"Gender and Sexuality" Prezi presentation
A little bit more about Queer Theory:
The gender performativity theory that Judith Butler described in her book Gender Trouble was based on J. L. Austin's performative language theory. According to Austin, there are two types of language: constative and performative. Constative language describes something that already exists, while performative language actually "brings something into being." Two examples that Storey provided were "The sky is blue," and "I now pronounce you husband and wife," for constative and performative languages, respectively (Storey 161).
Butler believes that gender is a kind of performativity. We usually think that the nurse exclaims "It's a girl," and gives the newborn a pink blanket because the baby was born a girl. Quite conversely, those very expressions that we think of as results of the "identity" of the baby (being a girl) are what performatively create the so-called gender identity: "[...] one is not born a woman, one becomes one [...]," Butler stated (Storey 161). Each gender expression comes with a set of rules and expectations that parents, schools, and the media will work relentlessly to reinforce the "naturalness" of genders. Genders are, therefore, not "natural," but rather "naturalized" (Storey 160-162).
Taking YouTube as an example, we can see that technologies like YouTube which allow easy access to media content can really change "performativity as cultural ritual, as the reiteration of cultural norms" (Storey 162). Seeing Chris Crocker and the like on YouTube makes people realize that "one is not born a woman, one becomes one; but further, one is not born female, one becomes female; but even more radically, one can if one chooses, become neither female nor male, woman nor man" (Storey 161).
Another interesting thing we want to point out is that on social networks like Facebook, specifying your sex (male or female) doesn't dictate your gender. Because "gender is not the expression of biological sex," you can specify--in addition to your sex---that you are interested in men, or women, or both (Storey 161).
Monday, May 14, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Gender and Sexuality
There are four main types of feminism: Radical, Marxist, Liberal, and Dual-systems. Radical feminism blames the oppression of women on the patriarchy. Marxist feminists believe that the source of this oppression is capitalism. Liberal feminism blames men's prejudice as the source of women's oppression. Dual-systems theory combines Marxist and Radical feminism, claiming oppression is the result of both the patriarchy and capitalism.
Scopophilia is defined as "the pleasure of looking" and applied to feminism and popular culture, this means that women are considered objects to be looked at while men are admired and rewarded for intrinsic qualities such as humor and intelligence. This is evident in some of the most popular YouTube channels. All of the successful women on YouTube dress provocatively and are pretty, blond, and well-endowed. The men's channels aren't immune to this either, because they get a significant boost in views whenever a busty female is featured in the thumbnail of their video.
Masculine studies is not a widely discussed or researched topic. According to Peter Schwenger, men do not like to discuss their masculinity because to do so is to become less masculine. Men do not wish to draw into question their sexuality by studying it. Storey says on page 114 of Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, "It is as if discussion of popular culture consumed by women is gendered and therefore particular, whereas discussion of popular culture consumed by men is ungendered and therefore universal."
While biological sex is usually categorized in two simple categories (female and male), the gender to which an individual identifies can be much more varied. Paul Burston and Colin Richardson say that "part of the project of Queer is to attack...the very "naturalness" of gender and, by extension, the fictions supporting compulsory heterosexuality." Storey says on page 142, "Femininity and masculinity are not expressions of 'nature', they are 'cultural performances in which their naturalness is constituted through discursively constrained performance acts." That is to say, what is considered masculine or feminine is determined by culture, and not by biology.
Scopophilia is defined as "the pleasure of looking" and applied to feminism and popular culture, this means that women are considered objects to be looked at while men are admired and rewarded for intrinsic qualities such as humor and intelligence. This is evident in some of the most popular YouTube channels. All of the successful women on YouTube dress provocatively and are pretty, blond, and well-endowed. The men's channels aren't immune to this either, because they get a significant boost in views whenever a busty female is featured in the thumbnail of their video.
Masculine studies is not a widely discussed or researched topic. According to Peter Schwenger, men do not like to discuss their masculinity because to do so is to become less masculine. Men do not wish to draw into question their sexuality by studying it. Storey says on page 114 of Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, "It is as if discussion of popular culture consumed by women is gendered and therefore particular, whereas discussion of popular culture consumed by men is ungendered and therefore universal."
While biological sex is usually categorized in two simple categories (female and male), the gender to which an individual identifies can be much more varied. Paul Burston and Colin Richardson say that "part of the project of Queer is to attack...the very "naturalness" of gender and, by extension, the fictions supporting compulsory heterosexuality." Storey says on page 142, "Femininity and masculinity are not expressions of 'nature', they are 'cultural performances in which their naturalness is constituted through discursively constrained performance acts." That is to say, what is considered masculine or feminine is determined by culture, and not by biology.
Structuralism and Post-Structuralism
Hey guys, here's our final blog post on Structuralism and Post-Structuralism. We divided up the work, so everyone just wrote a paragraph detailing our own section. At the bottom is the prezi we included in class. Enjoy!
“It is the underlying rules of cultural texts and practices that interest structuralists. It is structure that makes meaning possible. The task of structuralism, therefore, is to make explicit the rules and conventions (the structure) which govern the production of meaning. “ (Storey, pg. 114). Sructuralists have two basic ideas introduced by the linguist Saussure. The first idea is a concern with the underlying relations of text and practices, which comprise structure. And the second idea is that meaning is always the result of relationships and combination made possible by the underlying structure. For example, if you write the word dog, it produces a signifier of the English word ‘dog’, and it creates a signified which is the mental image of a four legged canine creature. This creates the structure, which demonstrates the first idea of structuralism. The second idea of structuralism can be demonstrated by the word ‘mother’. Mother has no meaning unless you relate it to other concepts such as ‘father’, ‘daughter’, or ‘son’. Structuralism is centered around how we derive meaning. It tries to find where the meaning of events in life is derived from, and tries to explain how you can derive most meaning from life.
Post-structuralism differs from structuralism in many ways, but the best ideal to study is literary criticism. For example, if you wanted to find out what Shakespeare was really writing about when he wrote “Romeo and Juliet” a structuralist would tell you to ask Shakespeare. Structuralists believe that every literary work is a product of it’s time, and so you would have to study the environment under which the play was written. But not so with post-structuralism. A post- structuralist interpretation of the play would be very skewed, and even contradictory, but that is because a post- structuralist believes that the truth in art is with the interpreter. The artist’s true intentions do not actually matter, and the implications of the work are entirely up to the audience.
