Revolution 2.0

Week fours reading “the political power of social media” discusses the publics new found abilty to coodinate mass political protest through instant forms of communication. This notion of being able to stimulate the power of the people has governments no longer controlling the people but the people controlling the power. It inspires the view of one voice making dramatic change.  Our opions are not only expressed through social mediums such as Facebook or twitter but it allows us to share common thoughts and collaborate together for change.  We can connect with friends about this weekend, next weekend and last weekend but also about our political prefence or institution backlash. It takes the freedom of speech to a new level. We can say what we feel, when we feel – to everyone. The internet is the crux of the new media world, it is changing the way we communicate, express and share without restriction. Something governments are scared of. For example Egypt’s recent facebook fueled riot.

I believe everyone has the right to freedom of speech these revolutions and uprisings would have happened anyway, its just the internet allowed them to happen faster.






Referencing;

Video from Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWvJxasiSZ8, Accessed on March 24th

Going Going Going?

The blank face of a commuter often says so little about their personality. I find myself becoming infatuated by their mysterious blank faces with those famous white cords hanging from their ears. How many hidden punks or classic jazz fans hide behind their melancholy faces while secretly having a party with their tapping toes?

How much could I find out about these strangers just by looking at their screens? "Exposing a Ipod Screen to an observer can make an otherwise private device a potential broadcaster of one's taste" (Levy, 2006).

Raymond (1974)  discusses unified social intake, by stating portable media devices have allowed social networking, Ipods and downloading to become mobile privitasiation. We design our own world through new media. We now have endless amounts of choices, We can download, upload, steam, buy, tweet and chase whatever genre of entertainment we seek and all while never taking our eyes off our Iphones. If we only ever need the internet to connect whats going to happen to all the other mediums? This is a question that clouds my future in the film industry. The Indian Film Industry is already pushing for  a preferred online distribution for  it's Bollywood films (Singh, 2008). So like radio or television will going to the cinema also be a thing of the past? I really hope not. 

References:

Levy, S. (2006). The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture and Coolness, New York: Simon & Schuster, pp. 21-41. Available on www.blackboard.edu.qut.au

Singh, M. (2008).  Bollywood's Viral Video in Time International (Canada Edition), Vol. 171, Issue 14 . Available online at:http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1713342,00.html 

Williams R, 1974, p. 21. Retrieved from Week three lecture slides, Available on www.blackboard.edu.qut.au

To Infinity and Beyond

As a kid I would look up to the nights sky and think about the endless portals our universe could contain. That black nothingness which goes on forever containing millions of pieces of useful information. Today my modern equivalent of star gazing is now web surfing. Hello My name is Kyla and I am addicted to the Internet. When capable I search the endless depths of the world wide web for hours, gazing at websites from all over the globe being mentally teleported into Topshop's latest summer/spring collection.

 I think if Dr. Bell were to examine my Internet behaviour I would fit very much into her findings of  'wanting connection' (Bell, 2008).  Her presentation interested me, I found her talking about me as her lab rat even though I've never been in a glass box. I guess I'm not alone in my addiction. I wont lie. It shook me,  forced me to take one small step for Kyla and one even bigger step for my Facebook profile. I disconnected.  Half a deck of cigarettes, a bitchy phone call to my best friend and a twitching eye later I returned. Yes I only successfully completed five hours of restraint but with four new notifications my return was warranted.

Dr. Bell commented on people's desire to also disconnect whereby they take holidays to complete 'dead zones'. For me this would not be possible. I admire those brave souls, but I have a feeling that demographic would be in the age bracket of my mum and dad, trying to escape not only their ringing mobile phones but just mankind in general.

I am a social astronaut and always have been. Dr Bell made me feel guilty for my reliance on the internet. This angered me. She was trying sabotage my relationship with Percy (my lapdog laptop) But No!  Just like Charlie Sheen I don't feel the need to conform to anti social media propaganda. YES I will write my grandmother letters and YES I will play outside, but NO I will not turn off my laptop or disconnect from my online universe.


Referencing:
 Bell, G. (2008). Digital Economy Forum Presentation retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE6QWUKIP5M


Background Photo: 
istockphoto from http://www.istockphoto.com/?lid=73326013&pcrid=4299793161&property=IS