Dichotomy [dahy-kot–uh-mee]

a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

In the #GamerGate Files: Misogyny in the Media, GamerGate is described as a culture war for the soul of the gaming industry. That there is a dichotomy of casual vs. hardcore gamers.

The above picture seems to be an advertisement by ASUS on their Transformer Book Flip. As you can see the big bright text of, “What kind of gamer are you?” It gives you 2 options: either a hardcore gamer or a casual gamer. What makes this media piece great is the fact how the gender roles that play between both titles. There is a male illustrated as a “hardcore” gamer and a female illustrated as a “casual” gamer.

In the gaming community there is always a dichotomy between gamers either being hardcore or casual. When you are a female, you are automatically labeled as being a casual gamer. As seen on this media piece, it represents that women are automatically labeled as casual gamers. They are described as being not knowledgeable to what the Ring of Death is to how pristine their keyboard is. It is absolutely ridiculous! It is labeled as being sexist.

I feel that who cares for these “titles”, many people enjoy video games. The difference is how difficult the game is and how much people wanna dedicate their time to the game. It is either you are playing The Sims or even playing Overwatch. It doesn’t matter with the labels, it’s really how much you dedicate to the game and time people are really willing to put in it.

The importance is that people are having fun and that video games can bring people together and closer. 

Females aren’t all casual gamers, and I know females that do compete in tournaments themselves. Practicing and matching their male counterparts, does that make them hardcore or casual gamers? No, they simply do it for the love of the game and as for their enjoyment.

 

The term cultural appropriation involves the use of one culture’s characteristics by a group or individual who does not belong to that specific culture.

 

Racism is more widely talked about than cultural appropriation, but cultural appropriation can be considered a part of racism. For example, the most widely talked about case of cultural appropriation in this past year was with Kylie Jenner and Zendaya. Kylie Jenner had dreads, and because she is white, Zendaya called her out on cultural appropriation saying Kylie is simply just stealing black culture and trying to make it work.

 

The idea of cultural appropriation is widely looked down upon in our society because many people do not understand why copying the style of another culture is a problem. People don’t see it as an issue because they are showing their appreciation for the initial culture with the idea. Black culture has a problem with it because in our society the media tells everyone that white people steal other’s cultures and that they look better than those who originally obtained whatever characteristic it was.

 

 

I chose this video because not only did it happen recently, but it is a type of cultural appropriation that we can all understand. I actually found it on YouTube after reading about this incident in The New York Times when it occurred.  Was Marc Jacob in the wrong? Should he have just used black models instead of white?

 

I also chose this video because I think it really worked well with Andrew McGill’s article, “Why White People Don’t Use White Emoji.” However, in this instance, instead of talking about different shades of emojis, we are talking about different hairstyles. In the article, McGill talks about how Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow “debated whether white people can use darker skin tones when sending emoji, or if that amounts to cultural appropriation” (7). To sum up their debate, Sow stated, “I don’t think it should be weird. It’s like, who cares?” (10)

 

So…Is it appropriate for other cultures to adopt black hairstyles for fashion? And do you agree with Sow about emojis? Is it okay for white people to use an emoji that doesn’t represent their own specific shade? Why and why not?

Multitasking – Being engaged in more than one activity at the same time (for instance, using social media while watching television)

The act of multitasking has been around for quite some time now and is by no means a new concept. However, digital communication has certainly changed the way we multitask keeping us constantly plugged into all forms of media. We have conditioned ourselves to be on the lookout for cues such as blinking lights, vibrations, or popups. Once we see these signs, we quickly drop what we are doing to take a look. Upon doing so, we lose sight of whatever it was we were doing in the first place.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdpQir1sqiQ]

Multitasking in the Real World

The video above shows one of the most common piece of technology today that connects us to all forms of social media ranging from email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Regardless of whatever the holder of the phone appears to be doing at the time, they have lost sight of it and is only focused on their phone. This can lead to inefficiencies such as for people distracted while working. It can also be dangerous such as for people running, biking, or driving while not fully paying attention. It can also lead to people losing out on human interactions in the scenario of people eating together and being on their phone for the whole time. In “Why a leading professor of new media just banned technology use in class”, Valerie Strauss makes a strong point explaining, “…hardware and software is being professionally designed to distract…” (Strauss). Because of the functions and goals of the apps and other creations, we are compelled to pay attention to them so long as we choose to stay connected.