Both Structuralism and Post-Structuralism are interested in how meaning is created. Structuralists say that meaning comes from specific structures, while Post-Structuralists say that meaning comes from the recipient. For example, where is meaning found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein? Structuralists would say that in order to understand the meaning of Frankenstein, you have to understand Mary Shelley’s life, the culture that she lived in, and even Romanticism and Gothicism in literature. Post-Structuralists would say, however, that any meaning in Frankenstein is found only in reading it. As another example, what about the Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band? Structuralists would say that, in order to understand the meaning of the album, you would have to understand the lives of the Beatles, the music of the 1960s, etc. Post-Structuralists would say, however, that the meaning is only found in the listener.
“It is the underlying rules of cultural texts and practices that interest structuralists. It is structure that makes meaning possible. The task of structuralism, therefore, is to make explicit the rules and conventions (the structure) which govern the production of meaning. “ (Storey, pg. 114). Sructuralists have two basic ideas introduced by the linguist Saussure. The first idea is a concern with the underlying relations of text and practices, which comprise structure. And the second idea is that meaning is always the result of relationships and combination made possible by the underlying structure. For example, if you write the word dog, it produces a signifier of the English word ‘dog’, and it creates a signified which is the mental image of a four legged canine creature. This creates the structure, which demonstrates the first idea of structuralism. The second idea of structuralism can be demonstrated by the word ‘mother’. Mother has no meaning unless you relate it to other concepts such as ‘father’, ‘daughter’, or ‘son’. Structuralism is centered around how we derive meaning. It tries to find where the meaning of events in life is derived from, and tries to explain how you can derive most meaning from life.
Post-structuralism differs from structuralism in many ways, but the best ideal to study is literary criticism. For example, if you wanted to find out what Shakespeare was really writing about when he wrote “Romeo and Juliet” a structuralist would tell you to ask Shakespeare. Structuralists believe that every literary work is a product of it’s time, and so you would have to study the environment under which the play was written. But not so with post-structuralism. A post- structuralist interpretation of the play would be very skewed, and even contradictory, but that is because a post- structuralist believes that the truth in art is with the interpreter. The artist’s true intentions do not actually matter, and the implications of the work are entirely up to the audience.
Both Structuralism and Post-Structuralism are interested in how meaning is created. Structuralists say that meaning comes from specific structures, while Post-Structuralists say that meaning comes from the recipient. For example, where is meaning found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein? Structuralists would say that in order to understand the meaning of Frankenstein, you have to understand Mary Shelley’s life, the culture that she lived in, and even Romanticism and Gothicism in literature. Post-Structuralists would say, however, that any meaning in Frankenstein is found only in reading it. As another example, what about the Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band? Structuralists would say that, in order to understand the meaning of the album, you would have to understand the lives of the Beatles, the music of the 1960s, etc. Post-Structuralists would say, however, that the meaning is only found in the listener.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
BONOBO CHAT
Description
BonoboChat is an app for mobile
devices that uses lexicons to speak to Bonobo monkeys. The Bonobo points to the
lexicon that corresponds with certain words. The creators of BonoboChat hope to
update the app with the ability to convert text-to-speech. They would also eventually
like for the Bonobos to be able to use the app to control the environment
around them: doors, vending machines, and even a robot (the BonoboRobo) that is
equipped with water gun.
The Positive Aspect
"The iGeners have redefined
communication. . .and latch on to and embrace any new communication tool and
give it their own personal spin." But the use of lexicons as a means of
communication is not a new idea. The idea behind the BonoboChat is a concept
called Augmented Communication. Often by people with mental and communicative
disabilities, augmented communication is a blanket term for methods of
communication that replace speaking or writing. Lexicons are used as a means of
communications for people with these disabilites. Augmented communication is an
overwhelmingly positive idea. Without it, many people would have no means with
which to communicate with the world around them. A recurring theme in the texts
that we are reading is the idea of always being connected, being able to
communicate with people across the world. Yet there are people with
disabilities that prevent them from communicating with the people directly in
front of them. Augmented communication gives them the chance to communicate
with the world around them, a chance that they would not have had without this concept.
The Negative Aspect
Bonobo Chat enables bonobos to use a
robot with a fake monkey head to enable them to interact with guests and do
tasks like open doors, operate vending machines, and even squirt toy water
guns. The reach of technology has extended beyond humans to even apes. Bonobos
use Bonobo Chat with an iPad that they carry around with them to communicate.
Nowadays, the use of technology starts at a very young age, and this is even
true for bonobos. They’re starting to learn how to use Bonobo Chat at even six
months old. Lexigrams are even used between bonobos.
In Chapter 2 of The Shallows, research was done that
demonstrated that tools like rakes and pliers “actually came to be incorporated
into the brain maps of the animals’ hands. The tools, so far as the animals’
brains were concerned, had become part of their bodies.” If this is true, then
Bonobos could have difficulty separating themselves from technology. It would
be ingrained in their brains, which shows the massive effect that technology
can have even on apes.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Postmodernism
Postmodernism
Claire
Dillard, Dieu Doan, Anna Leger, Tyler Wales
Postmodernism
encompasses ideologies in art, literature, architecture, philosophy, and many
other fields. In essence, postmodernism
is “post” modernism, or simply the rejection of modernism and its ideals. Modernism is a broad framework that arose in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Beginning
around 1812, the Industrial Revolution was a major force in the modernistic
beliefs of rationalism and human potential.
At that time, Western society was experiencing rapid growth of cities,
scientific progress, fixed moral code, and strict social rules. Then, the onset of two world wars brought
about a complete change in society’s psyche and beliefs. Government and authority began to be heavily
questioned, while the discovery of the atomic bomb and its horror caused
society to question science, research, and physical proof. Combined with the Holocaust occurring in
Europe, these events caused society to lose hope and confidence in human
progress. All of this said,
postmodernism is skeptic towards scientific and philosophical truth and cynical
towards human experience and knowledge.
Postmodernism denies the existence of any ultimate, overarching
principles, focusing on the relative truths of each individual (“Postmodernism.”).
As
stated earlier, there are many different fields in which postmodernism is
apparent, and there are many different characteristics that distinguish it from
modernism and other ideologies.
Modernists are deep, linear thinkers, whereas postmodernists are
on-the-surface, circular thinkers.
Modernism places emphasis on the rational, scientific, and universal
truth, while postmodernism is distrustful of these ideas (Irvine).
In
the realm of media, society has experienced a loosening of what we define it as;
media is up for our own personal interpretation. No longer are there social principles or
moral codes to operate by, so both producers and consumers of media are free to
define it relative to themselves. To
different people, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” In today’s society, the strict social rules
of old do not define us; we are free to define ourselves, as is apparent in our
radical dress, behavior, and expression.
