Thursday, December 17, 2009

HW 30-

Everyone whether the realize it or not is worried about being cool. They are worried about how other people will view them or even accept them. people are mainy conscerned with the superficial view of cool, and not what causes this desire to become cool. I think that the idea of being cool actually comes from feeling meaningless. There is something missing that causes people to have this meaningless feeling, in turn making them crave attention (or the need to be cool). What exactly is missing though? Is it something that we as humans are commonly missing which is causing us to crave attention?

Sunday, December 13, 2009

HW 29- Merchants of Cool

This week in class, we watched "Merchants of Cool", a documentary (on PBS) about how corporations manipulate teenagers through their advertisements on what should be cool. The movie talks about what teenagers think is cool (back in 2001), and how corporations find what is cool form teenagers, and then market different types of cool so teenagers can market their products.It isn't a secret that companies are marketing directly to teenagers. In 2001, it was said that the average teen will process approximately 10 million ads by the time they turn 18. Imagine what the number is now. Corporations know what teens consider cool by hiring people to go 'cool hunting'. These people go through the process of finding cool teens that they think will be trend setters. Cool hunters are looking for the 20% of teens who don't seem to care about cool, but instead make their own style/ cool. By selling the pictures they take to major companies, they are hoping that this 20% will be trend setters for the other 80% that are waiting for the next big trend. The documentary brings up a good point about the process of cool. Once this new cool style is marketed to major corporations, how is it cool anymore? It is no longer about being your self, because everyone is trying to be cool like you in some way. By discovering a cool trend, the need to find a new cool is forced.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

HW 21- Art Project

I feel that my art is more of a mirror than it is a hammer. The song talks about how teenagers act and feel towards digital representational devices. They view it as a type of love,or feel like it's something they could never imagine parting from. We tried to get this song to mirror how teenagers feel about digitalization, by using the metaphor of love(or being in a realtionship). Maybe our song could be viewed as an hammer if the person listening viewed the connection we have to digitalization as a problem.Mayb if they recognized this pproblem it could 'hammer' them into changin their ways, or the ways of others.

My song makes me reconsider my view of digitalization.Yes I still think that digitalization has it's bad aspects. However, this song made me consider is there something that we can do about it or is it too late? No matter how much someone would like to resist digitalization, it is everywhere. You may want to eliminate digitalization and DRD's from you life but I feel that this is now impossible. There will always be something keeping you connected to this digitalized world.

I thought it was interesting that we relied on digitalization so much just to make this project.From finding the beat, sharing ideas, recording, to editing we relied on some type of digitalization.We are talking about how teenagers have this love affair with DRD's and how it is potentailly a bad thing. However we are using these DRD's to craft this art.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

HW 22- Final Paper

Introduction:
My morning routine consists of:
- Checking AIM
- Checking Twitter updates
- Responding to missed text messages
- Listening to my Ipod on full blast
All of this is done before I get to school at 8 o clock in the morning. I wouldn't be surprised if other teens in New York (or even in the rest of the country) had similar morning routines. Digitalization has already begun it's course of taking over the minds of teenagers. Whether it's texting, instant messaging, social networking websites, or the addictive Ipod, teenagers seem to be under digitalization's 'spell'. Not many teenagers are not seen reading the newspaper in the morning instead, they are listening to their Ipods/mp3. Not many teenagers know Barack Obama's views/ideas and why he may be a good president for America (besides saying "I like him because he's black."). Not many teenagers know or even care about the issues that are currently happening in our world today, and that may effect us in the future. The Digital Representational Devices are becoming apart of teenagers daily routine. This is causing teenagers to become socially unaware of whats happening around them, in society, and the rest of the world.

