Texting In The Gym

Its one thing if you're listening to music, but texting at the gym is something that I find completely absurd. Why on earth should you be on your phone when you're supposed to be exercising?! Going to the gym should be about you, and nobody else. A time to blow off steam and block all outside distractions. Ive seen people even as far as walking on the treadmill while texting. Seems a bit counterproductive if you ask me. I feel as though people who post things about going to the gym on social network don't even go to the gym they just do it for the attention. Where can we draw the line and come to grips with the fact that at some points in our day we should put the phone down and focus on ourselves for a bit. You really can't be getting that good of a workout if you're in the middle of a text conversation.

As convient as it may be to always have your cell phone with you at all times I believe that there comes a time where we should put the phone down and do what it is we intended to do. I see it in myself when I am in the process of writing a paper. Why on earth must I check my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook constantly watching the same news feed pop up. Its absurd and distracting. However we must learn to train ourselves that there needs to be alone time without our phones to accomplish what is it we want todo. Below are some memes I found online that I thought were funny. Hope I'm not the only one noticing this tradegy!

Too Big To Know

"The smartest person in the room is the room itself"- David Weinberger

When all information is easily attainable, who in the end holds the knowledge? The room itself (computers), act as an encyclopedia of all there is to know at any given time of the day. So where does this leave us? We are the connectors of information, the link necessary to take the knowledge and make connections with it. Without the capabilities to do so what good would knowledge have? Everyone is at a level playing field having the insight to follow a trail of information that leads us into further discussion. Now with the ability to search anything at any given time we can better our path of knowledge and focus on the speed of ideas in a more in depth manner.

However, is anyone agreeing on anything? Now that new information paths are being discovered new topics arise only confusing the idea of truth. With the unlimited amount of information you are able to find on the internet we have now found ourselves in a place where a lot of people agree with something and a lot of people disagree. How does this change the definition of truth? This confusing state that we are currently in will only expand as technology increasing and old habits phase out. By having the smartest person in the room be the room itself leaves us with a array of connections and ideas being processed by the people able to access them.

Twitter On The T.V.

Okay, so don't judge me but I just got done watching the new episode of Naked and Afraid on the Discovery Channel and I never realized how much Twitter is incorporated in T.V. Throughout the entire show tweets were popping up commenting about the show. Twitter users posted questions and they were answered at the end of the show. It was interesting to see the development of hashtags people would come up with to describe certain aspects of the show.  So many people had something to say I was extremely surprised! Ive seen it in other shows but never really realized how important this could be. Producers get a real life view into the customers opinion of the show and are able to communicate with people. Having this aspect makes T.V. interactive and allows people to make better connections better their experience. Only validating the integration of technology within society. Its basically seen everywhere now! Below shows an example of a typical tweet that would show up during the show.

Summer Vibes

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Heres Vampire Weekend playing their song "Bryn". A summertime vibe for a snowy kind of night. Seems as though this winter is going to last forever!!! When will it end ? If you haven't heard of Vampire Weekend you should totally check them out. The singer/songwriter Ezra Koenig graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English. His ability to craft thought provoking lyrics while also containing their "preppy" pop sound sets them apart from the rest. Here they are seen at the Reading Festival in 2009. They recently have received a grammy for best alternative album this year.

Its How We Receive It

Clay Shirky's "Here Comes Everybody" dives deep into the realm of social interaction and stands as an eye-opening piece of gold for our current generation. He breaks the system down,turns it around, then leaves us with a paradox of whether or not this 24/7 social networking is a good or bad thing? This need to communicate is primal however the level of how much of it is what needs to be re-evaluated. Being connected at any second of the day can be a very useful tool times and makes some tasks seem a lot easier.

The ability to reach the masses is displayed though various mediums of social network, however its interesting to see where else these systems have changed. Shirky explains "We can see signs of this in many places: the music industry, for one, is still reeling from the discovery that the reproduction and distribution of music, previously a valuable service, is now something their customers can do for themselves", an amazing connection between the way in which we communicate and how one can have a say for themselves. Its almost as if the curtain was revealed. Only technology and the internet made it. What is the saying for, just about everything? If we are able to cut the middle man out and heighten success, why not?