In
art, we see a clear distinction between the famous works of the early and
middle 1900s. In the former, we see
universality in subject matter, style, and themes, whereas in the latter part
of the century, we observe distinct differences relative to each artist. Postmodernism is apparent in recent artworks
through the vivid colors, personal expression, and lack of an overarching,
central theme. Andy Warhol is a
postmodern artist, as he believes in style over substance, placing his personal
taste in his artwork. In his depiction
of Marilyn Monroe, we see his personal emphasis on color and shape.
In
Cultural Theory and Popular Culture,
John Storey writes about Jean Baudrillard, a French cultural theorist who
claimed that a postmodern society is a culture of the simulacrum, the hyperreal.
Within these ideas, “the distinction
between simulation and the ‘real’ implodes, . . . the result is that reality
and simulation are experienced as without difference” (187). We can easily observe these postmodern ideas
in television. Millions of viewers are
captured by the stories of individuals on “reality” TV shows when, in “reality,”
the viewers have substituted these virtual lives for their own. The hyperreal even occurs in the real world;
for example, many actors that portray doctors on television have been approached
in real life for medical advice, a clear violation of social rules and the
ostensible divide between real and simulation.
Appealing
to the flavor of our class, postmodernism has also had its presence felt in
technology. Postmodernism has shifted
the center of knowledge from modernistic books and libraries to the Internet. The cloud is postmodernism at its best in the
digital world, as it is “user-motivated, individualized, . . . and networked”
(Irvine). Again drawing upon the
blending of reality and simulation, The Kindle pulls text out of books and
places them on a virtual screen. This
technology—and postmodernism as a whole—transcends the physical limits of print
media (Irvine). Also, the Peel is
postmodern because it is very individualized; it provides a more meaningful and
simulated television experience relative to each user.
Postmodernism
has left its impact on our society and its life can be traced through history,
from one major ideology to the next.
Some philosophers argue that postmodernism is over and that the ideology
society now lives by—like postmodernism—cannot be defined until we have a
history to relate it to. Though a trait
of postmodernism is the capacity to forget our past, we hope that you have
learned and will remember the many meanings, characteristics, and facets of
postmodernism.
Works Cited
Irvine,
Martin. "The Po-Mo Page: Postmodern to Post-postmodern." Communication,
Culture & Technology Program. Georgetown University, 23 Jan 2012.
Web. 30 Apr 2012. <http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/pomo.html>.
"Postmodernism."
PBS. n.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/postm-body.html>.
Storey,
John. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. 5th ed. Harlow: Pearson
Longman, 2009. Print.
Elaina & Jocelyn's Social Network Presentation on Facebook!
Facebook is a social networking site launched in February of 2004, that currently has over 900 million users. Members can create a profile, upload and share pictures and other media, post statuses, view and comment on friends' statuses, and play simple online games.
In Rewired, Rosen talks about how the iGeneration thrives on multi-tasking. Facebook is the perfect outlet for multi-taskers, especially with the addition of their new side feature that constantly updates and shows friends' actions occurring in real time. To most teens today, the idea of completing one task at a time is unimaginable and a waste of time (pages 32-34), and Facebook has adapted to fit with this generation. While most people didn't like the new Timeline layout at first, many are coming to realize the potential it has to become a new way to document our lives. Where people used to write private journals, most people use Facebook as their outlet for expression. Having access to millions of people's 'journals' will potentially provide future generations with the largest cumulative memoir ever recorded in human history.
As always, there are the technical problems. Facebook surpassed Myspace years ago, yet it still doesn't support the same level of customization. Timeline helps a little by allowing you a second photo (the cover photo) on your wall, but you can still only use plain text and you’re pretty much stuck with Facebook’s default layout.
Privacy Concerns:
Facebook uses tracking cookies to monitor page visits by facebook users and non-members.
Reportedly, 20-33% of divorce suits in the UK cited Facebook as a cause.
Photo recognition and face tagging: for the past year, Facebook has been making it easier for us to upload every picture on our cameras and tag all our friends and family at once by introducing face recognition. After the first few tags, Facebook will remember the people in your album and other recent photos and suggest them to you while tagging. While the feature can be disabled, many people are concerned about the invasion of privacy that this feature implies.
Psychological Effects: much of the criticism Facebook receives is from people claiming that it increases stress levels and can even cause depression. Facebook has also been accused of promoting anorexic and bulimic content through advertising.
Identity Theft and Defamation: like all social sites that allow anyone to create an account, Facebook makes it easy to impersonate others. In July of 2008, the High Court in London passed the first successful invasion of privacy and defamation verdict over a post on a social site against a man who created a false account of a former friend and used it to demean him.
Even advertisers are wary of Facebook and often have their ads removed when they are shown on the pages of controversial people or groups.
Facebook is a social networking site launched in February of 2004, that currently has over 900 million users. Members can create a profile, upload and share pictures and other media, post statuses, view and comment on friends' statuses, and play simple online games.
Cool - Elaina
Facebook helps people reconnect and stay in touch with friends and/or acquaintances by way of status updates, comments, pictures, messages, and even video chat. Facebook can help people maintain a sense of community with people who are important to them regardless of whether or not they can physically come together. This can help ease the transition of moving away from someone's hometown for school or a job opportunity, or even separation caused by a military deployment or severe medical needs.In Rewired, Rosen talks about how the iGeneration thrives on multi-tasking. Facebook is the perfect outlet for multi-taskers, especially with the addition of their new side feature that constantly updates and shows friends' actions occurring in real time. To most teens today, the idea of completing one task at a time is unimaginable and a waste of time (pages 32-34), and Facebook has adapted to fit with this generation. While most people didn't like the new Timeline layout at first, many are coming to realize the potential it has to become a new way to document our lives. Where people used to write private journals, most people use Facebook as their outlet for expression. Having access to millions of people's 'journals' will potentially provide future generations with the largest cumulative memoir ever recorded in human history.
Not Cool - Jocelyn
I managed to find an entire Wiki page dedicated to the criticisms of FacebookAs always, there are the technical problems. Facebook surpassed Myspace years ago, yet it still doesn't support the same level of customization. Timeline helps a little by allowing you a second photo (the cover photo) on your wall, but you can still only use plain text and you’re pretty much stuck with Facebook’s default layout.
Many users have complained about the lack of live customer support and the faulty automated message system in place to resolve issues. Account deactivation is also a hassle (and somewhat of an emotional roller coaster from what I've heard).
Facebook uses tracking cookies to monitor page visits by facebook users and non-members.
Reportedly, 20-33% of divorce suits in the UK cited Facebook as a cause.
Photo recognition and face tagging: for the past year, Facebook has been making it easier for us to upload every picture on our cameras and tag all our friends and family at once by introducing face recognition. After the first few tags, Facebook will remember the people in your album and other recent photos and suggest them to you while tagging. While the feature can be disabled, many people are concerned about the invasion of privacy that this feature implies.
