Summary:
Internet in China has become one of the largest, high-tech efforts of censorship to date. There are an estimated 30,000 internet police who monitor all forms of web traffic and e-mail.
The experience found on Chinese Internet is profoundly different than that we are accustomed to. At every turn there is the shadow of “big brother” and the government’s censorship programs. This is evidenced by the banning of websites that are clearly informational such as the BBC and Wikipedia. A government official could only offer that the inability to reach the BBC online was a “technical problem”. The government has not stopped to merely censor the material available to its users. Amnesty International is aware of 64 Chinese people imprisoned for offenses such as signing petitions and communicating with foreign organizations. Steps are also being taken to censor the Internet physically. Internet cafes are all state-licensed and are required to conduct surveillance on users.
This article was of particular interest because it gave many brief examples of how the Chinese government is controlling the Internet. I agreed with the author on all points. It seems that he has fully supported all claims with undeniable evidence. Furthermore, this evidence has been backed up by numerous other articles I have found while researching the topic.
Although lacking details, I will probably use this article as a starting point for sub-topics to look into. The last section dealing with circumventing and resisting censorship was largely unhelpful, because at the moment I don’t plan to deal with these issues in my paper. One question that remains for me is how the US Internet differs from its Chinese counterpart. Are we truly as safe as we believe?
Quotes:
“…Chinese netizens find themselves surfing in the shadow of the world’s most sophisticated censorship machine, which is now more menacing than ever.”
“If you say anything against the government we’ve got to delete it, no exception, because it’s a forum, it’s a public place. If the government finds anything against them in the forum, that will jeopardise the company.”
“With 56 ethnic minorities, we can’t risk one slandering another.”
1. Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BCE. Translated by Benjamin Jowett
Summary:
-Technology/Writing makes people less than human.
Thesis:
-”…this discover of yours…[writing]…will create forgetfulness into the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories..” (29)
Evidence:
-Farmer/Seeds
-Story of Amen/Amen’s judgment
Style/Argument:
-form vs. content [speaking vs. writing]
-Pan’s story = wants internal truth reflected externally [writing hides truth]
Interests/Dislikes:
-allegorical short stories within narrative
-hard to follow who is speaking because of form
Questions:
-Does writing actually make us less than human, or more?
-Wouldn’t writing allow us to remember a lot more things?
Agreements:
-writing hides truth, and allows ignorant to be mislead
-technology takes away from human’s natural essence
Disagreements:
-writing will actually allow us to remember more
Project Incorporation:
-Covers Pros/Cons of technology
Quotes:
-”O King, here is something that once learned, will make the Egyptians wiser and will improve their memory…” (29)
-”…this discover of yours…[writing]…will create forgetfulness into the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories..” (29)
2. Christopher J. Newfield. “Where’s my Flying Car?” text of May 4, 2006 Speech presented at the launch for the Center for Nanotechnology in Society, Santa Barbara, California.
Summary:
-Nanotechnologies may drastically enhance human existence, but we must be careful and think before they are made public.
Thesis:
-Man is intellectually capable of creating any form of technology they choose, however, cultural and social factors, such as murder, war, disrespect, and ignorance prevent any futuristic high-tech utopian society from ever being achieved. Right now, our fate is in the hands of these latter, lesser powers, but it is up to humanity itself to overcome “cultural dumbness” and use our greater power of technology to preserve our existence, and not ensure its termination.
Evidence:
-Los Angeles freeways, population, traffic, pollution
-hydrogen fuel cells, the Manhattan Project for atomic bomb
Style/Argument:
-Science fiction examples vs. real life situations
Interests/Dislikes:
-good comparisons to science fiction and real life situations
-comparisons to science fiction may not be valid in real world
Questions:
-If we all suffer from cultural dumbness how can we overcome it?
-Who is the final judge on what is ethically right and whose opinion is right?
Agreements:
-it is true that all these inventions are destroying our planet faster
Disagreements:
-don’t know how valid the “cultural dumbness” claim is
Project Incorporation:
-Another piece on the pros and cons of technology with more modern examples
Quotes:
-”…a new society is not only the effect of technological enhancement, but its cause…” (2)
3. Richard P. Feynman. There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom: An Invitation to enter a New Field of Physics. Engineering and Science. February 1960.
Summary:
-A talk on manipulating and controlling things on a small scale, first introduction into nanotechnology given as a speech and later published
Thesis:
-Controlling things on a small scale
Evidence:
-computer circuits
-biological machinery
Style/Argument:
-Speech with vivid examples and lot’s of optimism
Interests/Dislikes:
-first man to envision field of nanotechnology
-so old it’s almost out of touch with modern times
Agreements:
-controlling matter at atomic scale has valuable applications
Disagreements:
-it won’t be as easy as this guy makes it seem
Project Incorporation:
-first discussion of field of nanotechnology
-good historical and practical examples
Quotes:
-”But I am not afraid to consider the final question as to whether, ultimately—in the great future—we can arrange the atoms the way we want; the very atoms, all the way down! What would happen if we could arrange the atoms one by one the way we want them (within reason, of course; you can’t put them so that they are chemically unstable, for example).
4. K. Eric Drexler. Molecular engineering: An approach to the development of general capabilities for molecular manipulation. Proc Vol. 78, No. 9, pp. 5275-5278, September 1981 Chemistry section. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
Summary/Thesis:
-Being able to design specific protein molecules will open up a pathway to design complex atomic scale machines.
Evidence:
-complex protein
-cellular machinery
Style/Argument:
-academic journal article citing references and giving examples
Interests/Dislikes:
-building precise atomic scale machines has many applications
-applications in mind may take along time to figure out
Questions:
-How much money will all this research cost?
Agreements:
-Being able to build specific proteins will give insight into molecular engineering
Disagreements:
-who knows what kind of ethical implications this research entails
Project Incorporation:
-first publication on nanotechnology, examples of applications
Quotes:
-”Development of the ability to design protein molecules will, by analogy between features of natural macromolecules and components of existing machines, make possible the construction of molecular machines.”
5. Ralph C. Merkle. It’s a Small, Small, Small, Small World. MIT Technology Review. February/March 1997.
Summary:
-This paper first addresses what molecular machines could look like and how long it could take to build them. Then it discusses some possible experimental paths to follow.
Thesis:
-In this paper we’ll first address the question of what molecular manufacturing systems could look like, and then consider how to build them given our current technology. This second question involves not only a consideration of current experimental triumphs and how they might be extended, but also the definition of intermediate goals and systems.
Evidence:
-self assembly, DNA, biological replication with molecular machinery
-diamonds, stiffness, strong materials
Interests:
-well thought out and described examples of applications
Agreements:
-may be a while before we envision truly remarkable nanotechnology
Project Incorporation:
-Thorough introduction and overview of nanotechnology
Quotes:
-”Like the first human landing on the moon, the Manhattan project or the development of the modern computer the development of molecular manufacturing will require the coordinated efforts of many people for many years.”
6. Ralph C. Merke. Nanotechnology and Medicine. Advances in Anti-Aging Medicine. Vol. 1. 1996. Pg. 277-286
Summary:
-Nanotechnology presents many possible applications to the field of medicine
Thesis:
-”Nanotechnology, “the manufacturing technology of the 21st century,” should let us economically build a broad range of complex molecular machines (including, not incidentally, molecular computers). It will let us build fleets of computer controlled molecular tools much smaller than a human cell and built with the accuracy and precision of drug molecules. Such tools will let medicine, for the first time, intervene in a sophisticated and controlled way at the cellular and molecular level. They could remove obstructions in the circulatory system, kill cancer cells, or take over the function of sub-cellular organelles. Just as today we have the artificial heart, so in the future we could have the artificial mitochondrion.”
Evidence:
-accuracy and precision of synthetic drug molecules
-nano-scale molecules that provide oxygen or kill cancer cells
Interests:
-detailed explanation of possible medical applications
Agreements:
-Machinery of body is at nano-scale, so countless applications could apply
Project Incorporation:
-detailed medical examples of applications of nanotechnologies
Quotes:
-See Thesis
7. Christine Peterson. Molecular Nanotechnology: The Next Industrial Revolution. Computer. January 2003.
Summary/Thesis:
-Mastering the ability to inexpensively rearrange atoms into any pattern permitted by physical law will have revolutionary consequences
Evidence:
-molecular gears
-molecular pumps
Project Incorporation:
-discusses examples of future applications of nanotechnologies as well as plausible effects on society
Quotes:
-”Key to enabling these systems to make macro-scale objects is the same principle used by nature in making large products: parallelism. Very small machines can make very large objects, but only if many of them work together, as when plant cells build large trees. Producing these large numbers of small machines requires that at least some of them be able to make copies of themselves, an ability called self-replication. Normally only found in nature and in software, self-replication will need to be made to work for human-designed nano-scale machinery.”
8. Christine L. Peterson. Nanotechnology: From Feynman to the Grand Challenge of Molecular Manufacturing. Technology and Society. January 2005.
Summary/Thesis:
-the advancement of nanotechnologies is inevitable will have drastic effects on society, such as the inevitability of military applications.
Evidence:
-Feynman, Drexler, Self Replication, DNA, Self Replicating robots
Project Incorporation:
-analyzes nanotechnology by how it will effect society and how it will really be applied by society
Quotes:
-”Whatever the prospects for a civilian program, a military one seems close to inevitable.”
Annotated Bibliography -Phaedrus
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Technology makes people less than human.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
[writing] will create forgetfulness in learners’ souls
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Farmer would take time to grow a good crop so to have good knowledge one should learn things for themselves
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
It is written as dialog because writing on its own is being criticized for not being responsive where as dialog has responses.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting to think that tools that would help man kind would damage man rather than help
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What about humankind is inherently good that writing will destroy. Certainly anything that will change man kind from its current definition makes people less human, but is it possible for the definition of human to change?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
that one must take time and care to produce good works on something rather than taking the easy route
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
that writing is bad because I do not believe that human memory is the most important quality of human kind.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Todays age of all of human memory being stored online and able to be accessed. Does this make us less human. Is Plato right in thinking that if we get all our information from other sources that it is not as good. Relying on information from the Internet flawed because it is inaccurate or biased.
Annotated Bibliography – Google behind the screen
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
A documentary asking what happens if a search engine become dominant. Speculating about weather Google is becoming dominant and what the consequences would be if one corporation controlled all of human information
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Google shouldn’t be let to become a monopoly, they shouldn’t be the only source of information, they shouldn’t become the Ministry of Truth.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Claiming that Google is just another corporation and will seek its own interests. Showing how easy it is for information to be altered to provide only one viewpoint and cite selected Google search results as evidence. Also that Google is now trying to index all the worlds information not just the web.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
I think it is interesting that they are talking about how wrong it is to alter information toward your own view yet they do exactly that and admit to it with editing of interviews with Google employees and music. Also their use of Google earth to zero in on the location of each interview gave a big brother feel.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I was very interested in the interviews with the librarian of Stanford and the leaders of organizations who are publicly trying to index books. I liked the different perspectives. The competitor scolded Google for do exactly what he did only in the private sector. While the librarian was sort of neutral commending Google for providing a way for him to have a digitized library without harming the books.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Is there a difference between information being publicly held and being freely provided by a company. Is a corporation more or less likely to alter the information it provides. The documentary seems to push that it should be publicly held and claimed that Google would become the ministry of truth, however in Orwell’s novel the ministry of truth was a public institution rather than private.
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
that all information as the potential to be biased because no matter what it must always be presented in some form by another and nothing should be taken as absolute truth
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
That there should be a fear of monopolization. Also I feel there is a difference between possessing the capability to manipulate all of the worlds information and having the intent to do so. Our society is based on the ideas of freedom do to things that have potential to cause harm but it is not a crime until intent or misuse occurs.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
I plan to do more research on what would be required for a monopoly on information to occur. Is it possible. Are people trusting of new technologies used to provide information?
Annotated Bibliography – In Google we trust
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Today the Internet has become a necessity for information. While new technologies like blogs and wikis provide hope that information will always be free, they are still flawed. At the time being we are forced to trust Goggle. The article asks what reasons if any there are to trust Google.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Analysis of the extensive coverage of Google’s share price and earnings reports leads to the conclusion that trust in Google is to some extent fostered simply by its fiscal success.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
That there is an abundance of overly positive information about Google and Google’s success
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Its very direct. Cites a lot of different very credible sources to back up every claim.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting that the author would claim trust is related to finances.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What are valid bases to trust a corporation
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
I agreed that trust of major corporations can not be based on visible financial successes because companies such as enron appear to be successful but are not to be trusted
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
I do not think that most people place trust based on economics because I think the average users is completely unaware of a corporations financial situation.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Ideas of trusting a company. Why and if Google is a trusted company. Gives insight into future technologies that will make Internet information more reliable.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Google clearly diverges from this model in one critical way: the nature of the Internet requires information to flow two ways, placing Google in a position to collect vast databases of information describing who and how people use their services.“
Annotated Bibliography – Ten things
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Goggle’s corporate ten things Google has found to be true page gives the philosophy of the Google corporation.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“1. Focus on the user and all else will follow. “
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Google has become a a trusted company with one of the most loyal base of users. This has not come about trough marketing but rather word of mouth from the positive experience.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
The writing is terse and clear and informal. The style of writing embodies the philosopy it is describing including “faster is better than slow” and “you can be serious without a suit.”
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting that a large corporation would have a breif philosophy and follow it so well. I am especially interested in “You can make money without being evil.”
