#isdayone

[wildgrube-blog-blog]

This video is an example of how digital media has taken on new forms of sending a message/ story.  Above is an abstract video of a cynical perspective on how technology has taken over our individuality.  This video can be interpreted in many ways. One being that, through advancements in technology, our reality has turned into a simulation which was created by a simulacra through the internet and other forms of media.  I think this video is also ironic, due to the fact the creator is sending this kind of message over a popular social media website.      

[femmebotshavefeelings2-blog]

'We are the computers'

[femmebotshavefeelings2-blog]

Technologic, Daft Punk

[internetsocietyclass-blog]

The Confessional Society

            People’s private lives are reflected online and in turn become public. Bauman describes The Confessional Society as those who are willing to participate in making their privacy public and moving forward, while those who refuse get left behind and socially excluded. It is important to note that people do not broadcast everything, and can choose what they wish to share. Bauman states that this is done mostly to capture attention and to gain approval through the game of socializing.

            As this video demonstrates, the guy in it blatantly lies about his downwardly spiraling life, but convinces his audience otherwise through his posts and photos. I chose to share this video because the entire point of it was that the main guy was using his facebook posts as a means of gaining other’s approval and in turn convincing himself that his life is better than it actually is.

            Through the video, it is shown how many people today fight for attention on the internet, whether they mean to or not. They seek a sense of importance, but even more so, they seek the power that comes from knowing that people have heard their words and “like” them.

[21stcenturychildd-blog]

Interface covers the space where the body physically meets technology via touch screen, mouse, remote, eyes, or any other boundary between humans and the machines we use. Some claim that new media is reducing interactivity and creativity because you can only network with the interface provided. For example, you can’t select 11 out of a given list from 1-10 because the technology won’t let you add an additional number. Although some websites are becoming more open with their options or have an “other” choice for those who don’t fall within the provided guidelines, Facebook still would not let me change my gender to unicorn. Although they do provide a variety of sexual orientation options further than “male” or “female” the interface limited my creativity beyond what was given. The typical person cannot fathom how a touch screen actually works, yet the confines of interface shows how humans are still in control of machines. This is relevant to society because as society changes new media must change with it. In order to be inclusive, interface must expand and new media definitely has the means to do so. The information we want to send and receive is literally just a touch away via touch screen, but only if it has been programed to do so. 

[pacuinternetnsociety]

If we are to break down the words in of new melodramatic imagination, we would find two key words:  melodramatic which is basically mean exaggerated, while the second word is imagination which is the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful.  Thus new melodramatic imagination is how certain events can allow people to be creative, with their ideas about something and, in turn, exaggerate something to make it a big deal. 

Miley Cyrus’s transformation is a good example of how the media exaggerated this and turned it into a bigger deal than it actually was.  We all remember Miley Cyrus as the sweet Disney star who played Hannah Montana.  After the show ended when Miley was 19 years old, so she decided to change up her image to act her age.  It was not until her engagement ended with fiancé, Liam Hemsworth, that Miley started acting out.  She went through a traumatic experience and the reporters used this to manipulate our image of Miley Cyrus.  If we truly look at the whole situation we can see the media did blow the Miley Cyrus transformation out of context because she had a legitimate excuse to go a bit crazy. 

This topic is significant to the study of new media and society because everything is constantly being blown out of context, such is the case when rumors spread about Lady Gaga being a hermaphrodite.  Another concept from day today that we might interface with this one is the confessional society because we are constantly trying to get the latest gossip on everything and find out why people do this or that.  In order to get this information though people need to tell us this information first.