Psychological Effects: much of the criticism Facebook receives is from people claiming that it increases stress levels and can even cause depression. Facebook has also been accused of promoting anorexic and bulimic content through advertising.
Identity Theft and Defamation: like all social sites that allow anyone to create an account, Facebook makes it easy to impersonate others. In July of 2008, the High Court in London passed the first successful invasion of privacy and defamation verdict over a post on a social site against a man who created a false account of a former friend and used it to demean him.
Even advertisers are wary of Facebook and often have their ads removed when they are shown on the pages of controversial people or groups.
Effects on Education:
Students have faced disciplinary action by their schools for posting inappropriate content on their Facebook.
Several articles have been published describing the negative effects of using sites like Facebook during class or while studying.
Most people use Facebook to “stalk” friends and play games (like WWF and Farmville), which has been negatively correlated to student involvement.
Students have faced disciplinary action by their schools for posting inappropriate content on their Facebook.
Several articles have been published describing the negative effects of using sites like Facebook during class or while studying.
Most people use Facebook to “stalk” friends and play games (like WWF and Farmville), which has been negatively correlated to student involvement.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
LinkedIn Description and What's Cool
LinkedIn
is a social networking site that is aimed specifically for professional
networking use. Sign-up is free for anybody and a profile is automatically
given which displays personal information, education history, employment
history, and other personal details that users choose to disclose. Users can
add “connections” which will enable them to communicate directly with them and
view their public profile. There are groups that users can join to have
discussions and share interests. A job search feature is available to look for
employment opportunities. LinkedIn also provides news mostly related to
marketing, real estate, or technological industries as well as from specific
companies. Companies can also have profiles which display information as well
as have the option to post blogs, start discussions, or simply be “followed”.
What’s Cool?
LinkedIn
is a great resource for a wide range of people and their needs. This includes
professionals and top managers in corporations, employees, clients, students,
alumni, and even just friends. It is a way to expand your network in more than
an informal social setting but professionally to foster relationships that can
help your career. Users can get advice, recommendations, job offers, as well as
initiate business deals, partnerships, and advertize. There is an unlimited
amount of opportunities that are derived from your connections.
LinkedIn’s
job search feature is a useful tool for people to seek out employment
opportunities and apply online without having to fill out any physical
paperwork. Users upload their resume onto their profile making them public and
therefore accessible by employers and recruiters. Users can choose to receive
email notifications and alerts for new job openings or matches with your
profile. In addition to resumes, users can receive recommendations from others which
further strengthen their professional image and reputation.
The
internet is becoming a major means of communication and social networking has
and still is rapidly becoming a large reason for this. With a site like
LinkedIn, many tasks can be done online, remotely, without having to physically
travel and submit documents. Simple stated, distance is no longer as large of a
factor in keeping connected with others. As Turkle says in Alone Together, “The global reach of connectivity can make the most
isolated outpost into a center of learning and economic activity.” (Turkle,
152) With just a few clicks, we can meet new people, form new connections, and
maintain them with relative easy. LinkedIn provides this connectivity that “offers
new possibilities for experimenting with identity…relatively consequence free.”
(Turkle, 152) The worst thing that could happen is being rejected for a job
position.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Video
As stated in the video, Skype offers many benefits. It offers a safe feeling that comes with online experieces, as described by Turkle (page 249). She describes how online experiences can offer a personal interaction with the safety of distance. Skype offers an even more personal experience by face to face interaction.
Skype can also be said to be a step in the future. Rosen states that messengers like Skype are most used by what he dubs the "iGeneration", a generation he claims can use the site at the age of five. This brings up with question of who a five-year-old skypes. With the modern community becoming less local and more global, it is important to have a means off communication, especially a free one. With Skype offering a free, more personalized interaction, it is easy to see how it has become not only popular but a big step into the future.
As stated in the video, Skype offers many benefits. It offers a safe feeling that comes with online experieces, as described by Turkle (page 249). She describes how online experiences can offer a personal interaction with the safety of distance. Skype offers an even more personal experience by face to face interaction.
Skype can also be said to be a step in the future. Rosen states that messengers like Skype are most used by what he dubs the "iGeneration", a generation he claims can use the site at the age of five. This brings up with question of who a five-year-old skypes. With the modern community becoming less local and more global, it is important to have a means off communication, especially a free one. With Skype offering a free, more personalized interaction, it is easy to see how it has become not only popular but a big step into the future.
INTRODUCTION (Jared):
Twitter is a community of
microbloggers. It is a social networking site centered around something known
as a tweet. A tweet is a post that must contain less than 140 characters, and
can include links to pictures, videos, or other websites. A tweet usually is a
statement of what you are doing, or can be a thought, idea, concept, picture,
video, news, or topics of interest. Another important part of Twitter is the
concept of trending topics. Trending topics are key phrases or words that can
be searched and monitored by the Twitter community, and these usually are seen
with the pound sign or hash in front of the words with no spaces in between
them. Also, using Twitter, you can follow someone, but they do not have to
follow you back, which is different from many social networking sites. This
allows for the extensive following of celebrities, without celebrities having
to follow all of their fans back. You can also private message people who you
follow, tag people in your posts, and retweet posts (posting someone else's
tweet for all of your followers to see). Twitter is one of the most visited
websites in the world, and is a very successful social networking site.
POSITIVES
(Tyler):
Twitter is a level playing field;
anyone can communicate with anyone. For
instance, I could follow a sports star and he or she could follow me. This opens up the flow of ideas, allowing
people to obtain many different angles and opinions in order to create a
complete idea. As a result, we are more
connected to the world and people around us.
Due to this expanded channel of
communication, we need a valve to limit what we are exposed to, and Twitter
provides this control. Its character
limit constrains the size of each message, while each user has the ability to “follow”
or “block” other users to define the number of messages that one sees. Unlike other social media websites, Twitter does not obligate a user to follow another user if a connection is established by the latter.
Ultimately, I view Twitter as a flat
plane in which communication occurs. We
are all easily connected in this plane, with no user having an advantage over
another. In Proust and the Squid, Maryanne Wolf states:
We are only at the beginning of analyzing the cognitive implications of using, for instance, the browser “back” button, URL syntax, … and “pedagogical tags” for enhancing comprehension and memory. These tools have extremely promising implications for the intellectual development of the users, particularly users with discrete areas of weakness…. (Wolf 220)
For
those individuals who have social impurities and struggle with communication,
Twitter offers an encouraging medium in which they can connect with
others. These individuals are brought
into the plane that is Twitter, while the mental implications of Twitter
improve and raise the community as a whole.