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Does a public philosophy mean the company can be trusted to adhere to it?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
I agreed that as far as computing goes doing one thing very well has been very successful. The idea behind every unix application was to make each program do one thing very well and if the user needed more complex functions it would use many programs together rather than one bloated one, and this has caused it to continue to be one of the most wildly used operating systems after many many years.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
That democracy on the web works because it is not concrete. For the most part this has worked in many areas but ever democratic area of the web faces problems. Such as wikipedia will never be a credible source because it is impossible for vandalism and inaccuracies to be double checked.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This will be good evidence about the intent of Google. If Google is believed to follow this philosophy i may be able to research weather Google should be trusted to become more dominate
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Full-disclosure update: When we first wrote these “10 things” four years ago, we included the phrase “Google does not do horoscopes, financial advice or chat.” Over time we’ve expanded our view of the range of services we can offer –- web search, for instance, isn’t the only way for people to access or use information -– and products that then seemed unlikely are now key aspects of our portfolio. This doesn’t mean we’ve changed our core mission; just that the farther we travel toward achieving it, the more those blurry objects on the horizon come into sharper focus (to be replaced, of course, by more blurry objects). “
Annotated Bibliography – Google’s Philosophical Ten True Things Not So True Anymore?
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
The article criticizes Google’s philosophy page. States that since it has changed once it will always continue to change as the corporation changes and should not present itself as truths.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“It’s simply that Google itself is growing up and changing, and so will the things it finds true as part of that process. “
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Google claims that things that were blurry before became clear and so it needed to update its page so the author claims that many other of its philosophies are becoming untrue and will eventually have to change them as well. Citing Google’s ad campaigns in Japan and Korea as examples of how their statement that they are popular without advertising is false.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Many quotes from the Google page followed by an example of how it has become false. Following the style of the Google page’s philosophies followed by support
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
That the biggest argument was that Google should not claim that it has found the things to be true since many of them are not, rather than attacks on Google for not following its policies
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
If Google changes it’s philosophy from time to time as things become less blurry, what is stopping it from one day deciding it wants to sell out all of the information it has gathered from users or begin to provide false information.
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
Claiming it has found 10 things to be true is too strong because truth is to powerful of a word and to simply proved wrong.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
that the entire page should be taken down because having a guiding philosophy is something that can be very valuable.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
As evidence that Google should not be trusted and that perhaps there should be a fear of them controlling information.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Democracy on the web works.
We know that’s not the case, because Google’s had to introduce things like nofollow, campaign against link/vote selling and acknowledge that some elected to the top search results get there because of pranks, rather than democracy. ”
My other sources are
The Google story
and
how Google and its rivals rewrote the rules of business and transformed our culture by John Battelle
which I just checked out from UCSB library but have not read yet, sorry.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
-Technology and writing makes people less human.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“…will crate forgetfulness in the learners souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves” (29).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
-Farmer: planting the seed (30).
- Story of the Omen “…writing creates forgetfulness” (29).
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
-Asking questions while talking
-Record presents the argument by two people speaking, rather than a simple essay.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
-What was interesting to me is to see how people viewed writing in early history. Writing was the technology back then and the way it was perceived varied from positive to negative. Writing was the new form of communication that according to Plato, lacked truthfulness and honesty.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
-Like some technology now in days, which is only available to those with money, was writing available to all or was it only available to the elite and those who had money.
- Was there a certain type of writing that was acceptable by society or was all writing seen in a negative way?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the argument he makes saying that the true self can not be defined by text because I feel that text does lack emotions, feelings, and response.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on writing being unable to teach since it does not speak because I believe that writing can teach people things. Writing can contain valuable advice that people may or may not take it and that can be interpreted in different ways depending on the person.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
-I can use this work for my paper to argue that the true self can not be defined by text. When people communicate online their true self is not being presented. The ability to shape our own identity through text lacks truthfulness just like Plato argues.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“…and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth…they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality” (20).
Wood, Andrew and Mathew J. Smith. Online Communication, Linking Technology, Identity, and Culture. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
-Self presentation online is greatly shaped by how we want others to perceive us therefore we are tempted to change aspects of our true identity
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
- “CMC contexts…offer communicators the ability to manipulate their personal identities in ways that call into question assumptions about what is possible and what is appropriate in the presentation of self” (51).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- The authors talks about Sherry Turkle who argues that the internet allows us to have multiple identities and be a complete different person which is healthy.
- They also talk about Cyber rape
- Bring in the cartoonist Peter Steiner to make the point that on the internet you can create a whole new identity (on the internet nobody knows you’re a dog)
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- Mentions both sides of this issue, the good views towards it and the negative views.
- The authors provide real life examples to make their argument regarding this issue.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What was interesting to me is that self presentation over the internet is shaped by how we want others to see us. What was also interesting were the short real life scenarios provided.
-What was not interesting is the section about identity fraud because it has nothing to do with my argument about identity.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Why would the ability to have multiple identities be considered healthy rather than dangerous?
- How is cyber rape related to identity and self presentation over the internet?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on how the internet allows you to be a different person and how this shapes how you think of your true identity
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on how having multiple identities online is considered something healthy according to Turkle.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
-I can use this work for my paper to argue that the internet allows you to have multiple identities which can affect your own perspective about identity as well as the life of others who are communicating with those who present a fake identity. I can also use the example to the cartoonist to argue that even dogs can use the internet and hide their true identity without others knowing.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“…Internet technologies offer us the possibility of controlling more aspects of our identity for public consideration than has been possible before” (57).
Riva, Gluseppe and Carlo Galmberti, ed. Towards Cyber Psychology. Washington DC: IOS Press, 2001
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- Personal homepages are sites that serve for identity construction and are not interpersonal interaction because they are not maintained and presented. They also lack of meaningful interactions since they are text based.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“Communication in cyberspace is primarily text-based and therefore does not provide visual and auditory cues that are available in face to face interaction” (54).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
-Personal homepage and the self
- Uses Goffman to make his arguments.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He gives specific examples of how home pages lack of real interaction.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
-What was interesting to me is to see how homepages lack of true and meaningful interaction between people because they are not able to see each other and make assumptions about the other based on what they see.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Is my space also considered a page which lacks of meaningful interaction between its users?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the argument he makes saying that personal web pages allow for identity construction and that it is influenced by how we want others to see us.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on interaction over the internet not being meaningful because we are not able to see the person who we are talking with because I believe that any form of communication is valuable and it is not necessary to see the person.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- To argue that having a personal homepage make people vulnerable to want to create a fake identity and experience with this endangering the life of themselves as well as others.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“on the web…information about the self is explicitly stated and can be managed by the person making the communication.
Turkle, Sherry. “Who am We” Wired Magazine Web. Jan. 1996
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- The internet allows people to have multiple identities and experience multiple aspects of their life which she says is healthy and a positive thing.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
- “Life on the Screen tells how the computer profoundly shapes our ways of thinking and feeling, how ideas carried by technology are reshaped by people for their own purposes, how computers are not just changing our lives but changing our selves” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- She talks about her own experience with multiple identities on the internet and how she believes it is healthy.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- Much of her examples are about women and she argues that even women who are housewives can experience a complete different identity with the internet.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What interested me about this essay are her positive views of multiple identities online. How she relates multiple identities to being healthy.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Knowing that having access to control you identity and change aspects of your true self can hurt the life of people, should this aspect about the internet still be considered something positive and healthy?
- Are the dangers associated with multiple identity online not too good of an argument to argue against Turkles’ statement that having multiple identities is healthy?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the internet allowing for its users to have access to control their identity and be a complete different person if they desire.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on the access to multiple identities over the internet being healthy and a fun experience allowing the person to experience different aspects of the self.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this piece of writing as a counter argument to my own argument. I can present statements that Turkle uses and with the research I have done argue against her argument.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
- “Without a deep understanding of the many selves that we express in the virtual, we cannot use our experiences there to enrich the real. If we cultivate our awareness of what stands behind our screen personae, we are more likely to succeed in using virtual experience for personal transformation” (11).
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- Interaction over the internet can be an experience of alienation because conversations over the internet lack reality, feelings, and emotions.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“Contemporary criticism of electronic media is that it isolates people from society or turns them away from face-to-face interaction. Text-based CMC and VR (virtual reality) technologies do not allow the oral tradition of rhetoric, the oral delivery of speech in public discourse” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- He brings in Plato and Socrates to support his argument stating that communicating through text (writing) lack reality as well as the ability to respond and deliver a speech.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He not only presents the negative views towards online interaction but he also presents the positive argument that scholars have made regarding this issue.
- He also provides question to make the reader think about this issue.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- The comparison he makes between this issue of online interaction to the views that Socrates and Plato had towards writing. The works of Socrates and Plato serve the author to better support his argument that online interaction cause alienation between people.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
-How can identity be tied to this aspect of online interaction causing alienation and not being real?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on online interaction through text causing alienation because there is no conversational or visual cues serve to define a conversation and meaningful and real.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on addition of sound and visual media to internet interaction allowing for the conversation to be more honest and in fact as real and a face to face interaction. I believe that the computer itself is still interrupting the direct interaction therefore still being vulnerable to an unreality.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this piece to better support my argument that having access to multiple identities online is a negative thing. I can use this to support my argument and add to it by saying that online interaction lacks of reality and honesty and therefore it can even more be a negative thing.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“Writing disrupts the human memory of public discourse and the social interaction, routines and communal intimacy of oral society and culture. It alienates the individual from the oral community in which cultural tradition and identity are expressed and shared” (1).
Suler, John, The Psychology of Cyberspace, Apr. 2000. .
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- This article talks about the freedom on cyberspace to change your gender, age, history, personality and many other things. This article also talks about the positives and negatives of identity on cyberspace the jumps from fantasy to reality online, the level of awareness and control, and the different Medias that are chosen by many people.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“One of the interesting things about the internet is the opportunity if offers people to present themselves in a variety of different ways. You can alter your style of being just slightly or indulge in wild experiments with your identity by changing your age, history, personality, physical appearance, even your gender” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- Uses examples of online romance, the level of fantasy and reality online ant the level of control and awareness that there should exist.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He brings in examples of online romance as well as a point by point awareness that should exist when communicating online and dealing with multiple identities.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What was interesting is to learn about the positive and negative aspects of multiple identities online. What was also interesting is to learn that different communication channels express different aspects of identity.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- How is identity expressed in different ways depending on the communication channel being used?
- What is some awareness that online users should keep in mind when dealing with multiple identities online
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the internet allowing for its users to have access to control aspects of who they are such as age, sex, gender, and historical background, as well as physical appearance.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on online romance starting as a fantasy but later developing into a reality.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this article to support my argument. I can also use it to bring in how the way you present yourself and control your identity has a lot to do with the channel of communication being used.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“The media chosen can intimately interlock with the degree of identity integration and dissociation and with the extent to which a person presents a real or imaginary self” (3).
Miller, Hugh. “The Presentation of Self in Electronic Life: Goffman on the Internet.” Cyber Psychology. June 1955. University of London.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- He uses Goffman arguments that talks about the problems that multiple identities online bring about and how they are shaped by how we want others to perceive us. His main interest is on the problem of establishing and maintaining an acceptable self given the ability to do so online.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Although apparently more limited and less rich than interactions in which the participants are physically present, it also provides new problems and new opportunities in the presentation of self” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- Compares face to face interaction to internet interaction.
- Brings in historical context about self presentation starting the 50s.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He analyses Goffman’s arguments and as he does this he provides examples of the arguments being made by Goffman.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What interest me is to learn about the contrast between face to face and online interaction. How they differ in value, reality and truthfulness.
- I was not much interested in the historical context regarding face to face interaction and self presentation.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- How is do face to face interaction and online interaction differ?
- How might they affect the people communicating through the internet in terms of their identity?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on people wanting to present themselves as someone acceptable by the other person. They are careful of the way they present themselves to avoid embarrassment.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on the aspects of the self only being apparent and described by the sender. What other think of you also shapes your identity.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this article to support my argument that self presentation online is influenced by how we want others to see us and how it differs from face to face interaction. I can counter argue some of his arguments which I do not agree with.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“Electronic communication will become more and more human communication to the extent that there is more to it than just efficiently passing information to each other” (2).
- “Goffman points out that one of the difficulties of interaction lies in establishing contact, because an offer to interact always leaves one open to rebuff. Conversely starting an interaction always involves a risk about what the interaction might lead to, and possible difficulty in ending it” (3).
Summary: Plato’s essay titled Phaedrus is about the technology of writing and how it makes people less human. The work is composed of a dialogue in which the philosopher Socrates convinces Phaedrus of this fact.
Thesis Statement: Ammon’s Judgment of the creation of writing is the core thesis. He states that letters and writing will create forgetfulness in the human soul, because they will no longer use their memories trusting to external sources. Writing is not memory but reminiscence and is not truth but a semblance of truth. Writing can not respond or reason to give convincing proof of truth.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: 1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment over writing. 2. The Serious Farmer who grows his plants over a season and year. 3. The writings of Lysias.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: The essay is written in the form of a dialogue. This dialogue form shows a way in which writing can interact and respond to questions to convince the reader of its truth, which goes against Socrates’ critique of writing. However, the form is also an example of the type of writing that Socrates states is acceptable in the essay, compositions based on knowledge and truth that could be defended on paper but also and more eloquently by spoken arguments, so that there could be a response and dialogue. Because Socrates would find Plato’s essay acceptable the form supports statements made in the essay.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I thought it was interesting the amount of esteem and praise Socrates placed on oration and spoken dialogues. He values dialogue and discourse as the only form that can progress thought and academic knowledge. In today’s world it is the opposite. Verbal dialogue is hardly ever used to convey academic knowledge, it is mostly books and lectures. I found the religious parts uninteresting and not explained enough to make sense. The section about the temple of Dodona where an oak gave a prophetic utterance was confusing and did not really fit into the argument. Since when can trees talk and speak truths?