One thing that comes to mind when his book is the recent evaporation of movie theaters and movie rental places. Once a popular commodity, now meaningless due to the avialiblilty of either downloading the movie from the internet, or watching it on an iPad or Smart TV. They way in which we receive information is changing at a rapid pace. Our ability to communicate has been heightened to extreme levels. Clay Shirkys work has been not only a look into the future, but allows us to think about our selves and whether or not this social network as we know it is good or bad thing. It is up to us to make those decisions and provide the future with some form of balance.

Left Field

Music is regional and depending on where it comes from will sometimes influence its sound. Looking at music in comparison to where it is being made allows us to make connections to other artists in that particular area. LA's music scene is unlike others such as NYC or even Atlanta. However as popular as all these cities are, only some hold the spotlight for a small amount of time before quickly changing again. As of right now in the "electronic music world", Australia's music scene is heightened its impact to new levels.

Here we see an interview with Australia's current most popular artist Flume. This footage gives reasoning as to why he thinks his music is gaining popularity and how Australia is playing a part in it. Flume describes his sound and  explains his story as to how he came into success. This  "new sound"  as Flumes record label Future Classic's puts it is whats shining the light down on the newly popular cities of Sydney, as well as Melbourne.


 

Heres another clip showcasing Wave Racer, another example of Australia's "new sound". Wave Racer is one of the many new artists gaining popularity in electronic music culture and is easy to understand how he got signed to Future Classic record company. His sound is similar to Flume and you can easily make out just what all the hype is about. Nothing crazy, just pop music with a new flare!

Some Cool Music

Dillion Francis	Masta Blasta, Bootleg Fireworks (Rebirth)
Hucci	House Party, Vanish
Loudpvck	Mystica, Shakedown
Disclosure	F For You, When A Fire Starts To Burn
Flume	Holdin On, Slasher

Some electronic music that I enjoy. Check em out and let me know what you think! If you know who these people are we should be best friends like, now.

Reflection of Selfe

Cynthia L. Selfe's Technology and Literacy in the Twenty-First Century examines the importance technology has in our society and why it is up to us to use it properly. Technology is at its highest peak right now and has a hold on the way in which we interact with one another. Studying this aspect of literacy is important and will only better the way we communicate in the long run. Selfe states "By paying critical attention to lessons about technology, we can re-learn important lessons about literacy". This notion of "re-learning" is in my opinion most important for our generation to take notice of and apply it to the future.

It makes sense that something so powerful such as the internet is going to have its downfalls. However, its up to us to make sure we take the necessary steps in using it effectively. Like every new development it takes some time to become fully integrated within the "everyday" swing of things. 

Everything that is now old was once new. This process of development has always been a factor within our society that has continually shaped the way in which society works. Things need to be updated. New functions are created to fill voids where "old ideas" just don't cut it anymore and need to become a "new idea". Selfe poses great examples as to why it is important to literacy that technology must be examined. Even in 1999 were these aspects of technology were questioned. There needs to be an updated version of the way we look at things.

Twitter Backlash

The interview between Piers Morgan and Janet Mock titled "From Boy To A Girl" was completely blown out of proportion. Piers Morgan is a victim of social network. What enrages me the most was the fact that Mock posted a picture of them at the interview as a means of advertising. Following her post was a series of hate mail aimed at Piers. In my opinion I feel as though Mock knew what she was up to.  After learning of the attention she could grab with Piers non-malicios comment, she quickly exploited Piers bringing her new book to the forefront.

Twitter is becoming a great way to promote business and Janet Mock is using it to her advantage. As for Piers Morgan, his reputation was significantly damaged by this act of hate mail over social network. The many followers that both Janet and Piers have now been forced to read of this "mistake" and whether or not they know who these people are, their reputation has been hurt.

We must learn to use twitter in more productive ways and observe that these "tweets" have more impact then you think. A misunderstanding of words has led threatening and negative posts towards Piers Morgan. Its unnecessary and could have been easily avoided.

Making Connections

Brummett and Emig state valid theoretical standpoints that don't necessarily aim their targets at technology. Taking what we have learned and applying it to modern aspects can be tricky, but has obvious relevancy in a course about writing in a digital age. Brummets take on truth and how it can be discovered is being changed through digital media. Over time they way in which we communicate and determine what is actual truth is almost always being redefined. Technology features a new way to communicate that we may or may not realize at first.