As a society with increased mental and social skills, we will create
stronger, deeper connections with one another.
NEGATIVES
(Josh):
In Alone Together, Turkle writes, “on social networking sites such as
Facebook, we think we will be presenting ourselves, but our profile ends up as
somebody else – often the fantasy of who we want to be. Distinctions blur” (153). This implies that the use of social
networking sites, like Twitter, can make the presentation of ourselves more
difficult and confusing. People present
themselves in every form of communication, but I think that Turkle is implying
here that social networks can make the process of the exploration of identity
even more confusing.
She goes on to write, “Virtual
places offer connection with uncertain claims to commitment. We don’t count on cyberfriends to come by if
we are ill, to celebrate our children’s successes, or help us mourn the death
of our parents. People know this, and
yet the emotional charge on cyberspace is high” (153). This applies specifically to Twitter, because
of the way that any Twitter user can follow any other Twitter user without
being followed in return. Twitter truly offers connection without commitment,
and this may lead to confusing attitudes towards connection, commitment, and
community in general.
Finally, Turkle discusses the
compulsion that people develop to constantly use the Internet. She describes a woman in her seventies who
has meditated on a biblical reading every morning for years. Recently, however, this woman has found it
difficult to resist the urge to check her e-mail before her spiritual
practices. In fact, her compulsion has
become so strong that her resistance to checking her e-mail has become part of
her spiritual devotion. While this example deals with e-mail, similar
compulsions certainly exist in Twitter users.
It is likely that regular Twitter users will grow strong desires to
always stay updated, and will develop a habit of checking their accounts often. This could be harmful because of the
information that is supplied by Twitter, which is more often than not
trivial. Basically, a Twitter account
can grow to be a waste of time.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
YouTube
Above is the video that Mitchell and I showed in class. It doesn't really cover any of the down-sides of YouTube, however. The cons that we discussed in class were that it promotes bullying through the mob mentality (see Rebecca Black), and also that it creates and outsider vs insider community when not everyone has access to the same videos.
I would add that the clip that got the biggest laugh in class was the bicyclist who ran head-first into a traffic sign. I find the social implications of this type of humor disturbing. It says something about humanity's violent nature and lack of empathy that people getting injured is such a commonly popular form of comedy. This isn't new to YouTube, it's been around since the Tree Stooges and before, but I don't think it's good for us as a community.
P.S. Yesterday was the seventh anniversary of YouTube's first video. Happy Birthday YouTube!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Baby Einstein: Con
In 1999, the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) discouraged TV viewing for children under
the age of two due to the increase of studies showing the negative affects of
television on infants. In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics published
another statement addressing this same issue. The AAP concluded that video
programs for infants are not educational, and that young children learn best
from and need interaction with humans, not television screens (HealthyChildren.org).
The AAP published this again to re-affirm its stance on television viewing for
children under 2, and to urge parents to be vigilant at making sure their
infant received as little media input as possible.
In 2006, The
Journal of Pediatrics published an article showing the harmful effects of videos
and other media. They surveyed around 1000 children from two to twenty-four
months old, and found that the children who watched TV or baby DVDs had a
significant decrease in grammar and vocabulary knowledge than the children who had
not watched TV or baby DVDs (Zimmerman, Frederick). They could not conclude how
the DVDs were contributing to a harmful effect on the infants, but they just
presented and discussed the correlation.
In a broad study
of early development of literacy skills, the educator Catherine Snow of Harvard
and her colleagues found that in addition to literacy materials, one of the major
contributors to later reading was simply the amount of time for “talk around
dinner.” The importance of simply being talked to, read to, and listened to is
what much of early language development is about, but the reality in many
families … means that too little time will be given to even these three basic
elements before a child reaches the age of five. (Wolf 103-104)
Wolf states that it is extremely
important to have human-to-human interactions with children for early language
development.
There is
significant research showing that educational media targeted for children under
the age of two is not educational and can actually be harmful for children in
this age bracket. Baby Einstein does not only create DVDs for children, but
they are the largest DVD manufacturer for children under the age of two. More
parents need to be educated on the dangers of Baby Einstein, so that harmful
effects on infants will be minimized.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Baby Einstein: Pro
Baby Einstein is a multiple award winning company which
makes many products to help infants create connections and learn words and
meaning from a very young age. They make extremely stimulating products like
textured books, colorful play sets, and art kits. A parent reading one of their
books, or any book at all, to their child (regardless of age), is integral to
learning. “The association between hearing written language and feeling loved
provides the best foundation for this long process [of learning to read]”, so a
parent using a product such as this can set the child up for long-term
educational success.
The most prolific product from the Baby Einstein line is no
doubt their video line. While expensive, many of these stepping-stone videos
are available on YouTube. These movies allow parents to scaffold with their
children, helping them understand higher levels of language by using what they
already understand (such as images and sounds) to grow on (Collins &
Halverson, 19). Parents taking such a primary role in their children’s education
is integral to their success, as “…responsibility for education is shifting away
from the state and back to the parents (for younger children)… this movement
reflects the emphasis on customizing education to the particular learners’
needs, interests, and abilities” (Collins & Halverson, 95). In addition, according to Collins and
Halverson, children who are homeschooled perform better than normally schooled
children in standardized tests and are more involved in their own learning.
While these videos are not a replacement for a more
traditional educational experience or one on one parenting time, they can be
used as an extremely useful supplementary tool.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a controversial, online, fantasy role-playing game. It is a completely immersive experience; requiring players to create fully realized characters with relationships, jobs, and skills. Thousands of academic studies have been conducted, investigating whether MMORPG’s such as this are hurting or helping the overall lives of their players. While there are negative side effects of this game, as there are with any new technology, it is in general a beneficial tool for developing social and practical skills.
First, players must learn the rules of the game, how to control the characters and their environment, how to earn goods in a capitalistic society, and work with other players to achieve common goals. All levels are able to beaten, and this pre-established sense of fairness is largely why players "stick with the difficult challenge and use the feedback of the game to get better" (Danforth, 2011). An internal and external rewards system is highly beneficial to gamification of learning – players can gain important spatial awareness, reasoning, and collaborative skills.
Similarly, playing is “a highly collaborative endeavor, a social life unto itself; you routinely check e-mail, talk to, and message the people you game with” (Turkle). Players who are socially disinclined, such as introverts or more extreme cases such as people with a schizophrenia or autism diagnosis, can learn people skills and create connections that could not necessarily in real life.
Finally, more women play WoW than any other similar game. This is partially due to a female player having the ability to create a character of any race, gender, or social class. WoW is an environment where the playing field has been leveled, and anyone with access to a computer and a monthly subscription fee can succeed to the same level as any other player (Eklund, 2011).
