“A new media object is not something fixed once and for all, but something that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions.”

This quote was the one that stood out to me from Lev Manovich’s discussion of Variability in this reading. It captures how new media is apart from traditional media. Unlike old media, which produced static, identical copies such as printed books or photographs, new media allows for constant changing and personalization. This flexibility is something I see often through apps, and digital platforms, especially social media platforms that adjust their content based on user interests and preferences.

One example of this variability is social media feeds. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok present different versions of the same app to every user, with content tailored by algorithms which are set to the person’s interest making it harder for them to draw their attention away. Basically, no two feeds are the same, making the experience uniquely personal. This reflects the idea that digital objects are no longer static, instead, they evolve based on user interaction such as likes and comments and how often a person shares related posts on TikTok.

Manovich also highlights how variability connects to modularity, which is the idea that individual media elements can be rearranged or customized without affecting the whole. A clear example of this is how customizable websites or digital art platforms allow users to manipulate layouts, images, and colors, creating entirely new versions without rewriting the entire structure, just like my blog for this New Media Arts class on a blogs site that was created by Baruch College, where I was able to do exactly that. Not much, but I am able to choose layouts and customize features of my blog’s visuals.

Overall this principle of variability places an importance in the dynamic nature of digital culture, it shows how digital culture is always changing. It challenges the idea of “finished” products and instead embraces the constant evolution of media, offering endless possibilities for creativity and personalization.