Questions it raised: I had questions about what Plato calls the “Living Word of Knowledge which has a soul” Here is a word that they praise in an essay about evils of writing and letters. How can a word have a soul?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that writing should be adapted to the audience in which it is for “the simple form of speech may be addressed to the simpler nature, and the complex and composite to the more complex nature”. This allows for it to be better understood and more meaningful to the audience. However, if there is room to advance the comprehension and writing skills of the audience the writing should stretch those skills so that they can improve.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I think that reading and writing significantly help with memory and retaining information. I find that when I read something I retain it better then if I just listen to information.
How it works with my Project: The idea that technology makes us less human and corrupts the soul is centuries old, as proven by Plato’s essay. My project looks at the idea that computers and technology could be bad for the development of children. Both topics share the idea that technology is inhibiting humans from their full potential.
Quotes of interest: “The parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them. And in this instance, you who are the father of letters, from a paternal love of your own children have been led to attribute to them a quality which they cannot have.”
2. Mind and Media: The Effects of Television, Video Games, and Computers
By Patricia Greenfield Chapter
8: Computers
MLA:
Greenfield, Patricia. Mind and Media: The Effects of Television, Video Games, and
Computers. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984.
Summary: Chapter 8 titled “Computers” looks at how computers affect the cognitive development of children and teenagers. It examines three areas of computer usage, learning software, word processing and programming.
Thesis Statement: Overall the thesis is that computers benefit the development of important cognitive skills in children and teens, without a negative impact to social development. Learning software is positive for children because it is impersonal with no biases or favorites, it fosters cooperative behavior and it maintains level with the child’s skill by creating new challenges. Word processing improves children’s writing and thinking skills by allowing for easy revision and creates cooperation in the classroom. Programming teaches children symbolic conceptualization and skills in manipulation complex systems and can help children learn mathematics.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Specific studies are and interviews with teachers and students are used as supporting evidence. Learning software: James Levin and the study of his Harpoon learning game, Gompers Secondary Center. Word Processing: Teacher Jan Austin, Bank Street College of Education study, James Levin study of third and fourth graders, and Seymour Papert’s book Mindstorms. Programming: Bank Street School study, Papert’s study of children and LOGO.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: The thesis is not clearly stated at the beginning which makes it harder to discover. In a few places the author’s use of the first person undermines the legitimacy of the arguments.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the effects of programming computers interesting. From personal experience I have know people who programmed in LOGO as a child and have advanced math and reasoning abilities. I was disinterested in all the detailed explanation of computer processes that have now become widespread and well know.
Questions it raised: If children primarily use word processing for writing projects and homework will they lose their handwriting skills? Will spellchecking in word processing programs have a negative effect on children’s spelling abilities? Computer programming is not a feature widely used or taught to children in today’s society; does the author’s argument that computers increase children’s cognitive skills still hold?
Statements I agreed with: Word processing increases writing and revision skills in children and teens especially students with learning disabilities.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Computers foster cooperation and social skills, this may have been true when computers were new and children gathered around a single machine now computers are used mostly alone.
How it works with my Project: The book is very old and computers and their use have changed a lot since it was written. The book presents some of the very important benefits that computers have, such as word processing and as a motivational tool to capture children’s interest. It presents preliminary research into computers impact on children’s development which is an important question in my paper, but it is old and outdated.
Quotes of interest: “Programming games is a good first step in the symbolic conceptualization and manipulation of complex systems. Because more abstract skills build on practical, sensorimotor experience, video games can furnish a solid foundation for the symbolic representation of complex, interactive, dynamic systems.” p. 149
“My hypothesis is that not all high school or college students have enough experience with revision, to be able to solve [abstract] problems. I believe word processing can provide just this sort of experience. Therefore, I predict that as writing on the computer becomes more widespread it will lead to better performance … on the type of formal problem involving the mental manipulation of abstract propositions.” p.146
3. Children in the Digital Age, Influence of Electronic Media on Development Edited by Sandra Clavert, Amy Jordan, and Rodney Cocking
Essay: The Impact of Computer Use on Children’s and Adolescents’ Development
By Kaveri Subrahmanyam, Patricia Greenfield, Robert Kraut, and Elisheva Gross
MLA:
Subrahmanyam, Kaveri, Patricia Greenfield, Robert Kraut, and Elisheva Gross. “The
Impact of Computer Use on Children’s and Adolescents’ Development.” Children in the Digital Age, Influence of Electronic Media on Development. Ed. Sandra Calvert, Amy Jordan and Rodney Cocking. Westport Connecticut: Praeger, 2002. 3-33.
Summary: Essay looks at many different studies of computer use and its impact on children’s development. It covers time usage data and displacement of other activities and topics such as computer games and cognitive skills, home computer and academic performance, social development and relationships, perceptions of reality and the computers impact on violent behavior. In the end it draws some conclusions about the studies and calls for further research in specific areas.
Thesis Statement: The thesis is to review the available research on the effects of computer use on children’s cognitive and academic skill development, social development as well as perceptions of reality and violent behavior and draw conclusions.
Conclusions reached at the end are we need more reliable estimates of
Immediate positive effects are seen playing specific computer games but long-term studies are needed to see if there are long-term improvements. Moderate computer use does not negatively impact children’s social skills and activities but the impact of excessive use must be examined. More studies are needed to understand the relationship of violent games and children’s aggression and see wither repeated game play desensitizes children to violent behavior.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Specific studies and academic research are used as evidence and are used to draw conclusions. Time usage: HomeNet study. Development of Cognitive skills: Greenfield’s research, Academic Performance: Sparks’ research and Rocheleau’s research. Social Development: HomeNet and the follow up study, Perceptions of Reality: Turkle’s research, Schiano and White survey. Violent Behavior: Kirsh’s research, Calvert and Tan’s research and Schie and Wiegman’s research.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Academic presentation and organization makes it convincing and easy to follow. Good citation and references allows for continued research for my project.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the impact of computers and video games on family interaction to be interesting. Studies in the 80’s said it brought families together but now that most computers are in bedrooms and the time spent on it is alone I think things have drastically changed. I was disinterested in the detailed study about multiple online identities.
Questions it raised: Studies show that computer games increase visual skills over verbal skills as a result are children who excessively play computer games going to lose their verbal acuity?
Statements I agreed with: Computers can blur the distinction between real life and simulation in small children. Computers can increase spatial skills, Iconic representation and visual attention in children.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Computers computer games bring family members together for shared play and interaction (Mitchell, 1985).
How it works with my Project: This will be a good source for my project because it covers many studies on my topic and tries to evaluate them objectively.
Quotes of interest: “There are at least two plausible and theoretically interesting mechanisms for the initial effects of declining social involvement and increasing loneliness …The first is that the time that people devote to using the Internet substitutes for time that they had previously spent engaged in social activities. … This leads to a second explanation, which is that by using the Internet, people are substituting poorer quality social relationships for better ones, that is, substituting weak ties for strong ones.” p.17-18
4. Technology in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Balance
By Judy Van Scoter, Debbie Ellis and Jennifer Railsback
MLA:
Van Scoter, Judy, Debbie Ellis, and Jennifer Railsback. “Technology In Early Childhood
Education: Finding the Balance.” NW Regional Educational Laboratory. June 2001. 10 July 2006.
Summary: Article explores technology in early childhood education. It looks at an overview of research on technology and child development, strengths and problem areas of technology for children in the classroom. It is written as a guide for educators successfully integrate computers into a curriculum.
Thesis Statement: When used correctly technology can be a positive tool for children in the classroom increasing literacy, social development and cognitive skills. However it is not a substitution for traditional methods of teaching. Computers must be well balanced with other activities and teaching techniques.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Uses academic research as supporting evidence also uses schools with existing programs as models and examples for successful integration of technology in the classroom.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting that the most positive effects of computers were seen in the classroom rather than in computer labs. I wasn’t interested in the examples of different schools’ programs of technology in the classroom.
Questions it raised: Will software that has excessively stimulating noises and constantly moving graphics help children with poor concentration and attention problems or give them ADD?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that developmentally young children need space to create and explore and that the best computer programs for young children are ones that do not lecture or drill but allow for exploration and creativity.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I don’t agree that fax machines are an additional technology that can be effectively used with children.
How it works with my Project: Practical advice on proper computer use with young children with the emphasis is on finding a balance with computers. This practical integration is important to have along side my statistical data and studies.
Quotes of interest: “Whatever materials or tools are best suited to the activity will be used; sometimes computers are the best tool for the job, and sometimes they are not; the secret is knowing the difference.”p.7
“Technology cannot and should not replace human interaction or relationships, or take the place of activities such as reading stories together or sharing conversations with children.” p.4
5. Children and Computers: New Technology- Old Concerns
By Ellen Wartella and Nancy Jennings
MLA:
Wartella, Ellen, and Nancy Jennings. “Children and Computers: New Technology- Old
Concerns.” The Future of Children 10.2 (2000): 31-41.
Summary: The article examines the historical context of research on the effects that media has on children and places the current research and debates about computer’s effect on children into that context.
Thesis Statement: Research into the effects of media such as film, radio and television, on children and child development follows reoccurring themes and patterns. Current research on computers and children aligns with the previous patterns in media research. Increased “interactivity” makes the computer media a potentially more enriching learning tool but for the same reason increases the risk of harm. Therefore, it is important to continue research and foster partnerships between industry providers and academia in order to insure quality content.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Previous media studies in film, radio and television. Recent studies on computer media and children such as Seymour Papert research.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting how similar the concerns have been, and therefore the resulting studies, for all the different types of media. I was uninterested in the concerns about the filtering of explicit and violent content.
Questions it raised: If media studies and history follow patterns and cycles, how can the media of computers brake away from the previous pattern of providing research and then just falling back on parents as the primary safeguard to protect children from media’s harmful effects?
Statements I agreed with: Partnerships should be formed, where content providers look not only at what is profitable but what research proves to be advantageous in order to insure high quality “cultural products that are entertaining as well as educationally beneficial”.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I do not agree that young children should be programming in Logo, a computer language made in the 60’s. Because I do not think is developmentally appropriate to young children’s needs.
How it works with my Project: This source is useful because it provides a historical background to all the studies that have been the main features of my other sources. It will work well as backdrop to my main topic.
Quotes of interest: “Earlier media, whether educational or not, still puts the child in a passive mode, a situation of seeing or hearing rather than doing. In contrast computers can be programmed to respond to previous exchanges and give the user more control over the context of the exchange.”
6. The I-Generation—From Toddlers to Teenagers
A Conversation with Jane M. Healy
By Carol Tell
MLA:
Tell, Carol. “The I-Generation—From Toddlers to Teenagers A Conversation with Jane
M. Healy.” Educational Leadership 58.2 (2000) 8-13.
Summary: An interview with Jane M. Healy, author of Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds—for Better and Worse. Looks at her views of computers in children’s education.
Thesis Statement: Healy’s views on computers and children- She thinks that schools spend too much money on computers that are necessary and are not used in ways that benefit the learning process. She believes that education should stick to more proven methods of teaching if it will work as well as a computer because it is more cost effective. She believes that computer should only be used in very specific circumstances where it will markedly add to the curriculum because she sees most computer use now as “edutainment”. She is worried about student injuries from computer use and believes that children should not start using computers in school until age 7. She is concerned with the digital-divide, but thinks that a disadvantaged student with a good teacher and decent school programs, in areas such as the arts, will be better off then a student in a school that only has lots of computers.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: The Geography game, School with IBM headquarters,
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Because it is an interview and no detailed information is provided as supporting evidence it does not really support the thesis or hold much validity aside from a personal opinion.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the interview style refreshing to read. It was written to be informative yet not overly academic. However, that makes it naturally less legitimate and helpful to my project. I found her personal experiences interesting but I was not interested in her discussion of bias industry reviews and studies influencing schools to purchase equipment.
Questions it raised: How accurate are her opinions about children and computers? How do they coincide with academic research?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that the teacher is the most important factor in a good education and that computers can never replace a good teacher.
Statements I didn’t agree with: That watching television is more active and social for children that using a computer. That students use expensive computers mostly for word processing in school, which is work that should be done on an electric typewriter. Statement does not look at the studies that show the importance of word processing as a tool for developing writing, revision and the thought process.
How it works with my project: Because it is just an interview with no substantial evidence to back up statements this article will not be much help except to provide interesting quotes from one side of the technology debate.
Quotes of interest: “To assume that adding a computer and software to a classroom will automatically make kids learn better is a perfect example of how little out culture understands the dynamic interaction between teacher and student.” p.1
“Most of us originally went …” p.5
7. Fool’s Gold: A Critical look at Computers in Childhood
Edited by Colleen Cordes and Edward Miller
Chapter 2, Developmental Risks: the Hazards of Computers in Childhood
MLA:
Cordes, Colleen and Edward Miller, eds. “Fool’s Gold: A Critical look at Computers in
Childhood.” Alliance for Childhood. 2000. 16 July 2006
Path: Projects, Reports, Fool’s Gold.
Summary: Chapter 2 is an examination of how computers are negative to children’s development.