Although there are many great things about WoW, there are also some serious drawbacks. Firstly, this game causes addictions. Being nicknamed as the “crack cocaine of the gaming world,” World of Warcraft players spend endless hours playing and often lose site of reality. In fact, a fifteen-year-old boy was hospitalized after collapsing from playing the game for 24 hours. His addiction to the game kept him from eating or using the restroom, causing his seizure (Sparks). This addiction could be driven by the fact that the player can do certain things in the game that are not options in real life. Fighting, traveling, and immersing into the character’s special roles are some examples. Secondly, this game feeds in to addictions in real life such as gambling, drinking and inappropriate or risky behavior (Ebscohost). Secondly, this game allows for cyber bullying to take place. Because this game is very complex, amateur players are usually messed with by more advanced players. Even though the bullying does not occur face-to-face, the wounds are still just as deep behind a computer. Third and most importantly, this game promotes hiding behind a computer or technology to communicate as opposed to communicating with those in your surroundings. In Alone Together, Sherry Turkle writes heavily about second-life and MMORPG games and the role they play on society. She writes, “With sociable robots we are along but receive the signals that tell us we are together. Networked, we are together, but so lessened are our expectations of each other that we feel utterly alone. And there is the risk that we come to see each other as objects to be accessed—and only for the parts we find useful, comforting, or amusing (Turkle, 154). Although players interact with others through World of Warcraft, they are missing the physical interactions. Facial expressions, tone of voice, and physical embraces are all lost. I believe that this interaction over the computer is better than none at all, however, the addictive nature of this game draws players to prefer this interaction over physical. Playing this game instead of being with people in person is the same analogy as text messaging instead of face-to-face communication, in my opinion. There is a time and place for World of Warcraft when played in moderation for recreational purposes. Humans worldwide have hobbies and vices that are not the most communicative, like watching movies. However, the addictions are not nearly as prevalent. Just like a text message, this game is better than no interaction at all, but so many important communicative qualities are lost.
Danforth, L. (2011). Why Game Learning Works. Library Journal, 136(7), 67.
Eklund, L. (2011). Doing gender in cyberspace: The performance of gender by female World of Warcraft players.Convergence: The Journal Of Research Into New Media Technologies, 17(3), 323-342. doi:10.1177/1354856511406472
Sparks, Ian. "World Of Warcraft 'more addictive than crack cocaine' as teenager suffers convulsions after 24-hour-long game." Mail Online 27 Feb 2009, n. pag. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
SmartBoard: Not Cool
When the SmartBoard is not malfunctioning, being used by someone who is trained and knowledgeable of its programming, and is an affordable option, it is a great tool to implement interactive technology into a classroom setting. However, a lot of times these setbacks render the SmartBoard more of a hassle than a help. As my classmates saw during our presentation, the SmartBoard can be very glitchy at times and even someone as familiar as I am with this technology couldn't get it to work for a majority of our presentation. In order for a teacher to become acclimated with this technology, it would either take a great deal of their personal time to self teach or the school would have to pay for instructional seminars for the teachers, which can be expensive. The price a school would have to pay to train its teachers would only be added to the actual expense of purchasing enough SmartBoards for each classroom in their school. And considering SmartBoards range from $2000-5000 depending on size and model, a school with a measly 20 classrooms would be looking at a minimum $40,000 purchase and $100,000 for larger or newer models.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Lumus PD-18-2 - Cons
The Lumus PD-18-2 is a cutting edge innovation in the realm of electronic displays. Along with its new technology and uses, new potential threats and dangers also arise. The Lumus is a pair of glasses that displays images and information on the lens itself which is in your direct field of vision. You would have to take them off entirely in order to completely clear your path of vision. Considering that the Lumus was initially created to assist drivers with a GPS system, it would be very dangerous to be using a pair of glasses that is constantly displaying moving images and flashing colors at you as you drive. A normal GPS contains sufficient dangers by itself which is located on the side of your field of vision and only makes up a small part of your entire vision. These glasses would take up your entire field of vision making it difficult to concentrate on anything beyond them, let alone the road. In addition to the Lumus being a distraction simply by its method of use, it would also be a distraction as users would have to focus on both the road ahead and the information being transmitted onto the lens. In terms of driving safety, this is very dangerous as a lack of concentration for a split second can be disastrous and is not helped by the fact that the lens is close to the eye, forcing the eye to refocus every time it looks at the road and lens, and vice versa due to a different in focal length.
The Lumus’ physical composition can also be a hindrance as it is relatively heavy due to the technology integrated. This may cause discomfort for users and may be impractical for long periods of usage such as out-of-town drives. The design of the Lumus also eliminates users’ peripheral vision, an aspect that is essential to drivers. This poses a huge danger as users’ ability to see and make judgments is significantly affected. Another limitation due to its composition is the fact that only one person can wear it at a time, which means only one person can use and see the display at a time. This difference between a regular GPS or display screen deprives users the ability to share information. For example, often drivers receive instructions from the passenger beside them who are looking at the GPS rather than the driver themselves. This way, it is safer as drivers can pay full attention to the road ahead rather than needing to multitask by attending the GPS simultaneously. With the Lumus, the driver has no choice but to look at the GPS as he is the only one who can see it.
A negative implication of this technology is overdependence on technology as a whole as relying on it heavily rather than using it as a tool. Technology follows us wherever we go and we start to lose other abilities such as reading and interpreting maps. Skills are being lost or simply never attained due to technology and in effect may make people lazier. The more we rely on technology, the harder it will be to survive without it if a situation or crisis occurs where there is no access to the technology. Another result of overdependence on technology is the reduced interaction with other people. In Alone Together, Turkle discusses this troubling concept as she points out that it is becoming a reality that we live with the continuous presence of screens. With socializing diminishing, we will start to lose current and past connections and relationships that are established, as well as potential future bonds that are less likely to be formed.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Groupon- Not Cool for Merchants
Groupon is a social way to share coupons online. They negotiate deals with businesses and offer them to their subscribers with the promises that new, previously unreached customers will enjoy their experience and become regulars. One of the main problems is that the company is that they have no way to make sure their promises are held up and that they do not care what happens to the merchants after the daily deal is over. Some of the latest research by ForeSee shows that most of their income comes from a small number of people. This means that a few number of people will use Groupons very often, but they don't normally go back when they have to pay full price. These people are very frugal and are not likely to become regular customers. Also, people that would normally purchase items at full price from a merchant will go in with a Groupon which greatly reduces the merchant's overall revenue. This directly goes against the idea that it helps merchants and supports the local economy.
