helping teenagers through a number of aspects such as becoming comfortable with oneself, gaining confidence, and making friends. In retrospect, these communities also offer dangerous consequences if not appropriately used, which is often the case. Because of lack of awareness, teenagers are extremely vulnerable to this type of technology. These communities can encourage multiple personas and a false sense of self , as teens try to “fit in” this community. With this, these pages are unlimited in access, allowing anyone to contact and influence the individual (and visa versa). These communities have altered the dynamic of adolescence, adding another obstacle in the process of growing up.
3. At the expense of technology we are currently altering the dimensions in a number of industries such as corporations, shopping, banking, and higher education. Certain components of these industries are being replaced with technological advances, while others are being replaced in their entirety. In fact, current technology is replacing lower end jobs completely. For example, programs like “DocStar” (a digital scanning/filing system) have omitted the need for certain receptionist jobs and grocery store self checkouts and Ez Pass may soon replace cashiers and toll jobs. I experienced this replacement personally last year. I had a part-time job at a hospital as a laboratory attendant-essentially, I filed and faxed lab reports. The hospital invested in a system similar to DocStar, which replaced the need for my job. This system did everything I did in a quicker and more efficient manner. As technology replaces these jobs (both lower and higher end) the dynamics of our society will greatly alter. I am curious as to what the job market will look like in the future.
4. An important component of this new political system would reflect controls and restrictions. Current technology, especially in regards to online communities, have too much power. Access to private and personal information is readily available; WORKING restrictions would be put on every webpage; these restrictions would be at the desire of the user. Effective boundaries would be placed on restricting access to those not legally permitted (ie.- inappropriate adult material would be controlled with much more than checking a box). Creating this new system is a large job, but importance relies heavily on controlling issues of security. In acquiring appropriate control, a sufficient foundation will be set in the development of this new infrastructure.
5. I feel this question was adequately addressed in class-pop culture plays a large part in cultivating human intelligence. The notion that “creative geniuses” will be obsolete in the future was presented. I have trouble swallowing the reality of this notion. Who/what is classified “creative genius” is open to interpretation. Is Hendrix mediocre compared to Beethoven or will those of future generations reflect back on this time and classify Britany Spears as a creative genius?
1. As mentioned in class, the parents most definitely are part of this power shift due to technology. Many parents send e-mails and expect more frequent and rapid responses from teachers. They sometimes expect work to be sent with attachments over e-mail for students. More so, now that parents can look at grades online—it seems that they watch a teacher’s every move with grading. Those papers were due a week ago—why don’t you have all 135 papers marked yet? Online capabilities give parents even more ammunition to tell teachers how to do their job—so that is how I feel. On the other hand, I feel this shift in power for parents is extremely proactive. Parents can keep in better contact with teachers—communication is key to a child’s education and the fact that parents can access grades, keep them more vigilant of their child’s academic performance.
Students, of course, have thrived with online communities and thus they are part of this shift in power. The freedom to express oneself in communities, such as MySpace becomes a problem in school—students make inappropriate comments or dress inappropriately and firmly believe what they are doing is right—because there are no limits for them in these online communities—they have the power. I think it makes following rules and expectations in the real world more difficult. Whether groups suffer or benefit from these power shifts and online communities is up to the individual and what kind of moral and human agency they enact. I don’t deny to my students that they have power in communities like MySpace; however, I think what is more important to stress with them is how are you using your power and just because you can do something or provide certain information doesn’t mean that is it the right or moral thing to do—and that is the issue: the moral agency.
2. To connect with question one—I think this question of online communities enabling split personas goes directly to the moral and human agency. I don’t think an online community, such as MySpace is negative for students. But it comes down to the issue of what is right to do versus what can I do. Having blogs and creating profiles can help students explore who they are and could be therapeutic; however, most students do not enact their moral agency and the content of their MySpace profiles and blogs become inappropriate and vulgar. However, isn’t even the vulgar content a form of self-expression—the issue today is that students are making it so public for all to see and read. I feel like middle school students always want to be something they are not, and these online communities feed that urge to want to be something else.
3. In the book, Transforming Technology, the following is stated: “If human contacts are no longer central in so fundamental a growth process as education, then surely we are headed for a very different ideal of adulthood and a very different kind of modern society from the one we live in at present. But is this a necessary consequence of modernization” (122-123)? This statement is a point that can be connected with both the evolution toward total technological transformation and the political infrastructure for technology. The move toward technological transformation has its positives and negatives. I love the convenience and ease with which I can pay bills, refill prescriptions, shop, and get just about any information or product I want in the comfort of my own home. However, all of this convenience does bring about the idea discussed in class—deskilling. When I first heard this word deskilling—I immediately thought about all the programs my students can use that will do certain functions for them. For example, when I taught seventh grade, the class was going over how to construct a works cited page. Some of my students stated well I just put the information into my program and it creates the page for me. What about learning to use a reference tool and learning to create the page on your own? Same thing with dictionaries and thesauruses—students use the online forms and hate to use the actual books. When people stop learning to do tasks is when I feel that technology is doing everyone an injustice. Can people find a balance with technology in their lives so that they are not completely deskilled or as stated above—is this just a consequence of modernization?