Thesis Statement: Computers are detrimental to children’s physical, social, intellectual and moral development. Computers are hazardous to children’s physical health, including musculoskeletal injuries, visual strain and myopia, obesity and complications of a sedentary lifestyle, and side effects from toxic emissions and electromagnetic radiation. Computers are hazardous to children’s emotional and social development resulting from social isolation, weakened bonds with teachers, loss of self discipline and self motivation, detachment from the community, and commercial exploitation. Computers can negatively effect children’s intellectual development through stunting the imagination and creativity, impairing language and literacy skills, creating children with poor concentration who are distracted from meaning, and increased plagiarism. Computers are morally hazardous to children because they expose them to online violence, sex and other inappropriate material, information that is devoid of ethical and moral context, and irresponsibility in searching and applying information.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Mostly stated opinions of professionals in the fields of Psychology and Developmental Psychology, Education, English, Sociology, Physics, Occupational Therapy, Neurology and Optometry. Some specific studies are used as evidence. Other examples and evidence are stories from classrooms, examining specific web sites and quotes from students.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I thought it was interesting to look at possible health ramifications of computers which I didn’t see mention of in other articles I read. I was disinterested in the commercialization of childhood which would come from many sources of media and practices, not just the computer.
Questions it raised: Why is there such difference between this article and the evidence it presents, and other scientific studies I have read? (They are almost polar opposites)
Statements I agreed with: I agree that computers can be misused in the classroom and that such use of computers does not benefit children or the learning process. I agreed that time on the computer and in front of screens should be limited and that children should not be forced to spend long hours at the computer.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Statements which obviously had no scientific proof to back them up, such as computers causing myopia which is known to be a genetic condition and the effects of electromagnetic fields of which there is no evidence that it negatively affects health. The essay stated such facts but then proceeded to state that there was still a risk. Based on the research I have read I do not agree that computers necessarily have a negative effect on child development. I believe that they can be a valuable tool if used in developmentally appropriate ways.
How it works with my project: This publication provides a good jumping off point for examining the effects of computers on children. The article is sensationalized and over dramatic in stating the negative effects of computers. But the article brings up the question of how accurate are these claims. Are there strong risks to computer use? This article provides one side of a controversial debate. I plan to look at both arguments and come to a conclusion.
Quotes of interest: “So-called interactive, computer-based instruction that does not provide true interaction but merely a mechanistic response to the student’s efforts.” p.28
“The actual shift is to computer-centered, not student-centered, education.” p.29
8. Strip Mining for Gold: Research and Policy in Educational Technology
—A Response to “Fool’s Gold”
By Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama
MLA:
Clements, Douglas, and Julie Sarama. “Strip Mining for Gold: Research and Policy in
Educational Technology—A Response to “Fool’s Gold” Educational Technology Review 11.1 (2003).
Summary: The article provides a thorough analysis of the article “Fool’s Gold” examining its research approach and methodology and the creditability of its statements.
Thesis Statement: The thesis statement is that “Fool’s Gold” presents misleading interpretations and half truths under the guise of academic respectability, presenting a one-sided picture. Their methods of dishonest reporting do harm because they dissuade public confidence in empirical research, and are detrimental to research and intellectual discourse. The authors call for balanced reporting and complete consideration when examining and discussing research.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: They use numerous scientific studies by multiple researchers as their supporting evidence. They use interviews with professors quoted by “Fool’s Gold” as examples of incorrect interpretation and de-contextualization.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Their use of a clear and direct line of reasoning and their comprehensive reporting and good citation of scientific research studies make their thesis much stronger.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting to look at the creativity study where fool’s gold blatantly left out half the findings and failed to specify in which cases loss of creativity was seen. I find it unbelievable that a respectable organization would twist the facts that way. I was disinterested in the examination of methodology of “Fool’s Gold” and how it impacts empirical research. These sections were wordy and complicated to understand.
Questions it raised: This article states the positive effects of computer use on children’s development but I want to know at what age they think children should start using computers? What software on the market is considered developmental appropriate for young children?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that “Fools Gold” was not presented in a very scholarly way and avoided mentioning the numerous studies that went against their opinion.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I didn’t agree with their thesis that the “Fool’s Gold” article and others like it would impede public confidence in empirical research. It was not clearly explained how articles like this would negatively effect the public’s opinion of research, except that “Fool’s Gold” might give research studies a bad name, because of its misleading interpretations.
How it works with my project: This article offers specific counter arguments and research to some of the claims in the “Fool’s Gold” article which I can use when objectively examining computers effects on child development.
Quotes of interest: “Misuse of technology by some and overzealous promotion by others are not valid reasons for misrepresenting the field or for speciously framing the computer as the lightning rod for a broad range of criticisms that we argue can be reasonably attributed to no single source.” p.41
Starling, Andrew. “Internet and Society.” Web Developers Journal. 11 Oct. 2000. 23 June
2006 .
Summary:
This article was one of the first articles that I came across and was one of the main ones that really got me interested in writing about this subject. The article gives a few main examples of what and how the internet is changing in our society. Items such as news coverage on television or in the newspaper have been leaning more towards entertainment value than news since almost anyone can now log on to any of the webs main homepages and see the latest informational side of news stories immediately. The author talks about copyright issues with the ability for persons to easily distribute material of their choice directly to another. He goes on to talk about how the internet is changing the world in terms of daily jobs and companies. Companies from around the world are now connected to each other and can use this to outsource to other countries.
Why I used this article:
This article grabbed my attention because it was a very straightforward and general article that really leaves the reader thinking about this topic but at the same time gives them somewhere to start with some solid examples. I agree with the author for the most part in this article and I believe he has some solid points in this that could use some examining. He brings up one very interesting point about how people who are not taking the time to use the internet and learn about how it works will fall behind people with such skills and it will hurt them greatly.
1.Brief summary.
Technology /writing makes people less human.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“for this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; …reality.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Socrates stated that there were two kinds of writers, one wrote about his life experience based on memories, the other wrote stuff serving as criticism or instruction. The latter one tells people what the writer wants them to believe; it doesn’t reflect the truth, but rather distracts people from reality. Thus, writing is a bad invention.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author used metaphor on the “husbandmen sowing” to writing. Also, in the end of the article, “inward pure and truth” was used to symbolize any writing that doesn’t reflect truth is not a good one.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
The thesis is a quite interesting one, but the metaphors were not persuasive enough to bring me to agree with the points.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
According to the author’s point, as writing developed, does that reveal a decline of humanity?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on writing of a politician may misleads people because I think writing on criticism is biased by its one-sided persuasion.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on writing is a bad invention because I think writing is a way to help memorizing the past as well as a way to express one’s thoughts freely.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This article is not quite related to my topic, but it provides me the form of technological determinism, which may be useful.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them.” P.1
“It All began with a Broken organ”
1.Brief summary.
Yamaha pianos were manufactured based on the idea of western ones, and by mass production, Yamaha electronic pianos went popular for classroom use and contribute in promoting musical education.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“In the case of piano, the often overlooked ‘invisible’ role of the piano tuner is of vital importance.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
“Tuning techniques in Japan required more subtle and elaborate care than in the Western countries. It was their task to select and recondition the pianos to the specific conditions of time and place.”
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author compared Yamaha piano to Toyota cars, stating that those pianos are easy to tune, repair and maintain just like the cars.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Interesting: Japanese pianos don’t sound as beautiful as the western ones only because they focused too much on the “ precision of a particular mechanism as to smother the resonance of the entire piano body.”
Not interesting: the part where it talks about the competition between Yamaha and Kawai companies.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Yamaha was originally imitating the western pianos, but what national or special trait does it reveal through development?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “musical instruments reflect the weather and climatic condition of the country from which they originate” because every piano of different countries sound different to me.
8.Since it is not a technological determinism article, I don’t have any disagreement with the author’s stating facts.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
From the fact that Yamaha first built the piano, then developed other kinds of engineering (one company had products vary from concert grands to motorbikes), we can see the mutual relationship between technology and music and the things in common. That will serve as the social impact part of my paper.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the adaption of the piano in Japan can be regarded as a typical example of technology transfer into this country which, in its early stages, was to a large extent based on ‘reverse engineering’.” P65
“Pianists and Pianos”
1.Brief summary.
Pianist and piano influenced each other on pursuing the art of music.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Pianists influenced the piano making by adjust it to their needs.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Chopin had different types of piano at home just for playing when he had different mood since every piano has slightly different sound quality. Also, Beethoven asked for different pianos for him to hear music better due to his hearing problem.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author gave stories of the great composers based on facts instead of using comparisons or other rhetorical means to state his points.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Stories of Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven were quite interesting.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Could pianist expanded or explore the ability of a piano by his unique performing style?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on Beethoven influenced development of piano into more octaves because his compositions were like an orchestra and required a larger range of sound.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on adjustment of piano could help hearing.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It tells that piano and pianists were connected tightly and a good piano suggested social status of people.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Piano-playing by women in the nineteenth century was considered an attractive social accomplishment.” P64
“Harpsichord to Piano”
1.Brief summary.
As harpsichord faded away, early piano still tried to resemble the sound of harpsichord.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Piano was not just a derivative from harpsichord, but a new instrument that needed new compositions.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Mozart began to rely on piano more and wrote pieces on piano after 1777.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Some musician preferred harpsichord at that time called the piano “a boiler-maker’s instrument”.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I was interested in the comparison between harpsichord and piano on their functions.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What ideas drove piano makers to produce such a huge instrument when harpsichord was available and in favor?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on piano needs new compositions because that would explore the capability of piano.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on piano was “a boiler-maker’s instrument” because harpsichord had a rather harsh sound when piano could produce a smoother one.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It tells me how harpsichord transit to piano and the compositional changes adapted to both instruments, as well as the economic and social factors contributed to the increasing use of piano.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Conversely, early piano-makers, as though loath to abandon the harpsichord once and for all, added stops which lowered strips of metal, leather, or cloth on to the strings to suggest a harpsichord sound.” P56
“The Modern Piano”
1.Brief summary.
The article analyzed basic forms of the modern pianos through their varieties and leading makers.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Countries all over the world were producing pianos in various sizes and shapes, but whether piano has a future or will its function be replaced by a totally new instrument is still a mystery.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Digital piano or keyboard has already invented and became more popular with the application of popular music, yet piano still has its value of existence since classical music would not fade away and could not well pursued on digital piano.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
When the author argued electronic keyboard had some history of piano, he said “It’s like the old saying about ducks. If it has a keyboard like a piano, sounds like a piano, and is played like a piano, then in some sense, and with all the modifying qualifiers in full play, it is a piano.”
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I am interested in the part of introducing the Schimmel grand piano model 208p, since it has a shape different from the tradition. I am not quite interested about the long sections when author talks about some firms of their products in great details.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Will classical music be out of favor by people and electronic devices replace the traditional instruments like piano while music takes in more electronic elements in the future?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on keyboard has a history of piano because the idea of shape and function is from piano.
8.I didn’t have any disagreement with author on this article.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It provides me information on various kinds of modern pianos, and possibilities to my question of piano’s future.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“The iron frames are cast by what is called the vacuum-shield mold process, which Yamaha first used in casting engine parts for motorcycles.” P282
“Stringed keyboard instruments today”
1.Brief summary
The article begins with a description of piano structure and then distinct values of both piano and harpsichord.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Just as by the end of the eighteenth century the piano was recognized as not an improved harpsichord but a new instrument, now in the twentieth century the harpsichord has been rediscovered as an instrument that the piano does not truly supplant.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
To prove the importance of the old instrument harpsichord, author gave examples of musician nowadays asked for a harpsichord to perform in concerts, and the reproduction of harpsichord with modern techniques.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Comparison between harpsichord and piano on their new use during development of both instruments.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Interested in: Composers are writing for the future possible piano, and created new methods to “play” piano.
Not interested in: the parts in the world where pianos were made.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
If piano has a future, will it be a more capable one or totally a different instrument?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “there is a growing inclination to prefer the harpsichord for the music composed for it ” because piano can’t make the exact sound baroque composers wrote and tried to depict.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on “ Some modern composers are even exploring the use of the harpsichord for expressing contemporary ideas” because the sensitive structure of harpsichord limits itself from playing music, which is too “violent” .
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This work provides me information about the rediscovery of existing stringed keyboard instruments on their capability of applying new musical elements and future development.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“More than 21,000,000 people now play the piano in the United States alone-about the same number as the combined total of all other instrumentalists.” P120
“Some American Firms and Their Contributions to the Development of the Reproducing Piano”
1.Brief summary.
It talks about the difference of player piano and reproducing piano, and the different kinds of reproducing piano that firms manufactured.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Reproducing piano is better than player piano in reproducing sound.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
“Player and reproducing pianos differ in their abilities to vary dynamic levels in the notes they play. Most player piano’s hammers travel their normal distance and play loudly, the reproducing piano is capable of playing at many dynamic levels.”
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
He used comparison between music box and the reproducing piano on their mechanical similarities and different ways of music interpretation.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I prefer the contribution reproducing piano had to music over the description of different models of reproducing pianos.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Since reproducing piano could represent the exact music pianist performed, why isn’t it widely used nowadays?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “what worth doing worth doing well”.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on “you are what you drive” because we can’t judge a person by appearance.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
The part of comparison between player piano and the reproducing piano provides me great details of the development of piano in the 20th century.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the prime objective was the meticulous reproduction of an event as witnessed by its observer.” P105
“Movin’ on”: Trains and Planes as a Theme in Music
1.Brief summary.