The social media aspect of Groupon puts unneeded pressure on consumers to purchase deals. Facebook and Twitter "friends" may pressure their followers to purchase unneeded Groupons and ultimately cause their followers to lose money if they never redeem their Groupon. Also, if news feeds are clogged up with advertisements and pleas to friends to purchase the Groupons they have invested money into, it could cause frustration. Sometimes "news feeds" can be so jammed with certain things, it is hard to actually use them for the purpose of seeing different status updates and tweets from more than just their avid Groupon-user friend.
Groupon is also a prefect example of hegemony. The majority of the people using Groupon are more inclined to purchase those that have more purchases than others. A certain group of people that are regular Groupon users can use their purchasing power to lead others to believe that what they are buying is the right thing to buy. Groupon has a quota that makes sure a certain number of people buy each deal before the deal activates which contributes to the power of a small group of people to convince others that the deal they want is the interest that everyone should share, even if that interest is not actually shared. This can lead to a false sense of shared interests. (Storey, 79-80)
Overall, Groupon has many positive aspects that tend to outweigh the negative aspects for consumers. However, merchants tend to suffer and often regret their use of Groupon. For additional reading on the negative aspects of Groupon for merchants, please visit the reference links shown below.
Reference links:
What Daily Deal Companies Should Do to Help Merchants
10 Reasons Why Groupon is Terrible for Merchants
Groupon's Whale Problem
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The social media aspect of Groupon puts unneeded pressure on consumers to purchase deals. Facebook and Twitter "friends" may pressure their followers to purchase unneeded Groupons and ultimately cause their followers to lose money if they never redeem their Groupon. Also, if news feeds are clogged up with advertisements and pleas to friends to purchase the Groupons they have invested money into, it could cause frustration. Sometimes "news feeds" can be so jammed with certain things, it is hard to actually use them for the purpose of seeing different status updates and tweets from more than just their avid Groupon-user friend.
Groupon is also a prefect example of hegemony. The majority of the people using Groupon are more inclined to purchase those that have more purchases than others. A certain group of people that are regular Groupon users can use their purchasing power to lead others to believe that what they are buying is the right thing to buy. Groupon has a quota that makes sure a certain number of people buy each deal before the deal activates which contributes to the power of a small group of people to convince others that the deal they want is the interest that everyone should share, even if that interest is not actually shared. This can lead to a false sense of shared interests. (Storey, 79-80)
Overall, Groupon has many positive aspects that tend to outweigh the negative aspects for consumers. However, merchants tend to suffer and often regret their use of Groupon. For additional reading on the negative aspects of Groupon for merchants, please visit the reference links shown below.
Reference links:
What Daily Deal Companies Should Do to Help Merchants
10 Reasons Why Groupon is Terrible for Merchants
Groupon's Whale Problem
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Fourth Set - Communities and Connection
This is a list of the last set of presentations:
Wikipedia (Louis, Andrew, Danica)
Twitter (Jared, Joshua, Tyler)
World of Warcraft (Claire, Jennifer)
Augmented COmmunication (Dieu, Anna)
Linked in (Minhtrang, Wen)
YouTube (Mitchell, Amanda)
Facebook (Jocelyn, Elaina)
Groupon (Steven, Kristina)
Skype (James)
Wikipedia (Louis, Andrew, Danica)
Twitter (Jared, Joshua, Tyler)
World of Warcraft (Claire, Jennifer)
Augmented COmmunication (Dieu, Anna)
Linked in (Minhtrang, Wen)
YouTube (Mitchell, Amanda)
Facebook (Jocelyn, Elaina)
Groupon (Steven, Kristina)
Skype (James)
Third Set
This a list of the third set of presentations (Education and Learning)
Rosetta Stone (Louis, Andrew)
Baby Einstein (Jared, Jennifer)
Smartboard (Claire, Elaina)
ExmoBaby (Dieu, Anna)
Lumus (Minhtrang, Wen)
Adobe Connect (Joshua, Jocelyn Steven)
Gameification (James, Kristina)
Edmoto (Danica, Tyler)
Cellphones (Mitchell, Amanda)
Rosetta Stone (Louis, Andrew)
Baby Einstein (Jared, Jennifer)
Smartboard (Claire, Elaina)
ExmoBaby (Dieu, Anna)
Lumus (Minhtrang, Wen)
Adobe Connect (Joshua, Jocelyn Steven)
Gameification (James, Kristina)
Edmoto (Danica, Tyler)
Cellphones (Mitchell, Amanda)
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is a web conferencing software that allows people to host meetings, teach classes, consult with remote colleagues, invite outside experts into your class, and provide online training for users.
Thinking about the readings:
Watch us play with Adobe Connect:
I was able to find a few passages in Turkle’s Alone Together, that deal with multitasking and its growing relevance to modern society. Some believe that multitasking is “the crucial skill” for working and learning in this digital age, and that traditional teaching methods “hamper student learning.” Regardless, studies consistently show that multitasking actually reduces efficiency and productivity and that students who busy themselves with other things during class often don’t do as well as students who leave their computers at home.
- Jocelyn
Sherry Turkle writes in Alone Together that that new technologies can bring on anxieties and disconnection. With technology, we have the ability to place people away into varying ranges of intimacy. If phone calls are too intimate, text offers a better solution. If face-to-face interaction is too personal, then we have Adobe Connect and other web conferencing tools to allow us to separate. We honestly don't know what each other are doing while we web conference, which can cause us to question if we really are communicating. As admitted through first hand accounts in Alone Together, people can't even focus on a web conference without seeking out email or Facebook, making the conversation disconnected. (Turkle 13-17). Nicholas Carr writes that because of technologies ability to monitor our life and to send us reminders and notifications, we actually want to be interrupted. "We crave the new even when we know that 'the new is often more trivial than essential' "(Carr 133-134). Therefore Adobe Connect causes a social disconnect by allowing us to keep people at comfortable distances and by allowing us to grant our needs for new data income (notifications, alerts, reminders, etc.) to make us feel satisfied and at peace.
In Rewired, Rosen states, “The stark reality is that today’s kids just can’t do one task without wanting to do a bunch of other things at the same time. It’s a way of life for them. The natural inclination to multitask in these young kids probably has many sources, including the cool, dazzling, multifunctional new devices that permit and encourage multitasking. What might this constant need for multitasking mean to parents and educators? For one thing, it could mean that long cherished demand for improving learning and raising grades . . . simply might not work anymore.” The world of technology is constantly changing, and education needs to keep up with it. Adobe Connect supports a wide range of media content, which can enable a sort of multitasking, and can generally improve interest. I think that Adobe Connect offers a great, interactive experience that can take the learning style of modern day kids into consideration.
