Formerly SpringBlog

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Everyone is a media outlet

I know I already talked about this chapter in class, but I think it is an interesting enough topic that it deserves some of my required blog space.

Since we all have the capability to publish information, do we have to hold ourselves to new standards? We now understand the impact that we are capable of making. This is a powerful thing to be placed in the hands of people who may quite possibly be negligent when it comes to accuracy. We are people of opinion. Just because we have the ability, does it give us the right? What rights do we have as publishers if any? Does any of that really matter in the grand scheme of things?

When it all boils down, the residue left in the pot is a change in the way we communicate. A new form of literacy. Everyone needs to relearn how to communicate. Perhaps it is happening without us realizing. However, being unaware has negative consequences. If we know what problems may arise, perhaps we as citizens can take a proactive approach to preventing some of the pitfalls that may be heading our way.

But what would it really take to educate the masses on how to use our new form of communication efficiently, rather than getting caught up in distractions and low brow entertainment? What ways can we develop ourselves to meet the demands of our new form of media and not conflict ourselves deeply in the process.

We are and in someways will always be dependent on technology from this day on. Would anyone disagree that we are completely dependent? Technology and the internet have changed the way we govern ourselves as human beings. What are the implications of this?

I think we will all get along fine and we will figure it out in the long run, but what can we do now to make this all go down smoothly? Just some stuff to ponder.

~Nick

4 comments:

  1. I think we are all the media. We even talk about non-celebrities like they are actual celebrities. For example, having a conversation about how Jimmy was drunk at Joey's last weekend. We do this a lot because life is boring if we don't. I remember I was telling my friend how this couple broke up, and he told me that he knew this three weeks ago. He asks me where have I been. My reply was I am my own celebrity.

    If you are your own celebrity you will become less stressful and you will enjoy life a lot more.

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  2. I definitely think we are dependent on technology and in many ways we don't even realize it. For instance, I worked at a summer camp this past summer and we were not allowed to have our cell phones Monday through Friday of every week. At first it killed me not having my outlet for communication with people outside of those I was physically interacting with, but as the weeks wore on, I was not even aware of the fact that I didn't have my phone. I enjoyed not being connected to the world outside of me and it was refreshing to only know what was going on at King's Domain. Now that I have my phone again, it is always on me and I am attached once again. I don't know if I would say I am completely dependent on modern technology because I survived without my phone or laptop all summer, but I know I rely on it.

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  3. You mention low brow entertainment and distractions...but I think that it is necessary in todays world. With all the serious conflict going on, dont we deserve some stress relief? I think so.

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  4. I can relate to Rachel, Over Spring Break I went on a mission trip to Haiti, and I could not use my phone. To be honest the first few days it killed me. I wanted to know what my family and boyfriend were up to back in the states. As the week continued I didn't feel the strong need to use my phone, and it was kind of nice to be disconnected. As Rachel said, I do not believe that I am dependent on technology, but I do rely on it and sometimes it is a form of distraction.

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