Argument 1:
Social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter are full of updates, pictures, and comments about your life.Teens update the smallest parts of there lives on these websites to make their lives sound interesting. Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites on the internet. In a study done by Nielsen (Wire), it was shown that "From April 2008 to April 2009, total minutes spent on Facebook increased from 1.7 billion minutes to 13.9 billion minutes – an annual growth rate of 700 percent" (http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/06/02/total-us-time-spent-on-facebook-up-700-in-the-last-year/).Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites. To see that this website has increased 12.2 billion minutes in the last year is puzzling. Imagine how much time teens had to spend on the computer to contribute to this increase in time.This time spent chatting with friends and looking at recently posted pictures could have been used more productively. Instead of caring about whats happening in our society, teenagers would rather spend a significant amount of time on Facebook and other social networking sites.

Besides being distracted by the internet and popular websites, teenagers are distracted on a regular basis. Even though many may not know what's going on in the world today, everyday use of digital representational devices makes teenagers oblivious to what is happening in their everyday lives. As soon as I get outside, my headphones are in my ears, all the time. Whether I'm on the train going to school, out to lunch, or walking with my mom, my Ipod is always on. When I have on my ipod, it is easy for me to block out everything and get engrossed in the music. My music may prevent me from hearing unwanted conversations, annoying cars in the street, or other people's music. However, it keeps me from noticing the people and situations around me.

Many teenagers are like me when it comes to their music, but are unlikely to own up to it. However, the distraction from digital representational devices can be seen everywhere. Teenagers are seen texting while walking, laptops instead of books in airports, and Ipods on the trains.Teenagers are so captivated by digitalization and various digital representational device (DRD's) that it is not only keeping them from knowing/caring about what really matters, but making them negligent to the everyday events in their lives.

In the book, the Feed controls everything the teenagers(and most of society) do. Titus and his friends are constantly thinking about what to buy from from places like Weatherbee and Crotch, just like teenagers today are thinking about what they want or need to buy. Whether its clothes, games, food, or the new hottest digital device, teenagers in the book and our society today are always wanting for something. I feel this has to do with the constant use of advertising. With Titus and his friends, the Feed is always showing them sales and specials at their favorite stores, but also gearing certain products towards them. We see the same thing in our society. Advertisement are everywhere; on billboards, t.v., radio, even throughout our public transportation system. Everywhere we go there is an advertisement for something, so why wouldn't we always be thinking about what to buy? we are trying to be persuaded to buy something everywhere we go.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

HW 20- Big Paper (Revised)

Every morning when I wake up, I automatically check AIM. As I'm walking to the train I look at the twitter updates I missed. As soon as I get on the train, my Ipod is on full blast. All of this is done before I get to school at 8 o clock in the morning. I wouldn't be suprised if other teens in New York (or even in the rest of the country) had similar morning routines. Digitalization has already begun it's course of taking over the minds of teenagers. Whether it texting, instant messaging, social networking websites, or the addicting Ipod, teenagers seem to be under digitalization's 'spell'. How many teenagers do you see reading the newspaper in the morning instead of the Ipod? How many teenagers know Barack Obama's views/ideas and why he may be a good president for America (instead of saying "I like him because he's black.")? How many teenagers know or even care about the issues that are currently happening in our world todau, and that may effect us in the future? The digitalization (with the digital representational devices) is becoming apart of teenagers daily routine. This is causing teenagers to not know what's going on around them, in our society and the rest of the world.

Social networking sites such as facebook and twitter are full of updates, pictures, and comments about your life.Teens update the smallest parts of there lives on these websites to make their lives sound interesting. Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites on the internet. In a study done by Nielsen (Wire), it was shown that "From April 2008 to April 2009, total minutes spent on Facebook increased from 1.7 billion minutes to 13.9 billion minutes – an annual growth rate of 700 percent" (http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/06/02/total-us-time-spent-on-facebook-up-700-in-the-last-year/).Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites. To see taht this website has increased 12.2 billion minutes in the last year is puzzling. Just to imagine how much time teens had to spend on the computer to contribute to this increase in time.This time spent chatting with friends and looking at recently posted pictures could have been spent better. Instead of caring aboout whats happening in our society, teenagers would rather spend a significant amount of time on facebook and other social networking sites.