In regards to education and learning, technology can be a great resource and tool for us to use, giving us access to information in a very convenient manner. However, at the same time it can be a great distraction leading us to never fully commit to one task. It is crucial to know when to isolate yourself and work only on one thing. It is important to keep your eyes on the prize and focus on the goal.

So long as you decide to just focus on learning and disconnect from potential methods of multitasking distraction, you can take full advantage of technology with minimal drawbacks!

Information Cascades– happen when people post or otherwise voice their opinions in a sequence. If the first expression of opinion forms a pattern, then it can alter following people’s opinions (Page 32 Lynch)

In other words… “Following the Crowd” 

Information Cascades occur when a person makes a decision or choice based on the observations of others while ignoring their own personal information and understandings. In our digital society, posting or voicing our opinions allows people to influence others without directly speaking to someone. Particularly in the digital age, it is likely that when something major trends or a controversial event happens people will share their opinions in the form of a post to their “followers” or to anybody with access to their posts if it is public. This tends to happen on Twitter when individuals are able to “hashtag” and link trending topics to their “Tweets.”  This expression of opinion is not solicited by followers but rather given independently. However, it still has the ability to affect a person reading’s opinion about the topic despite how they may feel personally. We call this Internet Cascades. Internet cascades happen when people tend to follow the crowd rather than following their own opinions and understanding of information.

Twitter in particular experiences numerous Internet Cascades and allows for individuals to view the opinions of others with ease often creating a trending reaction. Information Cascade has the potential of people to make decisions due to other people only by their observable actions, not the objective facts.

Examples:

One example in particular of a movement on Twitter and other social media accounts that spread quickly was the controversial posts that caused other people to then post and react to the opinions of those they were “following” or “friends” with on social media was the debate over the Black and Blue or Gold and White Dress. Twitter in particular exploded as a result and quickly it appeared that the more people commented on their opinions of the dress the more people felt that they too needed to share their opinion of the color of the dress. Regardless of whether they may have cared if it were an isolated event, people saw Twitter exploding with opinions that then influenced their opinion and need to share it with the world. Celebrities, politicians, and even mainstream media erupted over the dress. People questioned themselves if they should post the dress on their social media to express their opinions or whether to agree or disagree with the people about the dress. People were questioning the color of the dress and chose to comment by sharing their opinion. This controversy went viral while people on the internet questioned the true color of the dress. This internet controversy is only one of the many information cascades that have occurred.

http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/03/02/468704888/combing-through-41-million-tweets-to-show-how-blacklivesmatter-exploded

It appears that more and more with the use of social media topics begin to trend and movements begin to grow as a result of our reading another individuals post. Information cascades happen everywhere and with the easy access to people’s opinions thanks to social media forums such as Twitter, we may be more exposed to them than we know.

The term Google-Knowing stands for the process in which you search for an answer on Google and find it  within seconds, ultimately “knowing” the answer to the question.

Today, we can find pretty much anything we want to know within 10 seconds by doing a simple Google search. By finding the answers to these questions so quickly we do not necessarily understand, or actually “know” the reasoning behind the answer. Finding an answer quickly is great, but understanding the concepts behind that answer is what matters the most.

In his article, Lynch says; “Speed is the most obvious distinguishing characteristic of how we know now. Google-knowing is fast. Yet as my exercise brings home, this speed is so dramatic that it does more than just save time.” (P.23, Lynch). I absolutely loved this quote from the reading. The idea is so simple yet makes you think about questions you never would have asked yourself before. The real question i have is, is it bad that we find our answers so quickly on Google, without truly understanding the answer you have found? Could this be a contributor to our general laziness and lack of attention span?

