Democratized Media

1. How does Keen's does Keen define Democratized media, and what are his main issues with this trend? use examples from the web in the form of links.

Keen increasing talks in his book "The Great Seduction" about the democratized media. He discovered this term while at a FOO Camp and had no idea how greatly this would impact his life. Keen talks about how the internet is ruining our culture and not furthering it with the advances it is making in technology and the Web 2.0 world. Not only is the internet putting artists (musical and expressive) and journalists out of business but they are also having their work stolen on a consistent basis because it is put up on the free web for anyone to view. Also, new and easier downloads of such devices as movie makers and photo shop are putting movie makers and editors out of business as well. another issue Keen discusses is the fear that there is a growing meshing of truths with no one's personal individual truth prevailing. According to Keen this problem is "threatening the quality of civil public discourse, encouraging plagiarism and intellectual property theft, and stifling creativity". (Keen, p.17) 

Some examples I can give of Keen's fears coming to light are one's that can be viewed form my Public Relations interest stand point. Some of these Web 2.0 websites can be those that are against big companies such as Wal-Mart and have gone as far as to make hate web pages for them. http://wakeupwalmart.com/ <-- this link sends you to a page made by dissatisfied consumers putting down Wal-Mart's production tactics and their use of importing from other countries so we can have cheap (cost wise) merchandise. Other satirical examples of the Web 2.0 I can think of that I have come in direct contact with is the use of YouTube to make fun of how some news stations, such as this of Fox News and their anchors report the news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adyau9YtaAE It is the use of these videos and editing software that allow any regular person who has a will to produce something will find an easy way to do it thanks to the evolving internet. 

2. Compare and Contrast Keens take on Social Media with Douglas Rushkoff's. Which one speaks to you and your own experiences and why?

Douglas Rushkoff and Andrew Keen's both have a very direct and almost derogatory view of where the world is heading in the sense of media and technology. Rushkoff and Keen's both believe that people are spending more and more of their time online and giving into this "corporation" or "democratization" as they both individually call it where there is the loss of individual and the expansion of one solitary view of the world which is that that can only be found on the Web. If I had to pick one of these views to understand and that I can relate most to it would be Rushkoff's. To me Keen's view of the internet is extremely pessimistic. He sees all the negatives in what the Internet has to offer but does not see all the jobs, and money, and the positive impacts that Web 2.0 has offered to the people of the World. Rushkoff's idea of our lives becoming a corporation I agree with completely. I think we can not only blame our lives revolving around media to advancement in technology but I also believe that social influences and the way corporations are run these days is a very influential part to how our lives our run. People have to be extremely multi tasked with their life styles like they are with their business life to be able to run their day to day activities and duties. There is a pro and a con to everything in this life and I believe people just need to have the ability to see what is important and real within their lives to understand how to use these devices to thier fullest potential.

Joe Malone: Whither the Individual?

Joe Malone: Whither the Individual?: "Social networks continue to become more widely used by all ages across the globe. With this trend comes the extension and expansion of indi..."

I agree with Joe on all his points about the role social media plays in people's lives. His ideas about social media keeping connections together instead of dismissing egos or taking away privacy seems to be along the same lines of my take on social media. Not only Joe but other people in the class have also given the same comment that people have the choice to choose what to add and what to not let people know about you. I think that it may be our generation that may have an understanding of the limits of these types of situations and have less of a concern with privacy and more of an understanding that privacy is not as prevalent as someone would expect.

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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. By personal journals I mean a place where you can write your deepest and darkest thoughts with the freedom of complete privacy. If you do not want shared on these social sites personal information all you have to do is not type that information anywhere on the page.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. It is hard for me to picture Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter and other social sites in any other places than where they currently are. All I can think these social sites are going to turn into is a more virtual hand on experience. I can see them incorporating video chat instead of profile pictures and becoming more life-like profiles than social networks. I can see Facebook becoming my children’s way of physical activity. For example I can see the iPad and virtual games becoming more portable and only working on solar energy so they are forced to be outside in the daylight playing these types of games. Those types of games and virtual reality I can see becoming the status quo of life. I think it is time that all generations embrace the new change instead of fighting it. Schools need to stop seeing the negatives in using technology in the classrooms and embrace all of the potential that is possible. I can not speak for other nations such as South Korea, but I know that the United States can progress to this type of ideals within the next few years.