"From Cyber to Hybrid", written by Adriana de Souza e Silva, was by far the best essay that I've read from the Cyberculters Reader so far. The writing style was easy to follow and very fluid.
The arbitrary opinion that the author displayed, was argumentatively, one of the more cohesive and rational essays that we've read in this book so far.
Silva's (shortened down so that I don't have to display the whole last name) rational brilliance shines throughout the entire essay. It made it difficult to choose only one section to write about. There was one particular paragraph, located on pg. 766 (second paragraph), which I felt summarized the majority of what she was attempting to convey. I am on the assumption that everyone has read the article so that I don't have to relay what her theory on hybrid space is....
In a nutshell, the paragraph summarizes her notions of hybrid space and how it in essence, allows society to construct and define space. She goes on to say that hybrid connections also change the perception of the physical space that users inhabit and allow us to discover more about the physical spaces that we are in.
In my mind Silva has shown how the mobile interface has collectively linked the virtual and physical worlds together. The examples that she shows in regard to users being active participants in both spaces (virtual and real) solidifies an understanding of interwoven connectivity between the two.
I know that I am personally and at times physically attached to my cell phone. I make calls on it, text with it, look up information, receive information, etc....
The gray area for me and possibly many others comes when we deal with emotions, interpretation, and technology. I may laugh, cry, be pissed, or whatever, due to information, or conversation that I've encountered through my mobile interface, but that doesn't mean that I always interpret everything correctly through it.
There have been a few times that - reading through a text for instance - I have misinterpreted some information that was relayed to me. I would be willing to bet that anyone with this communication capability has probably encountered the same issue.
Does that mean the technology is at fault? Does it mean that we as interpreters are at fault? Or do we blame the information from the sender?
Regardless of the dilema, I do see how the interwoven connectivity between my virtual communications (via mobile interface) and real life communications apply to Silva's theories. The fact that I am dependent on my mobie interface to communicate (verbally and non-verbally), look up information, and receive information would convey my particpation in hybrid space.
After soaking Silva's essay in for awhile, I began to believe that the mobile interace (while it probably won't be a cell phone in the future) is most likely the way of the forseeable future. The vast amount of information and location information that this technology affords us is really invaluable. Who needs to sit at a computer if we are able to access the same information while simultaneously being mobile and present in real life surroundings?
The only real issue I faced while reading Silva's essay dealt with the inseperability of digital and physical. Silva states, "Finally, the shift, driven by nomadic technologies, from cyber to hybrid calls our attention to the fact that the digital has never actually been seperated from the physical and can be an essential element for promoting sociability and communication in urban spaces."
While I agree that technology and hybrid space enables us to be connected to a greater number of outlets/inlets, making virtual and real life communication somewhat inseperable. I disagree that digital and physical have never actually been seperated.
I beleive that we can disconnect ourselves from anything digital. Man started with nothing digital, but as the saying goes, "You live with the choices you make."
Besides, who really wants to live without all this cool stuff we have anyway?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Disembodiment?
I personally belong to a few different virtual communities. I belong to Facebook, MySpace, Blogspot, Callingducks.com, etc….Needless to say, I belong to more than three or four virtual communities.
My interactions in these communities don’t differ much (in terms of personal norms) from my conversations in a non-virtual environment. I “speak” much the same in written form as I would verbally speak in a real world environment.
It’s interesting to note how opportunities arise for individuals, in a variety of virtual environments, to act or behave in a different fashion than they would in real life or, in effect, become liberated in a way that they wouldn’t be in real life. While I can’t say that it hasn’t crossed my mind, I’ve found myself sticking to my norms when interacting with other individuals in a virtual environment.