Besodes being distracted by the internet and popular websites, teenagers are distraced on the regular basis. Even though many may not know what's going on in the world today, everyday use of digital representational devices makes teenagers oblivious to what is happening in their everyday lives. As soon as I get outside, my headphones are in my ears, all the time. Whether I'm on the train going to school, out to lunch, or walking with my mom, my ipod is always on. When I have on my ipod, it is easy for me to block out everything and get engrossed in what I am listening to. My music may prevent me from hearing unwanted conversations, annoying cars in the stree3t, or others people music. However, it keeps me from noticing the people and situations around me.

Many teenagers arelike me when it comes to their music, but are unlikely to own up to it. However the distraction from digital representational devices can be seen everywhere. Teenagers are seen texting while walking, laptops instead of books in airports, and ipods on the trains.Teenagers are so captivated by digitalization and various digital representational device (DRD's) that it is not only keeping them from knowing/caring about what really matters, but making them negligent to the everyday events in their lives.

In the book, the Feed controls everything the teenagers(and most of society) do. Titus and his friends are constantly thinking about what to buy from from places like Weatherbee and Crotch, just like teenagers today are thinking about what they want or need to buy. Whether its clothes, games, food, or the new hottest digital device, teenagers in the book and our society today are always wanting for something. I feel this has to do with the constant use of advertising. With Titus and his friends, the Feed is always showing them sales and specials at their favorite stores, but also geàring certain products towards them. We see the same thing in our society. Advertisement are everywhere; on billboards, t.v., radio, even on our public transportation. Everywhere we go there is an advertisement for something, so why wouldn't we always be thinking aboout what to buy? we are trying to be persuaded to buy something everywhere we go.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

HW 19- Big Paper suggestions

To Julie:
Hey Julie,
I think that this is a good 1st draft, but there are some things that you can do to make it better. One thing I think you should always remember to do is relate your arguments back to your thesis. In you body paqragraphs, you had great observations and ideas. However, sometimes you forgot to bring it back to your thesis and show what you were trying to prove.
I also think that more evidencef and maybe some of oyu interesting points from previous blog posts will be good to add in your revised draft.

-AJA

To Devin:
Hey Devin,
I think that this is a great first draft. you have lots of examples, a great inroduction, and an intersting and detailed thesis. I also like how you gave an alternative answer to your thesis.

For your revised copy I think you should add to your conclusion by summing up your ideas ( with some evidence). You hav a lot of opinion, but i think it would be good to add some more evidence that supports your opinions (in your arguments). you are on the right track, i think you just need to keep it going =]
GREAT JOB

-aja

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

HW 18- Big Paper (1st Draft)

Every morning when I wake up, I automatically check AIM. As I'm walking to the train I look at the twitter updates I missed. As soon as I get on the train, my Ipod is on full blast. All of this is done before I get to school at 8 o clock in the morning. I wouldn't be suprised if other teens in New York (or even in the rest of the country) had similar morning routines. Digitalization has already begun it's course of taking over the minds of teenagers. Whether it texting, instant messaging, social networking websites, or the addicting Ipod, teenagers seem to be under digitalization's 'spell'. How many teenagers do you see reading the newspaper in the morning instead of the Ipod? How many teenagers know Barack Obama's views/ideas and why he may be a good president for America (instead of saying "I like him because he's black.")? How many teenagers know or even care about the issues that are currently happening in our world todau, and that may effect us in the future? The digitalization (with the digital representational devices) is becoming apart of teenagers daily routine. This is causing teenagers to not know what's going on around them, in our society and the rest of the world.

Social networking sites such as facebook and twitter are full of updates, pictures, and comments about your life.Teens update the smallest parts of there lives on these websites to make their lives sound interesting. Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites on the internet. In a study done by Nielsen (Wire), it was shown that "From April 2008 to April 2009, total minutes spent on Facebook increased from 1.7 billion minutes to 13.9 billion minutes – an annual growth rate of 700 percent" (http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/06/02/total-us-time-spent-on-facebook-up-700-in-the-last-year/).Facebook is one of the leading social networking sites.