Lynch goes on to say, “We can essentially no longer operate without it. I Google-know every day, and I’m sure you do too” (P.25, Lynch). One way or another, people use Google to find information because it is efficient. Sure, you could go to the library and spend all day reading articles dating back to the beginning of time, but searching for something on Google to find the general answer is good enough for most people.

Ultimately, i think that google is an incredible tool if used correctly. We are able to locate a plethora of information on the web, but simply finding an answer does not mean that you have actually “learned” anything. Knowledge is power, intelligence is key (DJ Khaled Voice). Stay hungry my friends!

JW

Rituals of Speaking

In the article “The Problem of Speaking for Others”, Linda Alcoff defines the idea of “Ritauls of speaking” as “discursive practices of speaking or writing that involve not only the text or utterance but their position within a social space including the persons involved in, acting upon, and/or affected by the words” (Page 12).

Moreover, my understanding of this key term is that it is not necessarily about the information being expressed, but more about the position of the person speaking along with their audience.

For example, the President of the United States is someone who we should fully confide in. When he is giving a speech to the public he is in a position of power and authority where everyone surrounding him can trust what he is saying to be true. Of course everyone has their own opinions, however the president is someone who is treated with immense respect and honor and therefore, his words are meaningful and leave great impact on his followers.

In terms of technology, Barak Obama is all over the internet. His speeches are broadcasted through major news channels and he expresses his ideas and thoughts through major digital sites like facebook and twitter. Above is a tweet that came from Barak Obama’s twitter page expressing his ideas on Climate Change.

Another example where position and location impacts ones ability to get a point across is someone like Kylie Jenner. Kylie Jenner advertises her cosmetics through all kinds of social media like Instagram, Snap Chat and Twitter. Although she may not hold the same authority as the president of the united states, she has a huge impact on her fans and people who are interested in her products. Below is a youtube video of Kylie presenting her new Kyshadow pallette as she similarly advertises for and broadcasts through snap chat  as well.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKrJWqrCh-U

As you can see, “Rituals of Speaking” does not necessarily have to do with the content or material being presented as much as the location and position that the speaker holds. Both Barak Obama and Kylie Jenner hold positions of power in a way where an audience can be inspired by Kylie’s cosmetics and strive to look a certain way, or be and motivated stand politically with Obamas ideas. Either way there is a compelling argument or significant idea being expressed by a person of significance to their audience.

Term: Communication

Definition

Transmission View of Communication: Communication is the transmission of signals or messages over distance for the purpose of control

• Terms: “imparting”, “sending”, “transmitting”, or “giving information to other”

Ritual View of Communication: Communication is directed not toward the extension of messages in space but toward the maintenance of society in time

• Terms: “sharing”, “participation”, “association”, “fellowship”, and “possession of a common faith”

Media/Media Analysis

The transmission view of communication is the definition of communication that comes to most people’s minds. The Shannon Weaver Model of Communication illustrates the idea of transmission communication. In the communication process model, the sender transmits information or message over a certain distance through a communication channel to a receiver in a different destination.  Although the transmission view of communication has remained the same, the introduction of digital media and technology has made this communication process more efficient. Improvements in communication channels have allowed the communication process to become quicker and more convenient. A great example is international communication. My parents immigrated to America from Taiwan and have many family members or friends back in Taiwan. In the past, there were significantly less options to contact people in other countries. In order to communicate with family and friends back home, my parents would usually mail letters or use international calling cards. With the introduction of new technologies such the Internet and social media, information can be disseminated in real-time in an instant. Now, my parents can communicate through instant messages or video chat. Although the transmission view of communication remains the same – a sender is still transmitting information to a receiver, we are now able to disseminate more information faster than ever and more conveniently.