As the development of industrialization in the early 20th century, composers began to write music about transport technology, through the technology, later they also contributed to the warfare.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Although one should be wary of making simplistic connections between the pace of life and the tempo of music, many composers of the early 20th century consciously wrote music to reflect a changing world.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Author gave examples of musical pieces in shaping the impression and symbols railway and planes provided people. Such as “Dixie Flyer Blues” and “Daybreak Express”,etc.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author sees transportations as symbols of freedom and escape from the unpleasant reality.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I am interested in the description of Barber’ s symphony and its connection with the war, but not the section where it talks about the music for spacecraft.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What does music contribute in establishing the relationship between technology and culture?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “reception of this music differed according to race or gender” because when railway was an freedom and excitement symbol for male who went out to look for a job, it was a miserable thing for women since they had to stay at home, taking care of children while waiting endless for their men.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on music always depicted the positive side about technology because there were compositions written about crashes and dissonances in music were not that unacceptable.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Technology is reflected in culture, and culture influences technology. This article shows the mutual influences between technology and music.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Closely connected with energy and power is the idea of liberation and freedom through railways, aeroplanes, automobiles, but also through technology in general.” P107
Nicole Bulalacao
Writing 50
July 16, 2006
Annotated Bibliography.
Plato. Benjamin Jowett (trans) Phaedrus.
This text is a rhetoric between Socrates and his student about the loss of the aura in writing.
The author’s thesis is that once a memory aid is needed for learning than the essense of the memory is lost .
The rhetorical style of the dialogue works in the argument because the teachings are clearly divided.
The text raised the following questions. Is depending on a new technology a disables the ability of the human that the new technology aids? When does a new technology go from aid to necessity?
I agreed with the author’s stance on being dependent on a new technology displaces the need for whatever human aspect the new technology aids because that is what our society has become. For example, most people depend on an automobile to get to places that people could potentially walk to.
I disagree with the author’s stance on writing being a negative influence upon memeory because writing appeals to the senses and actually helps human beings remember through interacting with the memory.
This text depicts the tale of a man who defies the strict regulations of time on society and the reprocussions of his defiance
The author’s main point is that in the process of advancing in time efficiency and technology, society has lost humanity.
The narrative structure of the text works with the argument because it keeps the reader engaged in the authors argument by revealing the middle of the plot first then the middle and then the end.
I agree with the author’s stance on society being slaves of the clock because that is the only type of regulation society can truly depend upon.
I do not agree with the authors stance on the loss of humanity because humans are not disciplined and as a whole will not be able to regulate their time based on a uniform timekeeping system.
Questions:
As technology presents us with more information will there be enough time to interpret and critically think about the information presented? Has technology and increased efficiency made our society slaves to time?
Using specific examples the author describes the difference between simulation an reproduction. Simulation is the reality of today.
Thesis: There is no reality. Simulation is society’s reality.
I agree to an extent that simulation has taken the place of reality because more people are content to sit at home and watch television rather than experience what they are viewing on television.
I do not agree with the author’s notion that there is no reality only simulation because there must be a reality created before simulation can take its place.
Questions:
Has simulation replaced reality? Is there such thing as an origin? Does the presentation of images in television create a certain image of reality that the powerful want us to accept.
Parenti. Michael. Inventing Reality The Politics of News Media. Wadsworth Inc.: New York. (1993).
This text describes how the popularization and repeated use of images in the television news projects a reality that those in power want to impress on society
Thesis: Nothing on television is designed to entertain or inform. Television is designed to manipulate the realities in society.
I agree on the authors stance that the major companies who own network news manipulate the news so that minorities are viewed in a negative light. With this reality repeatedly projected onto society the middle class remains divided and will not united against the injustices of the upper class.
Questions:
Although the media manipulates the news so that it protects the network’s major financial backers, how often does the media manipulate the news to project a negative image of minorities in society. Is the negative image entirely untrue?
The Matrix. Dir Andy and Larry Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fisburne. 1999. Warner Brothers.Videocassette
This film follows the journey of neo as he uncovers the truth about the simulation of reality that is the matrix and reality.
Thesis: Reality is shielded and sugar coated from the eyes of the masses. Most people are unwilling or not ready to accept reality. Although humans created technology it is humans who are controlled by technology.
I agree on the filmmaker’s idea that advancing technology controls our daily lives because people get so dependent on popular technology that we feel helpless when it fails to work properly.
I do not agree with the filmaker’s notion that there is a real reality and a simulated reality.
Questions:
What makes something reality? Which images are the easiest to simulate and influence the masses?
Faces of the Enemy.
This documentary chronicles the history of propaganda starting from political cartoons in World War II to image manipulation on television in the Reagan administration.
Thesis: A person’s most powerful weapon is the image of the enemy. Television is the perfect tool to create the enemy because the media can expose many negative images to society with little exposition.
I agree with the idea that the news media has the power to create the most influencing image of the enemy because the news is the medium in which most people get their information.
Questions:
What examples are there today in the media in which minorities are presented as the enemy? Is it evident that minorities are portrayed as the enemy?
Your Money or Your Life: Racism in the Media.
This documentary chronicles the views of a stereotypical black criminal and uses violent crime as an allegory for bluc collar crime.
Thesis: the media tends to focus on violent crime committed by young black males. This misrepresentation hides the fact that whites make up the majority of convicted criminals and softens the effects of blue collar crime. Crime is a reflection of the nation’s current economic system
The narrative used to make the analogy between black crime and blue collar crime is effective because it reveals how blue collar crime is more prevalent and impacts more people.
I agree with the idea that the media tends to focus on black criminals and white victims because when most people in the United States think of a criminal they think of a black person
Questions:
What images does the media focus on? What message does the media relay to the public about race? What message should the media be sending?
Dixon, Travis L and Danile Linz. Race and the Misrepresentation of Victimization on local television news. Communication Research 27.5 (Oct. 2000): 547-574).
This article is a summation of statistical research and analysis of a study that focused on the representation of blacks in the media.
Thesis: The media focuses on black violent criminals and victimized white in disproportionate numbers and fails to focus on crime in black communities with black victims.
I agree with the author’s idea that blacks get predominantly negative coverage in the media because I have noticed this trend in my hometown.
Questions:
Why would the media send the wrong message to the public? Is this false message a consequence of resource (easy to get shots of black criminals.) or of cruel intention against blacks?
Source:
Rauh, Sherry. Detox for Video Game Addiction? 3 July, 2006. 16 July, 2006
Summary:
The article discusses the symptoms of video game addiction, how the addiction may be formed, the dangers of addiction, and how to treat it. The article seems to focus mainly on spotting addiction in gamers and the symptoms of addictive or abusive play. It also highlights exactly what addiction is and how video games, much like compulsive gambling, can cause addiction despite the fact that they are not a chemical substance that elicits physical dependency. While this article is not necessarily arguing a specific point, it is acknowledging that video game addiction is a real problem and attempts to provide evidence to argue this. The general argument is best highlighted in the following quote: “The person is trying to change the way they feel by taking something outside of themselves. The [cocaine] addict learns, ‘I don’t like the way I feel, I take a line of cocaine.’ For gamers, it’s the fantasy world that makes them feel better.”
Analysis:
I generally agree with the article in that video game addiction, much like compulsive gambling, is a real problem. However, the article may not provide strong enough evidence on the causes and symptoms of this addiction. While the article does list some signs that point to abnormal or obsessive playing it may not be enough to conclusively state that gamers showing these symptoms are indeed addicts. However, the symptoms and signs listed here are similar to the ones listed in other sources. The most important aspect of this article is the fact that medical institutions are establishing programs to help individuals with this addictive behavior which is direct evidence that the problem is accepted as real in these established institutions. It also shows the steps involved in treating the addiction and how someone with obsessive behavior can be treated. It relates to the subject of technology in society in that it shows how the technology of gaming has specific social impacts, namely that game addicts suffer from an obsessive disorder that is atypical and yet treatable in most cases.
Source:
Does Internet and Computer “Addiction” Exist? Some Case Study Evidence http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/109493100316067
Summary:
This article focuses on five subjects whose computer usage is considered excessive. The article assesses these case studies and compares the results with typical addictive components in order to determine if the addiction is real. It finds that only two out of the five cases studied reflect addictive behavior and the remaining three were simply symptomatic and suffered from other deficiencies. The articles main point is that not all gamers who show certain symptoms are indeed addicted to video games and shows this by analyzing subjects with very similar symptoms but different diagnoses. As stated before the basis for this comparison is the study of similarities between video game addiction and traditionally accepted addictive behaviors.
Analysis:
The fact that this article recognizes that some individuals do suffer from addictive behavior while other with similar behavior are simply a product of other problems is an important point and one which I agree with. Addiction is a powerful problem and one which should not be generalized to encompass all individuals that happen to play video games more than average. While many gamers may display symptoms of addictive behavior this does necessarily mean that they are truly addicted to games and in many cases the truth can be very different. The study of these five cases will provide for a good compare/contrast point of view while analyzing the problem. The question of whether or not a person is truly addicted may not be all that apparent and the in depth analysis that this article provides should be used as way to investigate this.
Summary:
This is a recent news article that illustrates the growing problem of online game addiction. It argues that addiction is an issue that is just beginning to be considered a real problem as the numbers of cases grow and as people begin to seek advice and help with their problems. The article uses the stories of a couple individuals to support the fact that obsessive gaming can sometimes lead to problems and the appeal of gaming as an escape from reality. At the same time it shows how this escape can sometimes lead to more serious behavior in which individuals begin to ignore other aspects of their lives as they slip deeper into the fantasy of computer simulated worlds.
Analysis:
The fact that this news source shows a growing number of cases reported and shows how the establishment of clinics and online tools are being deployed to help addicts exemplifies the fact that the idea of video game addiction is being considered a real problem. I agree that many times a person should seek counseling for obsessive game playing behavior but also agree that playing video games on a more than average basis is not always necessarily a problem. The difficulty lies in being able to identify when gaming can become a problem and should not rely on facts like hours of play, etc. This article does not analyze the actual addiction but rather offers an account of certain cases and how they affected the individual.
Source:
Chiu, Shao-I, Jie-Zhi Lee, and Der-Hsiang Huang. “Video Game Addiction in Children and Teenagers in Taiwan.”
CyberPsychology & Behavior. Vol 7(5), Oct 2004, pp. 571-581
Summary:
This article focuses on video game playing in children and teenagers in Taiwan, using studies and other sources as background. It relates this information as well as other findings with ideas of academic achievement, family function, sensation seeking, gender, boredom, relationships and social skills. The objective is to show how individuals “addicted” to video games share certain criteria which points to shared symptoms in these individuals. The main thesis and aim of this study are summarized by a list of questions the author introduces: “How much have video games affected children and youth? Do indifferent games substitute for harmony between parents and children, trustworthiness between teachers and students, and healthy social relationships? If not, what attitudes does society need to apply to address the embarrassing phenomenon of teenager game addiction? What can be done for victims of video gaming to redirect their energies and talents, with the support of information technologies?”
Analysis:
These questions are similar to some of the questions I had considered while investigating this topic. The information provided by this paper will help to answer these questions with the information of studies conducted into this subject being supporting evidence. I agree with the articles stance on how obsessive video games can affect the lives of players and the studies shown here provide some useful evidence to support this theory. The social skills and level of animosity in children who abuse the use of video games are different on average then those who do not. This correlation could go either way however, is it these factors that lead to abusive gaming or is it abusive gaming that leads to these factors. I think that this article will be important to my topic since it provides statistics on the habits of video game playing and relates this information to real life experiences.
Source:
Ricardo A. Tejeiro Salguero, Rosa M. Bersabé Morán. “Measuring problem video game playing in adolescents.”
Addiction. Vol 97(12), 2002, pp 1601
Research Report: Measuring problem video game playing in adolescents
Summary:
The aim of this report was to design and test a means to measure the problems that are associated with obsessive video game play. Researchers issued questionnaires to adolescents (13-18 year-olds) in a school in Spain. The questions were much like those in analyzing substance abuse and pathological gambling. There is no clear thesis or argument in the article but rather a presentation of collected data and analysis of the data. The findings that this article reports do point to problems often associated with addictive behavior, but caution that these results are not conclusive and there is currently not enough evidence to state with certainty that the addiction is real.
Analysis:
Since the research was modeled after research into not only substance abuse, but more importantly compulsive gambling – which is another example of what is known as behavioral addiction – the findings and notes should provide good evidence on the problem of addictive gaming. It does not attempt to answer any questions conclusively but does provide evidence that points to actual addiction. Although no real conclusion is given the process and findings should provide a good means of arguing addiction while still providing a devil’s advocate point of view. Since I do not believe I will be arguing for addiction one way or another but rather analyzing the problem, this paper should be a good reference on arguing both angles.
Source: BBC News Online, S Korean dies after games session. 10 August, 2005. 15 July, 2006.
Summary:
This news article from BBC reports that a 28 year-old man, identified as Lee, died after a 50 hour video game binge. During this time Lee took very few breaks and only stopped to use the bathroom and take a few short naps. It was presumed that his heart failed due to sheer exhaustion. It was also noted that Lee had lost his job recently because his video game obsession caused him to skip work.
The article also included a brief survey and analysis on video game addiction by Psychologist Professor Mark Griffiths. Professor Griffiths’ work focused mainly on MMORPG’s like EverQuest and World of Warcraft. His surveys indicate that the gamers that suffered from excessive or addictive game playing were in the small majority, but that these gamers suffered the same symptoms of traditional addicts. He also remarked that MMORPG’s and other online games were more addictive then most due to their social aspect.
Analysis:
Professor Griffith remarks that the immersion of certain online games make them harder to put down then most, stating that “They are not games that you can play for 20 minutes and stop.” I think this is an important point. The huge world and social structures created in these games can completely engulf a player much more than a traditional arcade game. The fact that someone can play in an alternate reality while still interacting with other humans makes the user feel more involved in a game. This report, although an extreme case, is direct evidence of just how strongly video games can affect a person’s life. Questions that this article does not answer are how common are problems like this, what are some less extreme examples, and is it the video game or simply the person. However, some of these questions are the study of other articles listed here, in fact another article by Professor Griffiths listed here is one of these.