In the book, the Feed controls everything the teenagers(and most of society) do. Titus and his friends are constantly thinking about what to buy from from places like 1eatherbee and Crotch, just like teenagers today are thinking about what they want or need to buy. Whether its clothes, games, food, or the new hottest digital device, teenagers in the book and our society today are always wanting for something. I feel this has to do with the constant use of advertising. With Titus and his friends, the Feed is always showing them sales and specials at their favorite stores, but also geàring certain products towards them.

Monday, November 2, 2009

HW 17- Outline Suggestions

Hey Devin,
I think that this is a great start for your paper.That was a great opening for your paper. I think its interesting that you decided to talk about Digital Representational Devices are mentally and physically dangerous for us. I think you have very good and well developed arguments, but maybe you should separate the texting and how it causes our writing skills to decline, from the video games and reading argument.


I also think it would be interesting if you added an argument how DRD's in our everyday life can negatively affect us physically and mentally.

It looks like your paper will be great once it is developed with evidence and quotes. Good Job!!!
-Aja

To Julie:
Hey Julie,
I think that your thesis is good to start off with, but it seems a little broad to me. I think that you should focus on either how technology keeps on evolving (and the affect on future generations) or how it will keep us form being as intact with the rest of the world. Just narrow it down a bit. I think that oyur arguments are good for now, but wit h evidence they will be even better. Just as a side note, I think that your paper will be the best the more you talk about you.Your whole paper is about teens and how they are affected by digitalization... well you are a teen. This paper should be about you.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

HW 16- Big Paper Outline

Thesis- Having Digital representational devices in our daily routines, is causing teenagers to not know what's going on in our society and the rest of the world.

Argument 1- Constant updates on twitter, facebook, etc. is taking away the personal aspect of everyday life.

Argument 2- Connections to Feed. How America compares/contrasts to Feed

Argument 3- DR devices making us oblivious to what's going around us. (ex: Ipods on the train ,laptops in airports, texting while walking down the street etc.)





(TRIANGLE PARTNERS: Need help developing my arguments)

HW 15

To Julie,

In your posts 10-14 I appreciated how honest you were in your posts. For example, in post 14 you admitted that at first you didn't like the book "Feed", but you eventually got into it.

In most of your posts, you focus on how you are starting to see technology in a different way.In one of your posts you even say that you think "TECHNOLOGY SUCKS".Your major point seems to be that we can get so wrapped up in these different digital representational devices without knowing it.

I think that you are right on point when you say that technology is making us ignorant, and making our lives seem less meaningful. I already see this in a lot of teenagers today, but its like they don't care because the digital devices and technology that they have is satisfying them at that moment. I found it interesting that you predicted something like this.

I think you could go further and deeper if you developed your idea of what our society would be like in the future if it keeps on the track that it is on. You mentioned that we could end up like "Feed" int he future if we continued with our "selfish human ways". Maybe if you talked about whose selfish ways determines this, the selfish consumers or the selfish corporations that are making these products (and profiting on our ignorance)?

Your Feed B post makes me think about what I could do to stop from being that "selfish human" you described. What can I change about my self now before its too late?

Good Job Julie!!!





To Devin:
Hey Devin, I like how in your posts you state your opinion whether you agree with the excerpt or not (hw#14). You're not afraid to disagree with the 'expert'.

In your posts, you focus on how everything relates to you. Whether its video games, what you think is trash on t.v., or how digitization effects your every day routine, it's always about you.

In your self experiment, you talked about how going without Digital representation devices like your Ipod, really affected your daily routine. Even though I didn't do this as my experiment, I feel like it would drastically effect my everyday routine as well. I listen to my Ipod everywhere I go, and I think I would be somewhat miserable without it.