- Steven
- Joshua
Monday, March 26, 2012
NOT COOL Instagram Presentation
Not Cool Presentation
Instagram is a social media app focusing pictures. Users can upload pictures from their phone or take pictures through the app itself to share with their followers. Negatives of the app include logistical problems such as the 2"x2" photo grid, limited filters and inability to format multiple pictures into one image. And while there is a way to flag unsavory content, younger users can still easily access inappropriate images of things like illegal drug use and people practicing self-harm. There is also the potential for users to develop a skewed perception of themselves based on others' approving of their self image. If a teenage girl looks on the popular page and sees the skinny bikini model with 300 likes, while their smiling self portrait only received 15 likes, then our young teen will start to associate social acceptance with being a certain weight, having a certain style, or even being willing to expose themselves in more mature ways. While I personally LOVE this app, I recognize its drawbacks and realize that this push towards a more visual form of social media will have a huge impact on how we view ourselves and others.
Instagram "Not Cool" Prezi
Not Cool Presentation
Instagram is a social media app focusing pictures. Users can upload pictures from their phone or take pictures through the app itself to share with their followers. Negatives of the app include logistical problems such as the 2"x2" photo grid, limited filters and inability to format multiple pictures into one image. And while there is a way to flag unsavory content, younger users can still easily access inappropriate images of things like illegal drug use and people practicing self-harm. There is also the potential for users to develop a skewed perception of themselves based on others' approving of their self image. If a teenage girl looks on the popular page and sees the skinny bikini model with 300 likes, while their smiling self portrait only received 15 likes, then our young teen will start to associate social acceptance with being a certain weight, having a certain style, or even being willing to expose themselves in more mature ways. While I personally LOVE this app, I recognize its drawbacks and realize that this push towards a more visual form of social media will have a huge impact on how we view ourselves and others.
Instagram "Not Cool" Prezi
Thursday, March 22, 2012
What is Google Wallet?
What's cool?
Google Wallet is the wallet for
the 21st century.
Incorporating all the ways we spend money today into one, easy to use
application, this technology will grow fast and has much potential. The Google Wallet application has the ability
to store rewards cards, works as an online shopping account (similar to PayPal®),
and syncs automatically with Google Offers.
Rewards cards can quickly add up in a “normal” wallet depending on the person, and especially for the everyday mom. Putting rewards all in one electronic location makes them much more manageable and accessible. The online shopping account differs from PayPal® in that it pulls funds directly from your Google Wallet account, allowing all of your purchases, online and offline, to stay in one location—the palm of your hand. Google Offers is a complimentary service that provides users with relevant discounts and coupons presented by merchants. Rather than searching for coupons in magazines or missing in store deals by a few hours or days, you can relax with Google Offers, which shows you deals and coupons relevant to your proximity to stores. If you take a vacation to Destin, Florida, you’ll be offered deals from stores in that location, only for the time of your stay. Also, the application for Google Wallet locks with a PIN number, and Google argues that their wallet is safer than the leather one in the seat of our pants or purses.
Google Wallet incorporates every facet of the purchasing experience into one location, allowing us to stop multitasking. In Rewired, Larry Rosen maintains that the current thought today amongst psychologists is that multitasking is bad. It slows down our task completion rate. Google wallet is a good example of a piece of technology that helps us cut back on our multitasking; because it cuts back on the need for so many different ways of processing purchases, shopping is now much simpler and free of multitasking.
-Louis Anzalone
What's not cool?Rewards cards can quickly add up in a “normal” wallet depending on the person, and especially for the everyday mom. Putting rewards all in one electronic location makes them much more manageable and accessible. The online shopping account differs from PayPal® in that it pulls funds directly from your Google Wallet account, allowing all of your purchases, online and offline, to stay in one location—the palm of your hand. Google Offers is a complimentary service that provides users with relevant discounts and coupons presented by merchants. Rather than searching for coupons in magazines or missing in store deals by a few hours or days, you can relax with Google Offers, which shows you deals and coupons relevant to your proximity to stores. If you take a vacation to Destin, Florida, you’ll be offered deals from stores in that location, only for the time of your stay. Also, the application for Google Wallet locks with a PIN number, and Google argues that their wallet is safer than the leather one in the seat of our pants or purses.
Google Wallet incorporates every facet of the purchasing experience into one location, allowing us to stop multitasking. In Rewired, Larry Rosen maintains that the current thought today amongst psychologists is that multitasking is bad. It slows down our task completion rate. Google wallet is a good example of a piece of technology that helps us cut back on our multitasking; because it cuts back on the need for so many different ways of processing purchases, shopping is now much simpler and free of multitasking.
-Louis Anzalone
Even though Google Wallet seems like a great convenience, it is currently a very limited technology in the United States, and there are potential social implications impending widespread usage.
As it stands now (20 Mar 12), there are only twenty-three vendors that accept Google Wallet listed on the official website. None of these vendors are Single-Tap Merchants either. This means that the Google Offers features of the program are not accepted anywhere in our city. In addition to having trouble finding places to use Google Wallet, it is only compatible with one phone on the American market—the Nexus S 4G by Sprint. This is a relatively new phone on the market having been released less than a year ago. Limiting this technology even further are the limited payment options. The only two types of accounts you can link to your Google account are Citi MasterCard and pre-paid accounts held by Google. I think that these limitations combined really diminish the effect that Google Wallet can have in its current stage. Google is making efforts to work around all of these issues already, so they are only temporary and not the main focus of the negative argument.
It is much more important to consider how Google Wallet will impact our daily life if it is widely implemented. The concept of numbers is a very important step in human development. Wolf speaks of it briefly when talking how it is related to learning to read in Proust and the Squid. It is required for abstract thought about math. Without a firm grap of this concept, everything from counting to using equations becomes almost impossible. Children grasp the concept of numbers through hands on interaction with counting. If you can count objects in one group and add them to the count of another group, you can perform addition. If you can see and count ten objects, you can imagine ten groups of ten objects each or multiplication. Google Wallet removes the need for counting physical money. If children would start using this technology before they have a firm grasp on the concept of number, it could greatly impair their mental math skills. The other main concern with the app is that this app will increase a "have verses have-not" trend seen in society today. Can you imagine the last time you had to wait behind someone writing a check? It seemed like it took an eternity because we have become so used to quick, electronic transactions. The swiftness of electronic transactions has prompted many retailers to stop accepting checks completely. This technology has the potential to replace debit cards. There are many reasons why Near Field Communications readers will be preferred over credit card swipes. There are no moving parts and no chance of getting an inaccurate read, for instance. Because NFC will only be available on smart phones, there is a great portion of the population who will not be able to use this technology. What would happen if vendors started only accepting NFC devices?
-Andrew Griffin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)