Source:
Miller, Stanley. Death of a game addict. 31 March 2002. 17 July 2006
Summary:
Much like the previous article this news report covers the story of a man who died as a result of obsessive game play. It also provides an account of how games like EverQuest are more engrossing than most and can lead to addictive play, again much like previous articles. The main argument in this news article is that excessive game play can be hazardous to ones health, and that these games, much like packs of cigarettes, should come with warning labels to warn consumers.
Analysis:
Where this article differs from the last is in how it attempts to relate game play with a death. This story focuses on a man, Shawn Woolley, took his own life presumable as a result of obsessive playing in the online game EverQuest. While the symptoms of Shawn are very indicative of addiction the fact that his death was a direct result of this addiction is not entirely convincing. In the last article it is seemingly undeniable that an obsessive 50-hour gaming marathon lead directly to the mans death, but in this article a suicide can either be as a result of gaming or something entirely different. This article will help in providing a counter argument when dealing with the extreme effects of video game playing, by offering a news article that claims a mans suicide was a direct result of excessive online game playing.
Source:
Plato. Phaedrus. Translation Benjamin Jowett. 25 June, 2006.
Summary:
This article is a dialogue between Socrates and the uninformed Phaedrus in which the two discuss the perils of technology. In this article Socrates argues that the use of writing makes people unhuman. This is a good example of technological determinism in which the speaker attempts to convince Phaedrus that writing is a technology that should not be used. The fact that this article is written seems slightly ironic but the way in which it is written, that is formal dialogue, helps to support the argument. Socrates supports his argument by stating that writing cannot defend itself and is not as affective as speech.
Analysis:
I do not agree with Socrates in his argument. While it is true that the written word cannot defend itself it is true that the written word can account for the thoughts of a man at a given moment in history and can be used to educate people on a wider scale. Writing is an important technology and if it were not for this technology the ideas of Socrates himself would have been lost. Writing enables people to share ideas and thought over wide areas and a mans writing can outlive him in order to be heard even when the man is dead.
Plato. The Phaedrus. 370 B.C.
This excerpt is a dialogue that supposedly occurred between Socrates and Phaedrus over the issue of the accuracy of writing. Socrates is making the point that writing is far less effective than speaking because a point cannot be fully dictated. He claims that unlike a live person, a document cannot present an argument because it cannot answer any questions. This relates to the topic of technology because, like usual, new technologies are often critiqued, and here the new technology is a very basic one; writing. I do not particularly agree with Socrates’ point, because I feel that even some thoughts cannot be expressed through speech and that no matter the form of communication, something could get lost along the way. However, it is a bold statement he is making and fits perfectly into our theme of Technology in Society by demonstrating how not all technologies are accepted at first, even by some considered to be the most wise.
Chopra, Mikey, and Ian Darnton-Hill. “Tobacco and obesity epidemics: not so different after all?”bmj.com (2004): 16 pars. 13 July 2006 http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/extract/328/7455/1558.
Although unfortunately brief, this article contains plenty of information on how obesity has become so, well, big. It talks about the changes in densities of energy in fast food, amount of sugars and fats, hormones, substitutes and how much more processed the products are. This issue is one that has been made worldwide and what used to be up to Mother Nature is now the control of corporations who can even control the production of other life forms such as chickens with today’s new technologies. There are many useful statistics and facts in the article that I believe I can incorporate in my paper. The paper also speaks about tobacco use, and although this would fall under the category of harmful things to put into our bodies, I don’t feel that I will focus on this matter too greatly.
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Narr. Morgan Spurlock. Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2004.
This film documentary was created after grad student Morgan Spurlock after he watched a news report about two girls who sued McDonalds. The film is about a man who dares to eat only McDonald’s fast food, measuring his weight, noting his health and feeling the emotional changes for a whole month. The film sheds a new light on the food corporations in America, and how easily people unknowingly fall victim to the bad habits of fast food diets. I found this film to be very eye opening and it contains a great amount of data supporting my thesis that the shift in the things we put into our body away from the natural is harmful.
Teitel, Martin, and Kimberly A. Wilson. Genetically Engineered Food: Changing the Nature of Nature. Vermont: Park Street Press, 1999
I have already learned a lot from this book on the fundamentals of genetic engineering. There are many aspects to this new technology, some harmful, others potentially beneficial. I find it a little frightening, when reading this book, to think of how our foods are changing so drastically so often and we barely even notice. Most of what we consume today is hardly natural. So if it is not natural, can it still be good for us? Yes in some cases, however we need to be careful about our choices.
Rolls, Barbara J. “The Supersizing of American: Portion Size and the Obesity epidemic.” Nutrition Today 38.2 (2003):42-54
This article is about the correlation to proportion size and obesity, and how intake has been steadily rising since the 1970’s. People are eating larger portions of food that tends to be higher density, and as the article says since it is unlikely that our biology has changed in the last 30 years, our eating habits probably have a large effect. Because technology has allowed us create higher density foods and it is easy to obtain, people are consuming far greater amounts than recommended. The article summarizes many studies that had been conducted to test this issue. One in particular that I found interesting and believe I can use was a test done on 3 year olds, showing that they consistently ate the same amount despite the proportion size provided, where as adults often eat more simply because there is more. This leads to the theory that it is a learned trait, one that is prevalent in our country today.
Bailes, Julian E. “The neurosurgeon in sport: Awareness of the rises of heatstroke and dietary supplements.” Neurosurgery 51.2 (2002):283-288
Although this article strays slightly from my topic, is does cover some points which I am hoping I can incorporate. The article is mostly about the health of athletes, more specifically football players, and the effects of their training and dietary choices. It uncovers the story of the increasingly common heatstroke. It is clear that this is a consequence of practice hot conditions, yet it is also speculated to be due to the extreme amount of body mass that many players carry. A great number of players use dietary supplements to improve their performance. I would like to use this article in order to demonstrate how putting substances such as these creates great risks.
Fahey, Thomas D, Paul M. Insel, and Walkton T. Roth. Fit & Well 6th ed. New York NY: McGraw Hill, 2005
This textbook is a general reference book on what the healthiest lifestyles are. It covers a variety of topics such as nutrition, fitness, muscular strength and stress. The book was written with the intention of showing students how to live fit and well and that doing so may improve the quality of their lives. One of the points I plan on making in my paper is how the general substances we are exposed to today are not what our bodies were built to handle and this book refers to what the natural body should be like. I intend on using this book as a reference back to how the body is built and expected to function as well as using the authors’ scholarly opinions on what can be done to achieve good health.
Pimentel, David, ed. and Marcia Pimentel, ed. Food, Energy, and Society. Colorado: University Press of Colorado, 1996
The general theme of this book is talking about the role energy plays in society. Mostly it focuses on how energy is produced, what forms it comes in and the different options. The main part of this book that I will be focusing on is the three chapters on early civilizations needs for energy. I had planned on beginning my paper by comparing the style of ancient civilizations to those of today, and I have been able to find quite helpful material in this book.
Oliver, Eric J. Fat Politics: the Real Reason for America’s Obesity Epidemic. New York: Oxford University Press 2006
This book overviews what fat is, how obesity became so widespread and what factors are considered when reviewing obesity. It also covers the effects of obesity and how to deal with it. Some of the particular sections that I will be focusing on will be how obesity became an epidemic and the misconceptions of weight gain. A reoccurring theme that I see is that greater proportions seem to be a great suspect, but the book also goes into the thought that perhaps the ideal of the food pyramid from health officials might be incorrect.
Plato. The Phaedrus. 370 B.C.
The Phaedrus is a dialogue between Plato and Phaedrus himself, recorded by Plato around the year 370 B.C. In this dialectic, Socrates lectures Phaedrus about the evil of writing, saying that it makes society lazy, lacks responsibility, does not reflect the truth, and diminishes our character. He promotes verbal communication, condemning the newly invented technology of writing. This piece shows that similar to today, debates over whether technology benefits or harms society existed thousands of years ago.
Taylor, Frederick Winslow. The Principles of Scientific Management. 1911.
In this work, by Frederick Winslow Taylor, the country’s inefficiency in all aspects of daily life is described. According to Taylor, the world would be much more productive, if we could discover a way to maximize our efficiency. The best way to do this is maximum prosperity. This is the idea that if you pay the workers well, they will be happier and healthier, and will in turn produce more goods, making for maximum efficiency.
McNamara, Joe. “Television is Corrupting American Society.” Mass Media Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Byron L. Stay. Greenhaven Press Inc., 1999. 35-44.
In this overtly conservative article, author Joe McNamara states his heated
1
opinion by describing the violence and vulgarity that dominate television today. According to him, television corrupts society because it abuses children for profit, uses vulgar language, displays violent acts, and promotes lifestyles that highly contradict traditional family values. Suggestions given on how to avoid this “wasteland” of demoralizing programming include watching musicals, historical footage and other quality television, and keeping movie gossip magazines out of your house. This article gives a vivid description of how American television is destroying family values today more so than ever before.
Miller, Daphne. “Television’s effects on kids: It can be harmful.” CNN.com 20 Aug. 1999. 12 July 2006 http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9908/20/kids.tv.effects/
This article by doctor Daphne Miller says that children in the United States are spending way too much time in front of the television. The average child spends about 25 hours a week watching TV, way over the maximum recommended limit of two hours per day. The effects of extensive television viewing by adolescents can be detrimental both physically and mentally. The majority of children‘s programming, about 75%, is non-educational, and instead often filled with scenes of violence and aggressive behavior. Also, watching too much TV has been linked to a poorer performance in school. Watching late night TV can lead to daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating and therefore can also cause poor school performance as well. If that weren’t enough, there
seems to be a strong relationship between time spent watching TV and being overweight.
2
Comstock, George. Television in America. London: Sage Publications, 1980.
According to author George Comstock, family life in America has deteriorated since the invent of the television. In homes with televisions, less time is devoted to conversation, the time parents devote to child care decreases, and overall family interaction is less frequent. On top of all of this, almost half of all American households have multiple TV’s, which alters the social aspect of family TV viewing. This book describes the negative impact that this piece of technology has had on family interaction and togetherness.
“TV Has Negative Impact on Very Young Children’s Learning Abilities.” Medical News Today. 2005. 16 July 2006. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=26985
According to this news article, television viewing before age three can have a harmful effect on cognitive development. Children younger than three watch on average 1.3 hours of television per day, even though it has been shown that no program can benefit a child this young, no matter how educational it may be. Recent longitudinal studies show that there is a negative correlation between television viewing prior to age three and adverse cognitive outcomes at ages six and seven. This article demonstrates the harmful effect television viewing has on children’s development.
Schmitt, B.D. “ Television: Reducing the Negative Impact.” University of Michigan Health System. 15 April 2004.
3 http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_btelevis_hhg.htm
This article by doctor B.D. Schmitt outlines the negative physical and psychological effects television has on children. This effects include poor grades, an interference with conversation time, discouraging reading, and encourages a demand for material possessions. He gives a few suggestions on how to prevent television from dominating your life, which include not using TV as a babysitter, turning it off during meals and encouraging educational programming.
Anderson, Daniel R., et al. Early Childhood Television Viewing and Adolescent Behavior. Boston, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.
This book give an interesting look at televisions impact on adolescent body image. After a carefully conducted study, they found that males who watched a lot of sports television were less satisfied with their height and physical appearance than those who did not. With females, they found that those who watched a lot of entertainment television were more unhappy with their weight than less frequent viewers. This proves that television’s depictions of unrealistic physical appearances has a great negative psychological effect on America’s adolescents.
Rudich, Joe. “ID 4 Life: a web-based service moves photos quickly in cases of child abduction.” Link-Up 16.1 (Jan-Feb 1999): 16(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
.
Smolowe, Jill. “A high-tech dragnet. (computers used to spread information about child abduction).” Time 142.n18 (Nov 1, 1993): 43(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
.
“Help kids protect themselves from abductions with computer game. (Technology Update).(Brief Article).” Curriculum Review 42.2 (Oct 2002): 5(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
.
Arnaldo, Carlos A. “Child abuse on the Internet: ending the silence” New York: Berghahn Books; Paris: UNESCO Pub., c2001
Medaris, Michael and Girouard, Cathy. “Protecting Children in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program” Juvenile Justice Bulletin NCJ 191213. (January 2002): 8 pages July 12, 2006 http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/191213.pdf
Summary: Internet in China has become one of the largest, high-tech efforts of censorship to date. There are an estimated 30,000 internet police who monitor all forms of web traffic and e-mail.
Thesis/Evidence: The experience found on Chinese Internet is profoundly different than that we are accustomed to. At every turn there is the shadow of “big brother” and the government’s censorship programs. This is evidenced by the banning of websites that are clearly informational such as the BBC and Wikipedia. A government official could only offer that the inability to reach the BBC online was a “technical problem”. The government has not stopped to merely censor the material available to its users. Amnesty International is aware of 64 Chinese people imprisoned for offenses such as signing petitions and communicating with foreign organizations. Steps are also being taken to censor the Internet physically. Internet cafes are all state-licensed and are required to conduct surveillance on users.
Style: No particular style is used. It’s a very straightforward, factual report.
Points of Interest: This article was of particular interest because it gave many brief examples of how the Chinese government is controlling the Internet.
Questions Raised: One question that remains for me is how the US Internet differs from its Chinese counterpart. Are we truly as safe as we believe?
Agreements: I agreed with the author on all points. It seems that he has fully supported all claims with undeniable evidence. Furthermore, this evidence has been backed up by numerous other articles I have found while researching the topic.
Disagreements: None.