I agree with julie, I think that if you were to develop this further, you should talk more about the controlling corporations. How do the corporations we have compare to the symbolised ones in "Feed"? How much control do you think they have now? Is it too much?

In HW #12, you mentioned that you thought that "Feed"was beyond a tragedy, but a horror story. This made me wonder if our society is close to this 'horror story' that you described. Also it made me think do people even care, what our society has come to because of the digital representation devices.

Great Job Devin!! you have a really good blog (i think it should be one of the good models).

-Aja

Sunday, October 25, 2009

HW 14-Draft 1

The first excerpt i read was about comparing video games to books. Steven Johnson still believes that reading is better than video games, but he also thinks that video games have their benefits. Besides restating the argument that video games increase your hand and eye coordination (which we hear very often), he also points out that video games can be also be very hard. Johnson alsp says he doesnt think its fair for people to judge video games on the second hand basis. Most people do these based off of experiments they have done on OTHER people, it isnt their direct experience with video games so how can it fully be true? He argues that video games do require thinking (more thinking than people who havent played them may realize).I found the fact that he questioned how fun video games actually are. He wonders how fun can video games really be when you're spending so much money trying to get through these unseemly complex scenarios.

The second excerpt I read was about the advancement of T.V. given through a history of T.V. shows in the 80's ( and before that). Johnson points out that back then, television shows didnt really require much thinking because there was usually one pproblem, and 1 or 2 main characters to follow. He explains how the 80's show "Hill Street Blues" changed T.V. at that time because it caused viewers interact with the show more than usual. This was because the show hadd more than one problem (thread) to follow, causing the viewers to connect it to a previous show. He also explains how modern T.V. has a handful of characters and threads to follow, causing you to remember what happen earlier in that season/series. I feel like his major point was taht television today requires a bit more thinking than it used to, even though it is more passive.

I mostly agree with the two excerpts I read. He points out that T.V. and video games have their bad aspects, but also some good aspects that most people fail to look at. I like these excerpts mainly because he seems to give a well balanced opinion on both subjects. He doesn't go to the extreme on either side which i think gives him a fair/balanced opinion. For example, in the T.V. excerpt he doesn't say that watching T.V. is the best thing to do if you want to become smarter, however he doesn't say it would make you an idiot either. Instead, he goes in to say that t.v. shows are less passive than they used to be.

Monday, October 19, 2009

HW 13- Feed B

Originally, I never thought of Feed as a work of art. After talking about it in class, and writing a few blog posts about it, I can see why some may think that this book is a piece of art. M.T. Anderson uses an allegory to show how teenagers in our society are affected by the media. I think this allegory (even though a little extreme) is there for the reader to compare/contrast their life to the lives of the characters in the book. the allegory also causes the reader to look further than what is presented to them. Symbolism and what the author is really trying to say all goes in how the book is to interpreted. Art is usually presented without a definite answer on what it represents, or what it means. I think that Feed is like that in a certain way as well. Even though we know that Feed is about digital technology and media, every person has different perspectives on it. Certain things may stand out to someone, but not to another...just like art.


Throughout the book, M.T. Anderson presents this problem, however by the end of the book there is no official solution. I think there is no real resolution to this problem because maybe he feels there isn't a real solution to this problem. Society is stuck in this state that should be fixed, but doesnt really know how to start fixing it. Pointing out that there is a problem, and not giving a solution, also leaves the reader with a choice. Should they try to make things better, or follow the rest of society and how they live their lives.

I feel that M.T. Anderson this a book, and not a website because it would further support his point of view. If he made his thoughts into a website that would make him kind of go against what he was trying to prove. Him showing that he thinks digital technology/ media is bad for us, by putting it on a website (media, he would be contradicting himself. I also think that he made it into a book to reach the people that agreed with him. People who also believe that digital media is harming us, wouldnt go onto a computer and view his thoughts. I think it would go against their beliefs in a way.

