Posts Tagged: interpersonal interaction

Lanier makes a real effort to express his concern and opinion on the technology that is “forming” who we are and I would have to agree with Lanier in some aspects but I personally do not think free will is dead. I am an individual and as a graduate student in a program basically shaped for and by technology, I am still an individual in my own right and not by the technology and media mediums I utilize.

1. Lanier wants us to become individuals and not people that are to be shaped and framed by posts of others so my question is: Are there any possible processes, software systems or internet blogs that could help a user be an individual and not part of a whole or is becoming an individual impossible with the use of technology?

In response to this question, I think Lanier makes a valid effort. For example he talks about Open Culture and he says “impersonal communication has demeaned interpersonal interaction”  and I could not agree with him more on this point. I think interpersonal interaction has taken a hit to the wave of blog sites, dating sites, facebook, etc but that does not mean we are less of individuals. However, I think social interaction and contact is imperative and this is where I think we act as gadgets and sometimes we hide behind technology. It is almost the same routine everyday for me, I check facebook about the same times everyday as well as my email and other sites of mine so in a way that is somewhat robotic in my eyes. As far as software systems, I think that is the problem, software. Also, Lanier’s discussion on how facebook is similar to the No Child Left Behind Act was quite interesting. I see his point on the importance of helping or “getting” to everyone but I thought that was a little extreme.

2. Lanier talks about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and he brings up many great points with the structure of the pyramid and I want to know how the hierarchy of need been altered based on the use of technology and the need for it? Have the everyday necessities been shifted based on our addictions and needs for the internet and the technology?

I believe Maslows hierarchy of needs was not the theory or concept he was trying to target and at this point in the book he started talking about his concept of digital Maoism and his beliefs on this hierarchy. Lanier states “digital Maoism doesn’t reject all hierarchy, instead it overwhelmingly rewards the one preferred hierarchy of digital metaness. Therefore, I believe the question is not has maslows hierarchy shifted based on technology but it is the concept of digital Maoism that adds relevance to a new hierarchy. He makes sure to express open culture is separate from digital Maoism which I think makes sense in a way because it does not relate to interaction but really in a way it does. Information systems play an imperative role in the accessibility of information but just because Wikipedia is constantly updated does not convey we are ALL acting like robots.

3.  Is this obsession with technology going to change the world of media journalism because there is such a need to have a “hand” in the media? Has journalism lost all credibility because everyone is considered a journalist?

I think we are in the unfortunate chaotic gray area of media journalism. The way to get information has changed, making it essentially a career for everyone. I think there has been some loss of credibility in journalism because of the way people get information. Yes, I GET YOUR POINT LANIER, Wikipedia is bad but that does not mean I am! I truly appreciate the comments of some of my classmates in regard to information gathering and I would have to say I am with most of the imedia students…….we are not gadgets, we just like to play with them!