As far as the political infrastructure is concerned, we are in a new type of society that needs restructuring. Limits need to be placed on information a person can receive and place in online communities. I agree with Allison and Shawna who stated that there needs to be more protection against spam and adult sites—more than just a click of a box. The continuation of being able to block sites on computers should continue so that young kids can only search appropriate sites. This is a hard question. Again—is this inability to limit the free flow of information just part of a different modern society that people need to become accustomed to?
1) We are seeing small and large shifts in power now and will continue to see these changes in the future. I think you will see a continuous back and forth as new technology emerges. When something new comes along, “the people” will usually have the power. As discussed in class, employees can fire off e-mail complaints and get quick responses. But as time goes on, companies gain more understanding and control. Now they have much better ways to monitor the productivity of their employees. In that case, they have the power again. But eventually something new comes along and the cycle repeats.
One example is the internet music piracy battle. When this new internet technology arrived, people wanted fast downloads and to have access to a more flexible selection. Music companies refused to partake but the people wanted it. The technology was there and the people exploited it. They took the power. But now, music companies are taking advantage of the tech by selling music and also using it to go after the distributors. Now the power is shifting back to their side. The movie industry is just now beginning to face that dilemma.
2) It depends on the individual. Like anything else, these things can be exploited to positive results or can be abused. When we’re teenagers, we’re often trying to find our identities. Many people experiment with different ideas and personas. These environments can sometimes help people to express themselves in a relatively safe way. On the other hand, some may become too immersed into their internet personas. They might avoid contact with the real world. Younger people might not develop the social skills they need in the real world. Some might use the relative anonymity to hurt others. I think these communities can complicate the line between the real world and make believe. As with everything, though, it depends on the user.
3) I think things will balance out as time goes on. Yes, many of the lower end jobs will either be outsourced or replaced by computers and automation. But with technology also comes entirely new jobs. People have always lost jobs due to new technology and society manages to survive. It’s always unfortunate and I’m sure somewhat degrading to lose your job to a machine or computer program, but new opportunities will present themselves. (hopefully)
But I think there is a line that needs to be drawn somewhere. Allison’s story of her sister is a good example. There has to be a balance struck, not just so we have ample job opportunities (though that’s certainly very important) but because technology can’t yet replicate human interaction that well. Certainly in a hospital, that component is vital.
4) This is an incredibly hard question for some reason. I’m just having a hard time imagining what a new political structure for technology would even look like. Not to mention the fact that we really can’t imagine what type of technologies we’ll have in the future. How do you strike a balance between safety and freedom? How much do you take from one category to strengthen another? For everyone, that line is different. Someone in class mentioned there being no monopolies and a free flow of information. To me, security is vital. Spam and spy ware would be made illegal. Wireless access for everyone is a good start. For general things, I would extent real world laws into the internet world as much as possible.
5) As discussed in class, pop culture is our main cultivator now. It will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Who or what will be obsolete in the future? That’s hard to say. It’s hard to predict how the world’s tastes and experiences will shift and alter 10 years from now let alone 100 years or more. Will we become so physically connected to technology that we’ll lose individuality and truly come together as a collective or will we draw a line somewhere and say that’s enough? But in my life time, I don’t see pop culture’s stranglehold on our personalities going away. I think it will only grasp tighter and tighter.
1. The powershifts are evident as per the discussion we had; unlike real-life wisdom and experience, technological know-how is not a luxury of the elder but of the quick learner. As I know more about computers then my father, so shall many children know more then me (soon).
As far as a decentrilization of power (workers in companies) and the crafty unknown menace (online stalkers), I think online communities have but enhanced a current trend/problem. One could see the victims as the ones always not on the offensive.
2. I was never a fan of the concept of a serious avatar or of a secret life online. This concept, while supposedly an outlet for some, seems unhealthy in all aspects when it becomes a second life. It seems fantasy takes over and people no longer live in a realm of normality and logic, but in a land of Disney wishes that can never come true.
3. As Shawna commented, technology is very convenient and efficient but often takes the salary of a working person. Granted we can't halt development so everyone can have a job, but it's amazing that even in jobs of specialty and of required education, machines and technology advance forward and remove the need for that job.
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