The ritual view of communication is the less known definition of communication. It is described as a representation of shared beliefs and draws people together in fellowship. Although the ritual view of communication is referred to as archaic, it can be still be applied to many different digital media platforms and online communities today. The ritual view of communication can be seen in social media sites such as Twitter. Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that allows the establishment and maintenance of social interactions. Twitter users are allowed to share their opinions and ideas as well as participate in discussion through tweets. People can also participate in conservations by re-tweeting or favoriting tweets. In addition, users can build associations and fellowship through the process of following other accounts. Furthermore, Twitter stayed updated on trending and popular topics. Overall, Twitter draws people from all over the world together and fosters online community.

Artificial Intelligence (abrv. AI, A.I.) – the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.

Start at around 0:40 seconds.

 

Artificial intelligence is a relatively new concept that scientists and the general public alike have struggled with. Considering the fact that the ability of a piece of advanced machinery to act autonomously is only something humans have just been able to accomplish, the ethics behind AI is a huge grey area. Ava, the AI in Ex Machina, can be programmed to accommodate an individual’s personality, even going as far as to include their sexual preferences. Ava is able to manipulate Caleb into developing an emotional attachment to her. Even though he knows she is not living, he ends up feeling bad for Ava and the isolated, solitary state she is forced to live in. This type of AI is very dangerous because it is able to process emotion and can even be targeted toward an individual’s specific tendencies. In other words, if an individual has a fear, weakness, phobia or other behavioral tendency, the AI has a huge degree of leverage over that individual.

Ex Machina is a great example of AI in the most extreme case, and when compared to Sony’s AIBO, the robotic dog really does just seem like a toy. The main difference is what is described in the film as the Turing test. The Turing test is successfully completed when a person is unable to distinguish a machine’s answers from those of a real, living human. At this point the machine would be regarded as having artificial intelligence. This is exactly the level of unpredictability that Turkle refers to in her chapter on Sony’s AIBO.

Most users of AIBO enjoy it because it is consistent in it’s emotion responses, and will repeat the exact same reactions based if exposed to the same stimuli. It is in the classical sense of the word, a robot. On the other hand, a certain degree of ‘realness’ is ascertained when AI gets to the advanced stage such that is Ava. Ava is capable of reading micro-expressions in the face which indicate emotion in the same way a person would. When AI becomes smart to enough to learn language fluently, to have a sense of self and of others, a whole new can of worms is opened. It is no longer a novelty but a semi-sentient being, which requires a new code of ethics to be introduced, one that is yet to be developed. In my opinion, super-intelligent AI will become dangerous when it is more widely available. When the day comes that private individuals can purchase a robot that can interact and behave like a human, I can only imagine the kinds of foul-play that could go on…

Diminished Substitutes– “The degree with which we are using technology as a replacement for face-to-face communication”

This scene is an excellent example of the phrase: diminish substitute. There are certainly right and wrong ways to letting go an employee. In this scene Natalie, Ryan’s mentee, tries out the new method of video conferencing in order to lay off employees. Ryan’s company is testing this method in order to cut the cost of their employees traveling. The company was trying to make video chat firing at best, a crude substitute for in person firing. As seen in the video, this was a clear mistake! As Simone Weil states, “Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”

Without being face-to-face, Natalie is avoiding making emotional contact with the employee. By making the use of video conferencing as a means to communicate to the employee, they overlooked the employee’s feelings. Natalie later quits her job after a woman committed suicide. She realized that the company’s mission statement and vision does not coincide with her personally.

At such an emotional time in each of the employees that are being
laid off, they need that individual attention, deep concern, or a sense of worth. Firing someone requires the hard work of emotional and genuine compassion and using video chatting as a means of firing someone does the opposite. Even when firing an employee, there needs to be every possible effort to preserve the employee’s dignity.

One of the worst things that can be done to a person is to take away their job. It dehumanizes a procedure that is quite inhuman to begin with. Doing it face to face does not relinquish some of the pain, but it does make it more intimate and is one small gesture that can help the employee walk away with some dignity. By accepting the means of firing someone over video chat, eventually we also become diminished substitutes. As Jonathan Safran Foer puts it “Technology celebrates connectedness, but encourages retreat.”