I like that the title of this blog is a consistent question. What is this class we are taking about? The fact that Media 2.0 is constantly evolving is part of the mystery of what it is. How it acts to empower, how it acts to change the status quo. What it all means or doesn't mean.
I came of age in the age of the media moguls, the end of the newspaper era of supremacy. I have worked in newspapers and in retail, brushing against the walls that were erected to keep voices homogenized and relegated to the letters to the editor section of the weekly rag. I have seen the change from the days when people trusted absolutely anything if it was printed in the newspaper to the days when we can sort and search out news before determining what it is we believe. From the days when you had to go to the library or the bookstore for a good read. Now, you know, you don't have to just read, you can also write. You can post in the little box, words which immediately become part of the record. That record may or may not be inaccessible. It may not be the legal screed. It may waver in the light, may be editted or changed. It may be secluded behind firewalls or tossed out for anyone to read. Be careful what you post because it may come back to see you years from now. Write on. I like this writing in boxes much better than that reading in the dark alone at night. I love books but I much prefer the ebb and flow of writing and reading as a daily task to holding a book in my hands and reading it alone. I like a book that writes me back.
Nice insight, I feel where your coming from. I too remember the days when newspaper reigned king. It's nice to finally be able to contribute content, I agree.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I love many of your powerful concise points in this entry. These are relevant topics to keep in mind for further discussion.
ReplyDeleteAs of yet, there are no strict confines of this world (wide web), and that is part what makes it so mysterious and appealing. It can be and mean whatever you will it to. It is an open network where anyone can contribute.
It is the multifaceted concept and abstraction so many authors have coined terms for it attempting to define it. We will examine it and try to understand where it is and conceive where it is going (and what it means and doesn't.)
As this class continues, we will all get a better grasp of the current state of this new new media.
Danny W. commented how his perception has already slightly altered. Being aware and mindful allows a part of the mystery to become more transparent. This will happen not just in the ways we use it personally, but also how the world utilizes it. On and off the screen.
I, too, love books and always feel transported to another world or fantasy, delving into the characters and plot. To be able to do that in real time with stories, news, opinions, and various creations is revolutionary. Feedback is an exhilarating feeling, and being able to have that connection in reality is a tremendous power.