With the quote "Art is not a mirror with which to reflect the world. It is a Hammer with which to shape it", I think that Feed is both a mirror and a hammer. Feed is showing how an average American teenager would act on the day-to-day basis, and how pointless their lives seem. It mirrors how all we care about is material things, and how superficial things can seem so life altering at that time. However, I feel like these mirrored views can in turn be a hammer, and shape the reader. It can bring to the readers attention what is wrong, and may cause them to change their ways. I would want my art to relflect the same things.

HW 12- Feed A

After reading the book "Feed" by M.T. Anderson, I see a lot of similarities to my lifestyle and the lifestyle of my friends. I feel like this story is more of an allegory of how teenagers act in todays society, but its also apart of a wake up call. I think M.T. Anderson wrote this story partly to show people how society has become obsessed with media.

In the book, the Feed controls everything the teenagers(and most of society) do. Titus and his friends are constantly thinking about what to buy from from places like 1eatherbee and Crotch, just like teenagers today are thinking about what they want or need to buy. Whether its clothes, games, food, or the new hottest digital device, teenagers in the book and our society today are always wanting for something. I feel this has to do with the constant use of advertising. With Titus and his friends, the Feed is always showing them sales and specials at their favorite stores, but also geàring certain products towards them.

Monday, October 12, 2009

HW 11- Self Experiment

The experiment I decided to do was see what would happen if i went without AIM, my blog sites, and Internet in general for a couple of days. Ok, I didn't really choose to do this experiment. My 'G' on my sidekick (the symbol that show you have Internet and AIM service)has not been there for the past week. I decided since this isn't something that I have to make up, I might as well do it for my assignment. On a regular day when I have my'G' I am usually on my phone 24/7. Whether its changing my 'away' on AIM, on facebook, or looking at various blog sites, it seems like I am always on this stupid phone.

I noticed that without these services, I was freaking out. At least 3 times a day i was asking my friends if they had gotten their 'G' back and if they had called t-mobile to complain. Instead of being on AIM and the Internet, I spent most of my time texting. I also noticed that even though I missed these few services, I felt too lazy to get up and use my computer. I felt like this was a torturing experience, but I didn't want to use an alternative way to get what i wanted, so how 'torturing' could it really be. I found this weird and interesting.


After this experiment I feel like the biggest idiot and hypocrite. I feel like in previous posts I pointed out that I wasn't like other teenagers because I didn't spend a lot of time on these digital representation devices, or let them control my life. However I've realized that my phone is MY LIFE. I think that this is something I need to change. Even when I didn't have my AIM or my Internet, I still let it control my life by making me miserable. I think that this experience will change how I spend my time

Sunday, October 4, 2009

HW #9

To Julie,
Thanks for taking the time to watch my video and read my thoughts. I appreciate you adding your thoughts as well =]

In your comment you pointed out that I sould talk more about why these digital representaion devices are satisfying at the moment, but then quickly forgot about. This was helpful because even though I talked about it a little bit in my post, your comment made me think about it more deeply.

In my post I was more focused on the recreational part of technology. How it usually used as something to just pass the time, and is often useless. In your comment you brought to my attention that technology often distracdts us from doing work. I never really thought about something often considered useless can stop someone from doing something useful.

After reading you comment (and rereading my post)I noticed that we both were interested in how different digital devices keep us from connecting/ bonding with the ones that we care about most. We both realized that we would rather talk to people who don't really matter (or who we don't care about) instead of spending time with the ones we love.

Thanks for your comment =]



To Devin,
Thanks for taking the time to watch my boring video, and leaving a comment. In your comment you talked about having a balance (like you did in your post). Having a balance with technology can be between anything (for you its sports, for me its relating to people face to face), this made me want to try harder to have this balance and was also very helpful.

You mentioned taht if we were to film ourselves reading a book that it wouldn't be as boring and we wouldn't have the same reactions. I would have to somewhat disagree because reading a book can cause us to look "zombyish" as well. I feel like we can get enveloped in a book just like a computer or any other type of technology. I feel the only reason a book is different (or accepted?) is because it is considered educational.