Words as we know them can have different meaning as time goes on. Tons of new words are always being implemented and from technology we are being bombarded with the most updated version of them. Acronyms as well as slang words are seen within our age of technology and have created a bigger impact then you may have thought.

As for discovering the truth, how we come to understand these new developments is where our society must take responsibility and guide media towards new aged reality. All works of media have changed the way we think about the world whether we like it or not. Truth is in existence, and through rhetoric its image becomes distorted. This image is what is exactly what Brummet and Emig seek to define. However, with the implementation of modern technology, rhetoric is seen throughout its many forms of social media. Its impact is huge, and is important to a writing in a digital age class to fill in the gaps between the "old" and the new".

Technology and Music

Technology has played an enormous role in the lives of musicians since Mozart centered his success around the newly invented piano. When new technology surfaces, aspects of the music industry change and develop along side of it. Throughout history we see how this affects the music industry as we observe the fads that come and go with it. However, in this day in age, music has become available for almost anyone who can work a phone or get on the internet.

My entire reasoning behind getting a Twitter stems from music and the accessibility it gives me. Twitter has allowed me to know exactly what is on the cutting edge, as soon as it is delivered. Every artist has a twitter and is constantly posting updates with new songs or current tour dates. Being able to hash tag and post links to other sites has made the "twitter game" a necessity for every up and coming artist.

Not only does Twitter allow us to be connected with their music, we are connected with them as people. Being able to send a 140 character text with the band or singer you newly found, is brand new and is innovative. The connection we make with the artist is the inspiration we need to go the extra mile, and click the link to listen to the cutting edge.

As we see in the diagram above people who are using Twitter as a means of staying connected, have all gone out of their way to actually buy their music rather then non-tweeters. Twitter is helping the music industry while also bringing it new ideas for marketing. Twitter is essential to the music industry and it leads way to new aspects of technology where music can develop.

The Medium is The Massage

Theres no doubt about it that the media within our society has some control over our brains, but to a certain extent. Being ignorant and naive is one thing, but standing back while they consume our thoughts is a path we are trying to avoid. The Medium is The Massage written by Marshall McLuchan is a collage styled picture book that has no intentions of leaving us "untouched, unaffected, and unaltered". 

 "All media work us over completely" 

There is no escaping the media. In all forms, shapes, and sizes its coming down the tube and into our brains whether we like it or not. While reading through I immediately connected to the MTV show "The Jersey Shore". Everybody loved it while at the same time despised it for its unimaginable level of absurdity. However, we watched it. It was disturbing and has left us asking why? How was it possible that media was able to pull and stunt like that and project these people onto the big screen?

Media has more control then you think. McLuchan's book gives us the answers to these questions and exposes the unseen.

Knowing The Medium is The Massage was first published in 1967 and still rings truth within our society now then when it was written, is saying something. This process of being "worked over" is not knew and has been going on for a very long time. Some people are just too blind to recognize it. However, for the people living above a rock… this won't be too hard of a task.

The Damage Is Done

The damage has been done people! There is no use in complaining about the evolution of technology when its constantly changing. Everyone has their own opinion, but whats wrong with seeing new development? This groundbreaking technology we see today is not "bad" as many would put it, but allow us to see a new light of what is to come of how we interact within society. To many this aspect of change comes to a surprise and in some way or another has instilled fear in the select few who aren't on board with the program yet.

In Mike Masnick's article "Did Pencils Make Us Dumber", the presence of fear being instilled upon us is explored. It seems as though the ones who can't keep up with the times are the ones who have experienced this opression.

 "Often, it just seems to be a fear that there will be more competition and more innovation, and the old-timers are afraid they're not equipped or able to keep up."

The "old timers" as Mike puts it describes the people who just don't get it. They can't grasp their heads around the fact that at one point in their time so called "new technology" has been now long outdated or  the technology is updated to foreign concepts. However, this does not make them "bad". Either you bet of fold, the choice is yours whether you want to explore innovative ways of modern day communication or live life in the past.

"back when we had stone tablets, one mistake could destroy a month of chipping. Someone then figured out how to make crude paint and a month of work then took a few days. You bet ya the stone tablet maker was pissed off at that one too."- Anonymous Coward