I find it interesting to note that some individuals feel it necessary to express this liberating side of “who they’re not?” or “who they are?” Willson also touches on something right off the bat in her essay that tells us how people are increasingly feeling isolated and are looking for connections. This is an interesting point and as she relay’s it, is a product of our societies and real world communities. Maybe the invention of X-Box’s, PS3’s, and other technological inventions have hampered the way we communicate in the real world. Maybe, sometimes too much of a good thing (a.k.a. technology) can be bad. Children thirty years ago (or longer) were playing (and relatively safely I might add) outside, interacting with one another, scraping their knees, and figuring things out personally with one another in a real world environment. Now we seem to have a new way in which kids communicate…..ELECTRONICALLY. That’s not to say that there aren’t kids out there playing and figuring things out in the real world, but showing that there are far fewer of them.
Being a parent I can understand why our kids aren’t out playing in the streets anymore. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t help facilitate this though. Why do they need to be in a virtual community all the time? Perhaps they wouldn’t feel so isolated if they were to actively participate in the act of physical interaction. There is a lot to be said for actually being able to touch, taste, and feel what goes on in the real world. That’s why we have such a thing as real world or real life experiences. Not everything in the real world is gift wrapped and pretty as is often the case in virtual environments. I understand not everything is pretty in virtual communities either, but the perception that is cast upon us in places, such as Facebook, are snippets of people’s real lives, not their entirety.
Forgetting the previous ramble, let me talk about the barriers in people’s communities. There are barriers in any community. Whether one prescribes to this statement is purely up to them. The fact of the matter is that we all have pre-conceived notions and "walls" that we set in order to make us feel comfortable and safe. These "walls" are barriers that we utilize to let people in, or kick people out. They transcend as we grow older and gather more experience and knowledge.
These barriers don't only apply in our real world experiences. They often apply to our virtual communities as well. However, as stated earlier, some individuals let their "walls" down in virtual instances, when they may not do the same in their real life instances.
Personally, my most limiting "barrier" is "accepting friend invitations" from people I don't even know. Unless I know that we share some sort of common interest, I don't typically give them more than a second look. If I feel that we share some common interests I may "talk" to them, get to know what I like or dislike about them and make a decision accordingly. Sex-cam girls trying to be my friend....Why? What's the point when I can get the real thing? It's like drinking Coke. "It's the real thing." Sex-Cam girls aren't!!
I believe that literacy and competence go a long way in accessing virtual communities. They are the gateway to socio-status in real life and often virtual status as well. If you are able to be competent, abiding, and well spoken you are more likely to be received well in most communities, virtual and non-virtual.
But, as stated in Willson's essay, we're more likely to be ethically removed upon joining a virtual community since we have the capacity to disconnect at any point. Which really leads back full circle to why so many people are searching for fulfillment and virtual community in cyberspace.
My interactions in these communities don’t differ much (in terms of personal norms) from my conversations in a non-virtual environment. I “speak” much the same in written form as I would verbally speak in a real world environment.
It’s interesting to note how opportunities arise for individuals, in a variety of virtual environments, to act or behave in a different fashion than they would in real life or, in effect, become liberated in a way that they wouldn’t be in real life. While I can’t say that it hasn’t crossed my mind, I’ve found myself sticking to my norms when interacting with other individuals in a virtual environment.
I find it interesting to note that some individuals feel it necessary to express this liberating side of “who they’re not?” or “who they are?” Willson also touches on something right off the bat in her essay that tells us how people are increasingly feeling isolated and are looking for connections. This is an interesting point and as she relay’s it, is a product of our societies and real world communities. Maybe the invention of X-Box’s, PS3’s, and other technological inventions have hampered the way we communicate in the real world. Maybe, sometimes too much of a good thing (a.k.a. technology) can be bad. Children thirty years ago (or longer) were playing (and relatively safely I might add) outside, interacting with one another, scraping their knees, and figuring things out personally with one another in a real world environment. Now we seem to have a new way in which kids communicate…..ELECTRONICALLY. That’s not to say that there aren’t kids out there playing and figuring things out in the real world, but showing that there are far fewer of them.
