Whither the Individual

There is a fear that as we join these Facebook and social media sites that these places limit or minds and our ability to be ourselves because they are so restrictive in the make-up of their sites. Do people really find this an issue? I know for myself it is not so much an issue that I cannot customize my Facebook page because I am so intrigued by all of the other positive things it does allow me to do. For example I am able to keep in touch with all my friends who are abroad and view pictures, videos, and blog sites of their encounters without the worry of a daunting phone or text messaging bill. If you join a Facebook page or make a Twitter account why would you be so worried about needing such things as reflection times in the first place? These sites are made to keep people connected no matter where life takes them. These places are not meant to be your personal journal areas. If you want a diary, than buy yourself a notepad. These types of sites, in my opinion, don’t hold a mass weight on people’s lives and ruin egos. When I was back in high school and MySpace was the big hit it was stressful to try and be technologically savvy and update your background every other day to keep up with your friend’s pages. I think these pages you were constantly judged by how your MySpace looked and no one even paid attention to your actual page. On Facebook and Twitter you are actually viewed by how you want to be viewed. What networks you are a part of, what you like, what pictures you have up. These kinds of issues allow you to make yourself how you want to be viewed and have direct influence on those factors. All in all I would say that people who are so nervous about the negative impacts on Facebook need to look back onto a time when Facebook was obsolete. How would you reach people from your high school or plan events and know what was going on in your social world? It is hard to remember these times, as I certainly don’t, and am definitely excited to see where this type of society will lead us in the future.

1. oday many TV shows and advertisements try to look amateurish or "homegrown" to emulate what is often seen on the Web. Do you think professional production values will continue to drop, or do you think amateur user-generated content will get better over time? WHY?

i think that user generated content will get better over time because more and more personal use software is being made by major name brand companys such as mac and windows making the ability to create professional video images and digital communications.

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   before answering question #3 please read the Transparency in Social Media Blog Article

1. What social media sites do you find yourself using the most, and why? In your opinion why is Facebook so much more successful than MySpace, and do you think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term.

Facebook is the only social media site I use. I think Facebook is a lot more impactful than Myspace every could be because there is not much to keep up with. You do not need to personalize what your page looks like or have the most up to date quizzes and posts. Instead, you can focus your time on being social with your friends and not so self conscious of what your page looks like. 

Photoshop project

McLuhan- Final Post

Overtime society, especially American society, has come to find different addictive appeals in their lives. In the 1920's for example the government set regulations on selling alcohol declaring that society was becoming to reckless and the modern family was being corrupted by alcohol. It was becoming an addictive quality of that time period. In the 1960's tobacco became the new social norm and people did not realize the negative effects it was having on their health until much later in their lifetime. In the 1980's partying and raging became the new way of life with adolescents choosing to take recreational drugs without concern for their well being in the future. And finally, in 2000 when the first blackberry came out, society was changed forever with the use of the internet, black berry messaging, email, and phone call capabilities. Because this is relatively new who knows what effects this technology will have on society in 20 years. 

Mcluhan's idea of the medium is the message is depicted in this picture because it gives the message that society could potentially be negatively impacted by Blackberrys (which have the common slang of being "crack"berrys because of their addictive qualities). 

Mcluhan Project

New Medium- BBM, blackberry messaging

The Blackberry is the new innovation that has taken the cellular device world by storm. One key component to the blackberry being such a successful device is its Blackberry messaging app. The positive of this app is the ability to text your blackberry friends with lightening speed and the capability to be able to see that the message was read. This app has a lot of content being you can send images instantly, music, sound clips, video clips, and just regular text. You also have the ability to update statuses, comparable to facebook status. Society has been forever changed by this because for those who have a blackberry it is as if we are in our own circle of friends. We scan each other's barcodes to become friends and then we are constantly linked in a minutes notice if we need to get in touch with that person. We also become even closer with those people who we are blackberry messenger friends with because we can see if they are avoiding us or they can respond instantly in full dialogue. In all honesty it has become almost an addiction to be without it making our life more technology centered.

      

New Media

Blackberry messaging "bbm" has become one of the newest and most direct forms of communication between individuals. I personally have become an addict for the technology because of its direct speed and ability to be aware of when the person you are bbming has read the message. In today's world it seems that speed and promptness has become the key to technologies succeeding. Bbm has definitely achieved the mindset of new media users. 

One of the most important social networking sites that has come into existence is Facebook. Facebook has not only become important for socialization but, as I have learned personally this summer, it has become a new media market for companies. Advertisement agencies have used Facebook to create new markets and to also create pages dedicated to their brands so there is awareness of their products. This type of new media that is being presented allows people to become apart of the products growth and development and give them the ability to directly influence the thoughts and ideas of the business. 

Skype incorporates all forms of communication; visual, chat, and phone calls. Skype can be used in a number of ways. Skype is mostly used on computers to either make phone calls long distance because it is free. It is used for video chatting between two different computers and can even be used on the iPhone4 for its video capabilities. This type of technology expands communication for all people to be able to become even closer in distance to those people they desire to be close with. 

McLuhan- 9/3/10

• post modern feeling
• interested in communications media
• any kind of new technological new media theorists, an invention or application 
• any advancement we are going to communicate information. 
• the message is an extension of our physical self. Causing people to see things more visually.ex. Roosevelt being a crippled how he dealt with being the first president on tv and being viewed as weak.