Something that we both seem interested in is how we could be making better use of our time. Even though we know this do you think we would really make the effort. It's like knowing you should be doing something...does that mean you're going to do it just because it's right???

Thanks for the Comment =]

Thursday, October 1, 2009

HW #8- Video Comments

To Julie:

Hey Julie,
I liked that your video was very natural. I guess because I know you very well, but when you get around your mom you always act like this (lolz). You kept up with your regular routine.

In your video you also talked about the balance between these digital representaion devices, and physical experiences. It isn't right for us to be doing unproductive things for so long. It's good that you wouldn't want your kids or your little brother doing the same things you are doing.

You and Devin's thoughts to your videos are similar. I thought it was interesting that you both thought there should be a balance between productive and unproductive basically. That we shouldn't be spending so much time with this technology but instead we should be productive by being active.

I think that to make your post better, you could talk more about your experience. Why do you think that you felt so emotionless, or why it makes people dull.

Your post made me realize that a lot of the time when I am on the computer I don't really have much emotion, I feel like I am devoid of feeling
good job julie

Aja =]



To Devin:
Hey Devin,
I liked your video because it seemed so natural. Like you didn't put much thought into what you were going to do. The balance between technology and physical activities is something important to have. It seems like you already have this balance. Even thought there are some devices that incorporate technology and physical activiy, it's not the same as a full work out.

You mentioned the wii ass beinga devices that incorporates technology with being active. the wii and especially the wii fit is something that alot of people want. Your post makes me think that this is all a gimmick. That it makes people want these products, and they think that they are working out/losing weight. It just makes me wonder how productive these products are.

In your next post, I think that you should connect your experience (your physical activity) to how other people may live their lives. Do you think they have the right balance of physical activity, and "technology time" (computes, video games etc.)

Your post makes me think about the "balance" in my life. How do we know what is a good balance, who has a say in it?

Good video, and post Devin
Aja =]

Sunday, September 27, 2009

HW #6

I cant help it... from Aja on Vimeo.



While watching my video I was suprised at what I saw. I was sitting there at 1 o'clock listening to music, on the computer, and texting on my phone...all because I ahd nothing better to do. It was also suprising because this has become my routine over the summer. Sitting in the same spot until the wee hours of the morning doing all of these things, but still not getting anything done. Anything productive atleast.

After watching this video I noticed that I am missing out on a lot of opprutunites by sitting here night after night after night. Instead of sitting here for hours at a time, I could've been doing a lot of things other than this. I noticed that my mom and i could have been haver talking to eachother instead of me in the living room and her in her room. I think that we would talk to eachother more and get along better if we didn't have all these different digital devices seperating her. I can admit that i would rather watch t.v or talk on my phone than talk to my mom sometimes. I think that these digital devices contribute to the problem.

In my video it looked like I was enjoying what I was doing, but as I look back on it I can not remember what was making me smile. I think that this goes to show that these devices are satisfying in the moment, but is hardly ever important enough for it to be remembered.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

HW 7

Question: How does this boom of digitalization affecting you? What do you realize about yourself that you have different digital devices, compared to when you didn't?

Response (Mom): It's affecting me in a positive way. Having these digital devices makes doing everyday things alot more efficient(ex: paying bills etc.). I would much rather be completley digital, than for things to go back to the way they were.
(I didn't think that this was a standard question. But based off of the response I got I think that this is a standard question and response)

As I went around asking people on the street "What do you think our society be without digital devices" and more specifically "How do you think my generation would cope without these devices". An elderly woman on 21 and 3rd told me that "we've had a society without t.v.'s, computers, cell phones etc., so it is possible for us to go back to not having any of these things". She thought that our society made it seem like we are in a whole new lifetime. That "we don't like to think about life without technology because we would rather forget about it. When I asked an elderly patient at my internship what she thought about digitalization, and how it effects my generation, she replied with the simple answer "your generation is socially retarded." She explained that as she reads applicaations submitted by teenagers to her job, the spelling and punctuation is horrible, and they never seem qualified enough. (This seemed like somewhat of a standard answer. I expected somone older to answer like that.)