Being a parent I can understand why our kids aren’t out playing in the streets anymore. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t help facilitate this though. Why do they need to be in a virtual community all the time? Perhaps they wouldn’t feel so isolated if they were to actively participate in the act of physical interaction. There is a lot to be said for actually being able to touch, taste, and feel what goes on in the real world. That’s why we have such a thing as real world or real life experiences. Not everything in the real world is gift wrapped and pretty as is often the case in virtual environments. I understand not everything is pretty in virtual communities either, but the perception that is cast upon us in places, such as Facebook, are snippets of people’s real lives, not their entirety.
Forgetting the previous ramble, let me talk about the barriers in people’s communities. There are barriers in any community. Whether one prescribes to this statement is purely up to them. The fact of the matter is that we all have pre-conceived notions and "walls" that we set in order to make us feel comfortable and safe. These "walls" are barriers that we utilize to let people in, or kick people out. They transcend as we grow older and gather more experience and knowledge.
These barriers don't only apply in our real world experiences. They often apply to our virtual communities as well. However, as stated earlier, some individuals let their "walls" down in virtual instances, when they may not do the same in their real life instances.
Personally, my most limiting "barrier" is "accepting friend invitations" from people I don't even know. Unless I know that we share some sort of common interest, I don't typically give them more than a second look. If I feel that we share some common interests I may "talk" to them, get to know what I like or dislike about them and make a decision accordingly. Sex-cam girls trying to be my friend....Why? What's the point when I can get the real thing? It's like drinking Coke. "It's the real thing." Sex-Cam girls aren't!!
I believe that literacy and competence go a long way in accessing virtual communities. They are the gateway to socio-status in real life and often virtual status as well. If you are able to be competent, abiding, and well spoken you are more likely to be received well in most communities, virtual and non-virtual.
But, as stated in Willson's essay, we're more likely to be ethically removed upon joining a virtual community since we have the capacity to disconnect at any point. Which really leads back full circle to why so many people are searching for fulfillment and virtual community in cyberspace.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cyberspace: Michael Benedikt
My impressions of this piece? Quite frankly, it was very difficult for me to hold interest in or soak in the information. The way that it was presented may have had something to do with it?
The first ten definitions of Cyberspace seemed to hold some sort of merit and viability. All of the defintions touched on things that many would consider to be Cyberspace. In reading these definitions I found myself identifying with various bits of each.
The rest of the information that was presented after the ten definitions, never seemed to end. It rambled on with a density that was far weightier than my brain wanted to process. Perhaps others in the class found it to be profound information. I found it to be a bunch of shall we say....blah, blah, blah... :-)
The first ten definitions of Cyberspace seemed to hold some sort of merit and viability. All of the defintions touched on things that many would consider to be Cyberspace. In reading these definitions I found myself identifying with various bits of each.
The rest of the information that was presented after the ten definitions, never seemed to end. It rambled on with a density that was far weightier than my brain wanted to process. Perhaps others in the class found it to be profound information. I found it to be a bunch of shall we say....blah, blah, blah... :-)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Some things you may want to know...or not! :-)
DTC 475 (First Post)
My name is Josh Cook. I'm divorced, have three awesome kids, a wonderful girlfriend, and a couple of "adopted kids". I currently work for a beverage distributor full time and am attending W.S.U. full time in order to earn a B.A. in D.T.C.
I'm an avid outdoorsman. I'm obsessed with hunting and fishing. I hunt just about everything (Deer, Waterfowl, Upland, Deer, Elk, etc...), but especially enjoy hunting wild turkey's and bowhunting deer. Being outdoors and pursuing game is my greatest passions other than my family and friends. I love feeling the adrenaline rush that it brings as well as the tranquility of being in nature. I recently started pursuing competitive duck calling....Gotta have something to do to keep "in shape" in the off season. When I'm not hunting I'm fishing mainly for salmon and steelhead. They're the fish that I usually eat the most of, so I almost exclusively concentrate my time and efforts targeting them.