How I can use this: Although lacking details, I will probably use this article as a starting point for sub-topics to look into. The last section dealing with circumventing and resisting censorship was largely unhelpful, because at the moment I don’t plan to deal with these issues in my paper.
Quotes:
“If you say anything against the government we’ve got to delete it, no exception, because it’s a forum, it’s a public place. If the government finds anything against them in the forum, that will jeopardise the company.”
“With 56 ethnic minorities, we can’t risk one slandering another.
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BC. Trans. Benjamin Jowett.
Summary: Socrates and Phaedrus argue the morality of introducing writing to the masses. They agree that writing must meet certain standards or serve a noble purpose to be worthy of reading.
Thesis/Evidence: Writing will create forgetfulness among the masses; they will rely on text rather than their own thoughts. When seriously planting seeds one would take the proper care to ensure their growth.
Style: Socrates and Phaderus discuss the matter in a dialogue rather than merely lecturing. This follows the ideas they present in the paper.
Points of Interest: They argue that writing should be able to defend itself alike to spoken word. Either that, or be presented so thoroughly there is no doubt in its correctness. However, I find that this text fails to do either. If their standards for writing are just then perhaps the content of the text should be ignored. However, if those standards are incorrect, then the text would have meaning. This seems like a paradox to me.
Questions Raised: Same as above.
Agreements: I agreed with the idea that writing like other technologies has the potential to be misused and have a negative effect on society.
Disagreements: I find the standards set by the two philosophers are much too strict. My interpretation of the reading was that they found works of fiction to be unworthy of writing. I see no problem with fiction as long as it is declared as such.
How I can use this: This text can be used as an example of how seemingly good technologies can make a negative impact on society.
Quotes:
“The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing…”
Summary: Chinese officials claim the West is using a double standard to view their Internet censorship.
Thesis/Evidence: We cannot agree Chinese officials claims that their role on the Internet is comparable to the west because they have far surpassed us in censorship and rights violations. Officials claim no one has been arrested for publishing online content. However, in fact, many people have been imprisoned for posting information the government opposed. Shi Tao is one such journalist who was imprisoned for 10 years for such an act.
Style: Strict reporting, no flair is added to the text.
Points of Interest: I find the misleading information released by officials to be sickening. They make statements that are clearly false regarding their Internet censorship.
Questions Raised: Is it possible that the US government’s role in the Internet is nearly as negative as the Chinese government? Maybe, the US government acts covertly in a similar manner. This is doubtful, but still I find it worth asking.
Agreements: I’m totally in agreement with the report of hypocrisy in the messages released by Chinese officials.
Disagreements: It’s possible for the Chinese officials to argue that what they say is actually true, since their messages are very vague.
How can I use this: This text gives examples of people imprisoned for their actions on the Internet. I can use these examples to support the notion that the Internet is facilitating the suppression of the Chinese people.
Quotes: “It is unfair and smacks of double standards when (foreigners) criticise China for deleting illegal and harmful messages, while it is legal for US websites to do so.”
Summary: The author “Tim” explains the recent Google subpoena. He goes on to argue that we should be wary of the governments intrusion on our rights.
Thesis/Evidence: COPA hinders free speech because it punishes everyone, not just criminals. COPA’s tactics are being justified to protect children. However, they are effectively violating the right to free speech to do so. By demanding access to user’s information and searches the government is punishing everyone, not only those who search for things like pedophilia.
Style: The author has a very informal style and makes comments with paranoid undertones. This only goes to reinforce his views against the government’s recent actions.
Points of Interest: I found the notion that we are being treated as criminals very interesting. He makes it clear that by looking at the issue from another angle we can see how are rights are being infringed upon. This was a view I never saw before reading this.
Questions Raised: Can I find examples of the patriot acts which support the notion that the government is using the Internet to further control society?
Agreements: Overall I agreed with the author’s arguments that we are essentially being punished by COPA.
Disagreements: While, I’m not in complete disagreement, the author makes many claims which simply cannot be proven. For example:
The government would LOVE to have daily access to Google search queries, including the address of the computer that performed the search. Then, agents could pay visits to people whose searches suggested they might not be the purest of mind. Is that a good power to give the government? That’s where we are heading.
How I can use this: Unfortunately, the non-academic style seriously detracts from the paper. However, I felt there were too many good points made to ignore this website. I can use these examples to show how the US government’s demands for search information can be cast in a very negative light.
Quotes:
“As a parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent, I endorse [the COPA goals] without reservation. As a judge, however, I must confess to a growing sense of unease when the interest in protecting children from prurient materials is invoked as a justification for using criminal regulation of speech as a substitute for, or a simple backup to, adult oversight of children’s viewing habits.”
Summary: After 9/11 the USA Patriot Act was passed, giving the government increased surveillance capabilities.
Thesis/Evidence: The US government will have even easier access to personal information because of the newly passed Patriot Act. A new program known as Carnivore will be used to mine data such as names and web surfing habits. Under the Patriot Act ISPs must allow backdoors for the government to conduct surveillance.
Sytle: Strict reporting, no flair is used.
Points of Interest: The main thing I’m looking at here is the increased potential for civil rights violations. The government appears to be slowly allowing more and more intrusion into private data.
Agreements: The author doesn’t take a specific stand on the issue, but I agree that there is a need to keep an eye on the government’s actions from here.
Disagreements: None.
How I can use this: By looking at the progression in Internet related law making I can probably show that the government is slowly expanding its powers to monitor and suppress certain rights.
Quotes:
“The trouble with the bill is that it’s very sweeping and it can apply not just to suspected terrorists but people and organizations that may be engaged in lawful actions.”
1.) This piece is about policing the internet and protecting people in general.
2.) “It is imperative that people take proper precautions in order to maintain safety when accessing the internet.”
3.) The evidence in the book has to do more with predators raping, killing, or abusing younger children.
4.) The entire book was interesting, but I thought it was especially interesting what great lengths certain people went to in order to find someone through the internet.
5.) This book is going to help me with my paper because I am going to relate it to authority figures and adults going into facebook and saying that they are using it just as predators and criminals are.
6.) I agreed with the fact that you need to be careful because the internet can be a dangerous tool.
7.) I didn’t agree with completely avoiding posting pictures because that is something that can be privatized.
8.) “The spunky 13 year old softball player that you’re chatting with can actually be America’s Most Wanted.”
Annotation of Alan Marzilli’s Piece
1.) This piece is about policing the internet and protecting people in general.
2.) “It is imperative that people take proper precautions in order to maintain safety when accessing the internet.”
3.) The evidence in the book has to do more with predators raping, killing, or abusing younger children.
4.) The entire book was interesting, but I thought it was especially interesting what great lengths certain people went to in order to find someone through the internet.
5.) This book is going to help me with my paper because I am going to relate it to authority figures and adults going into facebook and saying that they are using it just as predators and criminals are.
6.) I agreed with the fact that you need to be careful because the internet can be a dangerous tool.
7.) I didn’t agree with completely avoiding posting pictures because that is something that can be privatized.
8.) “The spunky 13 year old softball player that you’re chatting with can actually be America’s Most Wanted.”
Annotation of Wikipedia Piece
1.) This is simply a description of what facebook is, what it is used for, and how popular it is.
2.) Facebook is a social networking service for high school, college, university, corporate, non-profit, militarty and geographic communities primarily in English-speaking countries.
3.) “Anyone with access to a valid e-mail address from 2000+ universities can register for and access the site.”
4.) There isn’t much controversy in this article, but I thought it was interesting that it is the number one site for photos, even ahead of public photo sites.
5.) I can use this in my paper because there essentially is not argument here. Yet it still supports the fact that facebook.com was designed simply to link students and provide entertainment.
6.) Some benefits of this piece is that it divides the special features of the website up and describes them. It also addresses the criticisms and counters them with privacy updates and answers.
7.) The best part of the website is that it specifically addresses alcohol policy violations and how many colleges use facebook to regulate these alcohol violations.
8.) “It has been documented that some employers look at Facebook profiles of prospective employees or interns.
“We have never provided our users’ information to third party companies, nor do we intend to.”
Annotation of Nancy Haas’s Piece
1.) Police officials shut down a party of a student’s at GWU upon discovering underage drinking, so the students decided to prove the police found the party through facebook.com
2.) “Because of its popularity, though, the site has become a flashpoint for debates about free speech, privacy, and whether the Internet should be a tool for surveillance.”
3.) The police broke into a party, only to find students had purposely talked it up on facebook, but only had cake and cookies at the actual gathering.
4.) I thought it was interesting that some administrators said that they really support facebook simply because it helps build a college community.
5.) This raises the question of What do professors and actual campus officials decide about checking or not checking facebook? Also do facebook employees think it is ok that punishments are being given because of the website?
6.) I agreed with the stance that facebook gives people a way to find each other and connect because it has given me that exact opportunity.
7.) I didn’t agree with the stance that administrators and parents worry about cyberstalking because I have not heard one incident of someone being found and killed or raped or abused because a predator has found their facebook account.
8.) I can use this for my project because it gives examples of what some universities are doing and it also lists the attractive features of the website.
9.) “Nearly three-quarters of Facebook users sign on at least once every 24 hours, and the average users sign on six times a day.”
“The weapon of choice? Facebook of course.”
Annotation of Physorg Piece
1.) Two students at Fisher College were expelled because of certain conduct on their facebook profiles.
2.) “Facebook officials are also finding themselves in a difficult position: how to balance administrative concerns with the freedoms to which users are accustomed.”
3.) “It’s certainly not what we designed Facebook to be used for.” There is examples of other colleges, such as University of Missouri-Columbia, Brandeis University, and UCSB.
4.) I find it really interesting to hear what the police officers think is practicing their duties because they wouldn’t be able to unless they were snooping on facebook.com in the first place.
5.) This raises questions for me such as Who discovered that they could get into the website to keep close tabs on college students in the first place. Also what kind of independence to R.A.s and campus officials think they are promoting by not even giving student the privacy of their own websites?
6.) I agreed with the part of the article where one of the students says that the police made a comical group into an issue when it didn’t have to be because older adults and authorities don’t understand a lot of the humor in our generation.
7.) I didn’t agree with the part about UCSB exercising the right to punish students for having pictures of drinking in resident halls because if the only way this was found out was through pictures, it clearly didn’t harm anyone.
8.) I can use this work for my project because it not only gives specific examples, but it also touches on UCSB, my own campus.
9.) “Users are able to adjust their privacy settings to only allow fellow students to see their profiles or even further the availability of their information so only their confirmed ‘friends’ can see their information.”
Annotation of the Newsweek Piece
1.) This article is about two different incidents dealing with authority figures hacking into facebook.com to get students in trouble.
2.) “…identifying the over-zealous fans seemed impossible. Impossible, that is, until the police department turned to a new crime-fighting tool: facebook.com.”
3.) Students at GWU posted a fake raging party that advertised the exact location to trick police. And when the police showed up, there was no alcohol or drugs, but it proved the police use facebook unfairly.
4.) It was really interesting to me how police actually check facebook to get students in trouble.
5.) The article raises questions for me such as Isn’t it some sort of invasion of privacy to look at pictures in order to punish students? And how can police get into a college-only website and get away with it?
6.) I agreed with the part of the article that police finding a balance between upholding the law and maintaining good relations because safety does really matter.
7.) I disagreed with the part that there’s nothing immoral or illegal about police using it because I think that it is immoral to look at pictures. It is the same idea of going into a dorm room and using pictures as evidence.
8.) I can use this work for my paper because it gives specific examples of authorities using facebook.com
9.) “I guess they’ll play their game, we’ll play ours, and we’ll see who wins.”
“Most university police forces claim that they have better things to do than surf student profiles.”
Annotation of the Mark Zuckerberg Piece
1.) The website http://www.inc.com/30under30/Zuckerberg.html gives a description of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of facebook.com and describes his original idea of the website.
2.) “Zuckerberg developed software to help fellow students trade photos and jokes, rant on any topic they pleased, or just say ‘hi’—creating a searchable database of personal profiles exclusively for the college set.”
3.) “The site connects seven million(and counting) registered users at colleges and high school across the globe.”
4.) I would also like to use a statement to argue against what I believe facebook should be for. “Today, he sees the company as a a vanguard of a growing communications revolution in the way everyone-not just college kids-will eventually interact.”
5.) This was interesting because the beginning of the article starts out with how Mark Zuckerberg simply just started it to link students, yet by the end it talks about wanting to keep expanding it to include others.
6.) This article raises questions such as Is it really safe to start including everyone in a website that reveals information, pictures, and locations? Also, won’t the website turn into a replica of MySpace.com?
7.) I agreed with Zuckerberg’s stance on connecting college students because college is the most unique version of education and independence, so it should have something special to connect everyone.
8.) I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on expanding facebook.com because it begins to be used as a weapon and works against college students instead of for them.
9.) I can use this work for my paper by using it to back up the idea that facebook was originally designed to simply link college students together, and also to argue against the expansion of it.
10.) “Facebook has already tested the viability of running social networks for the
armed forces.”
“Still, moving out of the college market puts his company into the same arena as
MySpace, a borader networking site that was acquired by News Corp last year
for $580 million.”
Annotation for Facebook.com
1.) This website contains the privacy features and all other aspects that I am researching about.
2.) Facebook.com is a website designed to link college students together.
3.) The privacy settings give way to keep certain people from viewing profiles and there is a description that says that “people with a valid email address from a supported college…” can register for Facebook.
4.) There is no exact argument that the creator of facebook.com demonstrates, but all of the different aspects and parts of the website support my own thesis of the research paper.
5.) I would like to really focus on the privacy part of the website to go through what’s possible to keep predators out of personal accounts and then compare these privacy features to see if they can keep out adults and authority figures.