When I asked my best friend Christopher these same questions, he responded with " I thinkt he shit is hot, but a little scary"(typical lolz). He went on to say that he felt like technology in general would eventually takeover. That we would all be controled by technology in some way, whether it was having little computer chips in us to track our every move, or having everything operated with computers (driving, taking care of kida, etc.).

Thursday, September 17, 2009

First Comments...

Comment To Quinn Wu..
While reading your blog, I like how you used what's going on in your life and the people around you lives in your blog. You used your/their experiences to relate to the questions that you had about digital media.

In your blog you made a major point about various types of digital media being used for good, and also being used to distract us from doing important things/things we should be doing.

In your last paragraph as you talk about getting distracted while you we4re doing this assignment, I think that most teenagers are like that. Many do homework and stuff in front of the tv or while looking at other websites on the internet.

Your post was very good and thought out, but there were a few things that you could have talked about more. For example, at one pooint in your post you say that the internet can lead to a "fight or a crime". But it seems like it doesn't fit into that paragraph, you are in the middle of another argument/thought. You should talk more on this topic, and how you feel about it.

Your post makes me think about how the internet keeps me from a lot of things. Maybe if I didn't use the internet for so many useless reasons, I would get a lot mroe accomplished.This is a great first post, and i can tell that you put a lot of thought into it... Keep Up The Guud Work =]

Comment To Richard Y.
I can see that you put a lot of thought into your post. I appreciate how many examples you put from everyday life into your post as well.

Your post is mainly about the different ways the internet can be used, the good, the bad, and everything in between. Everything from using it to find out more information to using it to harm others.

The different ways to use the internet, whether good or bad, is what is really drwaing people to these screens. I think that teenagers everywhere are drawn to the internet by at least one of these aspects.

Even though your post is very good, i think that you could have related the way you view these digital medias to your life. To see if there are personal expriences to help back up your views.

When you talk about the blogs and the people that comment on them, i totally agree with you. I think that people who comment ont hese blogs takes whats on them too seriously, and view it as a major part of their lives. I also think that they are using the blogs to fill some type of lonliness that they have.

There are some great thoughts/points in this post. Keep Up The Guud Work =]

Friday, September 11, 2009

Thoughts and Views on Electronic Media

When talking about the electronic/digital era that we are now in, I think it's obvious that we (mostly teenagers) are becoming dependent on it. It's very rare to find a teenager without texting on their phone, or without a myspace/ facebook/ AIM/ or twitter account. I think that we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if we didn't have some type of technology.

I think that these different types of electronic media has allowed us to eliminate our means of communication that we would have used 10 or maybe 20 years ago. I know personally that I would rather text my mom rather calling her. It seems faster to get my point across and a lot less annoying. Writing letters are being replaced with writing emails. Instead of calling someone up and asking how he or she is doing, a comment/post is left on their facebook. Maybe soon this will become the norm for communication.

Even though technology/digital is becoming the new way to do almost everything, i don't think that it's necessarily a bad thing. These various digital devices have made our a life somewhat easier. For example, ATM machines have made banking such an easier process. Instead of standing online waiting for  a teller to make deposits into an account, ATM  machines take cash deposits. Not to mention the touch screen also makes it a lot easier.

A question that I came across as I was posting this assignment was how this new technology is effecting jobs, it seems like a lot of job people could do (or have done in the past) are being replaced with computers. Many customer services representatives are being replaced with computers/ automated voices. How will this affect people getting jobs in the future? How many jobs will be replaced with computers/other digital media. These are just a few of my views on electronic/digital media.

Comments:
To Alicia--- I totally agree with you about staying a couple of steps behind new technology or the new fads. Everyone is on this twitter high and i feel like i'm the only one without one lolz. i just don't see the point of posting you every action for almost everyone to see..

great post though =D