Lily's New Media Blog

a culmination of my ENG 366 assignments| she/her/hers

[lilynewmedia]

The Conditions and People We’ve Created

Joel, adopting the identity of Rashi in Second Life, obtains an enriching life through gaming. What’s most interesting is when he explains how he flies without a body, his “self” in the game “is no longer Rashi... when he flies this way, he becomes a camera; his “I” becomes a disembodied “eye” (217). This snippet of the books explores a lot of issues with identity politics and post-humanism. Joel can warp himself without actually changing anything. Through this, we created a new culture where it doesn’t matter if we’re losers or depressed in the real world. In the virtual world, you can be limitless. 

[lilynewmedia]

Complicating the Closed World We Confine Ourselves To

Turkle argues that sociable robots reduce the meaning of relationships and confines us to a world that is closed off. This is true to an extent. The book also showcases people who are genuinely lonely and have no other means of forming the relationships we yearn for. For example, seven-year-old Brooke reveals that “at home she feels ignored, in the shadow of her eleven-year-old sister Andrea...” (88). She further explains that no one talks or listens to her. Cog, the robot, fills that emptiness. In this situation, Brooke is not in a closed world. Rather, she is being open to a superficial connection, which is better than the lack of connection she had before. 

The instance also shows how robots can profit off loneliness. Our interactions with them reveal a deeper issue of isolation, family dynamics, and the individual mindset mainstream American culture adopts. 

(For 10/25 assignment)

[lilynewmedia]

Together and Alone...

Toward the end of a section in Turkle’s book, titled “Operating Procedures”, Linda argues that the Furby is “both biological and mechanical... [the Furby] is real because it is talking and moving and going to sleep” (44). On the same page, nine-year-old Lara reflects that you can make a Furby “like you. But it won’t die or run away. That is good.” 

I bring this part up because it relates to the idea that sociable computers are simplifying, or detriment, to our relationships with other human beings. Obviously, humans talk, move, and sleep. But they do it at their own will, aren’t tediously programmed to execute a specific action. You can’t make another person like you and, at some point, people die. Because of our increased reliance and use of advanced technology, we become more demanding. Worst case scenario, some people ultimately isolate themselves completely and form relationships solely with machines because of their convenience. 

We’re simultaneously together and alone because all of us, to different degrees, participate in this culture of new media use. 

(For 10/20 assignment) 

[lilynewmedia]

Visit Original Link

Voice recording for 10/18 ENG 366 assignment 

[lilynewmedia]

Visit Original Link

(For 10/13 assignment)