I love being a Dad, but it is definately a full time job. My kids (Daughter 14, Daughter 10, and Son 9) are very active in sports, friends, and activities, so I'm constantly on the move. I'm very fortunate to have family and a girlfriend who help me out when I need it. My children are the joys and trials of my life. While all of my kids are very well mannered, they do have the tendancy to become erratic at times, but what kids doesn't. For most of you who are parents, you understand exactly where I'm coming from on this. For those of you who don't currently have children.....have some fun and live a bit before entering into kid-dom. :-)
Lets see...More about me....Hmmm.....
I'm almost 33
Have no life, since I'm working full time, going to school full time, and parenting.
Favorite Restraunts:
- Jackson's chicken wings (The sweet and tangy wings are awesome)
- Outback Steakhouse (I'm a big meat eater- Gotta have my steak - Med. Rare - and coconut shrimp...Love their salads there too...alwasy so fresh)
- Famous Daves (I love BBQ)
- Anthony's (FRESH seafood is a must- Something sitting around for 3 days or more doesn't appeal to me.)
- Bonefish (Bang Bang Shrimp....Yummy)
Favorite Sports To Watch(At least when I have time):
- Any M.M.A. or Cage fighting action
- Futbol (aka soccer)- English Premeir League
- Football - Usually only during the playoffs...
I enjoy a variety of wines (Dunhamn 2006 Trutina is one of my current favs) and beers (too many favorites to list), fast cars and beautiful women... ;-)
Really, I could keep going, but if you're that interested in chatting or getting to know me, I suppose you'll ask me the questions. ;-)
I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you better!
My name is Josh Cook. I'm divorced, have three awesome kids, a wonderful girlfriend, and a couple of "adopted kids". I currently work for a beverage distributor full time and am attending W.S.U. full time in order to earn a B.A. in D.T.C.
I'm an avid outdoorsman. I'm obsessed with hunting and fishing. I hunt just about everything (Deer, Waterfowl, Upland, Deer, Elk, etc...), but especially enjoy hunting wild turkey's and bowhunting deer. Being outdoors and pursuing game is my greatest passions other than my family and friends. I love feeling the adrenaline rush that it brings as well as the tranquility of being in nature. I recently started pursuing competitive duck calling....Gotta have something to do to keep "in shape" in the off season. When I'm not hunting I'm fishing mainly for salmon and steelhead. They're the fish that I usually eat the most of, so I almost exclusively concentrate my time and efforts targeting them.
I love being a Dad, but it is definately a full time job. My kids (Daughter 14, Daughter 10, and Son 9) are very active in sports, friends, and activities, so I'm constantly on the move. I'm very fortunate to have family and a girlfriend who help me out when I need it. My children are the joys and trials of my life. While all of my kids are very well mannered, they do have the tendancy to become erratic at times, but what kids doesn't. For most of you who are parents, you understand exactly where I'm coming from on this. For those of you who don't currently have children.....have some fun and live a bit before entering into kid-dom. :-)
Lets see...More about me....Hmmm.....
I'm almost 33
Have no life, since I'm working full time, going to school full time, and parenting.
Favorite Restraunts:
- Jackson's chicken wings (The sweet and tangy wings are awesome)
- Outback Steakhouse (I'm a big meat eater- Gotta have my steak - Med. Rare - and coconut shrimp...Love their salads there too...alwasy so fresh)
- Famous Daves (I love BBQ)
- Anthony's (FRESH seafood is a must- Something sitting around for 3 days or more doesn't appeal to me.)
- Bonefish (Bang Bang Shrimp....Yummy)
Favorite Sports To Watch(At least when I have time):
- Any M.M.A. or Cage fighting action
- Futbol (aka soccer)- English Premeir League
- Football - Usually only during the playoffs...
I enjoy a variety of wines (Dunhamn 2006 Trutina is one of my current favs) and beers (too many favorites to list), fast cars and beautiful women... ;-)
Really, I could keep going, but if you're that interested in chatting or getting to know me, I suppose you'll ask me the questions. ;-)
I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you better!
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