6.) This is really going to help my paper because this is the website that my research is even about.
7.) I also want to try and find someone that I do not know, look at their pictures, and view their information to see just how easy it is to get to know someone.
Arntzenius, Frank, Maudlin, Tim. “Time Travel and Modern Physics.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2005 Edition). Edward N. Zalta (ed.). http://plato.stanford. edu/archives/sum2005/entries/time-travel-phys/.
This piece is an extensive philosophical work dealing with time travel. The paper deals with both the logical and scientific validity and possibility of someone traveling through time. It raises a number of ideas of how time travel would work as well as bringing up fallacies and paradoxes that could result from time travel. The paper takes an unbiased approach, not discussing whether they think time travel is possible, but rather focusing on the science and philosophy of time travel. This works well with my paper as it gives a scientific basis with which I can compare the films and their forms of time travel to check validity. It also provides some possible solutions to paradoxes that are raised in the films as a result of the characters traveling through time.
Back to the Future. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover. Universal Pictures, 1985.
This film is one of the first popular comedy films to deal with time travel in American cinema. The movie follows Dr. Emmett Brown and Marty McFly as they develop a form of time travel and effectively use it to travel through time. This film introduced the flux capacitor, a technology used in a number of science fiction works that followed as a way for characters to travel through time without the writer having to give an explanation as to how they can perform this act. The film also brings up ideas of different paradoxes that are associated with time travel, such as the grandfather paradox, but doesn’t do too much to explain them. The ideas are raised but no solution is given. This work ties into my paper because it is a very popular example of time travel in film, and created the flux capacitor, as stated earlier, that has been imitated on a number of occasions. One problem I had with the film was the lack of an explanation as to how the flux capacitor actually worked, but aside from that it provided a rather interesting portrayal of time travel.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Dir. Stephen Herek. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin. Orion Pictures, 1989.
This film is another popular comedy dealing with time travel. In the film, Bill and Ted have to travel back in time to finish a homework assignment to keep Ted from being sent to military school. The film offers a ridiculous, comical means of time travel where they use a telephone booth. However, even though the means of time travel is slightly ridiculous, the film raises a number of interesting ideas involving time travel. The idea that if they decide to, at a later time, go back and change something that will affect their current situation, then it will happen instantaneously is an interesting thought about time travel. I will be using this piece in my paper less in the sense of how they actually travel through time, but more to do with any paradoxes raised and the different ideas about time travel that are presented.
Donnie Darko. Dir. Robert Kelly. Perf. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, and Holmes Osborne. Newmarket Films, 2001.
This film deals in depth with the idea of time travel and how it affects the human condition. The idea of being able to change the past is also raised in this film and how this would affect the world as a result. The film revolves around Donnie Darko who is visited by a giant bunny that tells him the world is going to end. After learning this Donnie begins studying time travel and different ideas associated with this event. The film offers interesting ideas surrounding time travel and Richard Kelly got very deep and involved in this concept while making the movie. The idea that someone actually could change the past is presented in this film, as well as time travel through wormholes, which is not present in any of the other films I am using as sources.
Plato. Phaedrus. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. 26 June 2006. http://philosophy.eserver.org/ plato/phaedrus.txt.
Phaedrus is a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus about the perils of technology. The main focus is about how technology, specifically writing, makes people less human. The thesis of the paper is basically how writing introduces forgetfulness in humans and creates something that is impure. To justify his claims, one example Socrates uses is in reference to a farmer and how writing is like a farmer hurrying to harvest his crop. Another example Socrates uses is in reference to the Egyptian story of Ahmen. This work somewhat relates to my topic because time travel in some of the films I will be discussing contemplates the human condition and how technology affects this. I agreed somewhat with Socrates’ idea that technology alters humans in a negative way. Technology has created a number of benefits for humans, but at the same time it has caused a number of problems. However, there were some points that I did not agree with. The main thing I disagreed with was when Socrates said that certain forms of writing are acceptable. I understood the way in which he differentiated the different types of writing, but I did not agree that there should be any acceptable form of writing coming from his perspective.
Primer. Dir. Shane Carruth. Perf. Shane Carruth, David Sullivan. THINKFilm, 2004.
Primer is a science fiction film that provides a commentary on the human condition, using time travel as the catalyst for events. The film was written, directed, and produced by Shane Carruth, who before making this film was a mechanical engineer. This scientific background gave the film a more realistic and sound approach of time travel as compared with other films dealing with the subject. The film documents two friends as they develop a means of time travel and slowly drift apart as they use it promote their own goals. The main idea of this film is that technology, in this case time travel, is in a way detrimental to society and causes humans to act in an egocentric manner. Using his engineering background, Shane Carruth developed an idea of time travel that maintains a relatively valid concept of time travel that parallels certain common conceptions held by scientists and philosophers today. In the film a person can only travel as far back as the original point in time that the machine was turned on. Working with this idea, Carruth invited the concept of multiple world lines, where a number of the same individual coexist. At first the two characters, Aaron and Abe, use the machine merely as a way to make money as they go back in time and buy stocks they know turn a profit and bet on sporting events that they know the results of. However, as the story progresses, they start using the machine the get more power than the other and to promote their own goals. The film and its use of different timelines is difficult to follow and took me watching it a couple times just to get somewhat of a grasp on the events. It does raise a number of interesting ideas about time travel though, and the use of the timelines is what ties everything together. The idea that they can go back and change events of their past is a highly debated topic of time travel, as well as moving to different world lines when someone travels back in time.
Rapfogel, Jared. “Teen schizophrenia: Donnie Darko.” Senses of Cinema July 2002. 13 July 2006. http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/02/21/darko.html.
This essay is a review and interpretation of the film Donnie Darko and some of the thoughts the film evokes. The main point the author attempts to make throughout this piece is how the film sets itself apart from other teenage dramas and how this was accomplished. The driving force of the essay is the character of Donnie Darko and the way Jake Gyllenhaal portrays him. This essay ties in with the topic because it is a critical review of the film Donnie Darko. It deals with the state of mind Donnie is in throughout the film, which directly correlates with his involvement and understanding of time travel.
Terminator, The. Dir. James Cameron. Perf. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn. Orion Pictures, 1984.
This is an action film in which the events that take place are set in motion by time travel. The idea of the film is that a machine is sent back in time to kill the mother of the leader of the human faction during a war between machines and humans before he is born. The film does not make an attempt to explain the time travel, but does deal with a very interesting point that is extremely pertinent to my topic. The debate of whether someone could go back in time and effectively change the past is a debate that is ever present when dealing with time travel. This film gives an interpretation of this, leaning toward the idea that time and the past have a way of regulating themselves in such a way that major changes could not take place. The film gives an interpretation that going back in time to kill somebody is not possible and there will be some way to prevent something like this from happening.
Atkins, Barry. “What Are We Really Looking at?: The Future-Orientation of Video Game Play” Games and Culture 1.2 (2006): 127-140
1) This article is looking at the differences between analyzing videogames versus other visual media. The author asserts that there is a “game gaze” that incorporates the actions taken within the game that should be dissociated from the “cinema gaze” that one follows when watching a movie.
2) Thesis: “our collective attention as critics might be misplaced if we focus too much on the video in video game to the exclusion of any understanding of games as systems of simulation, and particularly if we do so by simply lazily transporting our understanding of this visual experience from our understanding of other visual experience.”
3) The author points out that The Sims 2 director Will Wright believes games should be thought as “toys” rather than objects that you buy. That is, games require the user’s creative input to make the most of the experience.
4) The author uses a clear scholarly voice which helps to clearly show his understanding of games vs. cinema.
5) All of the analysis of game-play and graphics was interesting, but his section of “Video Games seen in the Gallery” seemed off-topic.
6) What is the relationship between visuals and game-play? To me it seems rewards-based, but the author never mentioned this.
7) I agreed with the author that what sets games apart from movies is the “game-play”, because there is a much more non-linear problem-solving type of thinking that takes place when playing video games as opposed to the “what happens next?” sort of thinking one has while watching movies.
I found nothing to disagree about in this paper.
9) I’m going to argue that it is the mode of interaction that limits the derived experiences of video games. The de-emphasis on visuals presented in this paper supports my argument, especially by focusing on the “game gaze” aspect of game-play.
10) “The pleasures of video games, as James Newman (2001) has pointed out, comparing
Tomb Raider to cartoonish-looking Super Mario Kart, are not primarily visual, but
kinaesthetic, functional and cognitive.” (pg. 129)
Steven Johnson. Everything Bad Is Good For You. New York: Riverhead Books, 2005
1) This book argues that certain aspects of popular culture have made the population at large smarter over the past few decades. The author focuses on videogames and points out that games often require logical reasoning or “work” in order to be satisfying.
2) Thesis: “This book is an old-fashioned work of persuasion that ultimately aims to convince you of one thing: that popular culture has, on average, grown more complex and intellectually challenging over the past thirty years.”
3) Specifically related to games, the author gives an example of a carpenter that works 60 hours a week. Every day when the man gets home from work, he plays Everquest. His avatar is a blacksmith, and essentially what happens is he does physical labor in the game context in order to “level-up”. The man was questioned about his day-job and his game-job and replied “Well, it’s not work if you enjoy it.”
4) The author has a clear writing style and supports his arguments with strong examples.
5) Although not exactly important for my paper, I was really interested in the author’s defense of the common notion that “videogames are an immense waste of time.” He goes on to tackle many assumptions people have about the brain-strengthening properties of books (and in general).
6) The author asserts that some games require challenging thought processes. What aspects of games lead to passive thought processes?
7) I agreed with the author’s stance that videogames often require complex thinking.
I disagree that videogames are making the population at large more-intelligent, because there are many other factors that could contribute to this phenomenon.
9) For my paper, I’ll use all the stuff that shows the increased complexity of video games and tie that in with the increased complexity in the modes of interaction that take place.
10) “The dirty little secret of gaming is how much time you spend not having fun.” (pg. 25)
Jean Baudrillard. “Simulacra and Simulations” Selected Writings. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998 pp.166-184
1) Jean Baudrillard argues that simulations exist in reality, possibly to the point that everything that one sees is a simulation.
2) Thesis: “The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth – it is the truth which conceals that there is none.”
3) An example that he uses that people who “simulate” an illness (i.e. they believe they have it even though there may be no biological evidence) can actually develop the symptoms of the illness.
4) The author’s writing style is an insult to his readers, who are largely competent individuals who would have no problem understanding his arguments except that these arguments are hidden behind a grating flow.
5) I’m interested in all of the examples of simulation as they could be applied to videogames. I’m not interested in re-reading paragraphs five times with no understanding of the main points within.
6) Is there a difference between perceived simulations and non-perceived simulations?
7) I agree with the author that many simulations exist in the modern world, largely due to new technology.
I disagree with the author that everything is a simulation, because that completely devalues the definition of “simulation”.
9) For my paper I would like to show that a possible reason for the derived pleasure of video games is that the player knows that they are interacting with a simulation (there is a truth to it) rather than taking part in a simulation (reality) that is largely out of their control.
10) “Disneyland is a perfect model of all the entangled orders of simulation.”
1) This paper discusses the tendency for video game products to be misrepresented to their target audiences. The author urges that video game makers create advertising that is consistent with their products.
2) Thesis: “If Nintendo were truly, truly serious about making the DS a success, they’d be going after the people for whom the system has genuine appeal: non-gamers.”
3) The author uses the example of the Nintendo DS, a handheld video game device. The advertising campaign (“Touching is Good”) focuses on the “sexiness” of the device, despite the fact that the majority of the games for the system are designed for the not-hardcore gamers who generally don’t respond to this sort of advertising.
4) The author’s writing style is very personable, which seems to weaken some of his important examples.
5) I’m interesting in reading the perspective of a game-journalist who is not writing for a heavily controlled media publication. It is refreshing to read objective criticisms of potential advertisers without any restraint.
6) How should the “non-gamer” be introduced to more complicated games?
7) I agree with the author that the “non-gamer” is an under-represented audience for game advertising.
I disagree that advertising in Better Homes and Gardens would help to sell the Nintendo DS into its target audience. I don’t think the games need to change, it just the mode of interaction (i.e. the device itself) that needs to be more accessible to non-gamers.
9) For my paper I’d like to defend the Nintendo DS as an accessible media device for non-gamers and argue that it innovates in its modes of interaction (WiFi, touch screen-only games, etc.). I’d like to use this article to counter some of the points that it makes.
10) “Give someone whose last game was Pac-Man an Xbox controller and they’re going to look at the buttons and feel intimidated.”
1) This paper talks about the importance of graphics in the minds of the video game playing fan-base. The author talks about the upcoming Nintendo Wii console, which is designed to focus on accessible game-play rather than graphics.
2) Thesis “Let’s face it: games have come and gone that were so dour and joyless, not even the most brilliant graphical wizardry could’ve saved them.”
3) The author points out that as video games are becoming more graphically detailed, the production costs (and thus the game prices) are increasing because of the additional staff necessary to create such effects.
4) The author’s writing style is very straightforward and easy to understand.
5) I’m interested in the ways that the reliance on creating “good-looking” games is distracting attention away from games that provide stronger interactions with the players.
6) How can “bad-looking” games attract one’s attention?
7) I agree that there is a strong visual-connection between players and games.
I disagree that game developers should focus less on creating games that try to “push the limits” graphically.
9) For my paper I’d like to argue that there is a strong visual connection between a game and a player. However, it is only a fragment of the overall experience, and for example the controller is much more important for the possibilities of interactions that can take place.
10) “Some of you have noticed that a large sum of the next-gen games we’ve seen so far look way too shiny or plastic. According to some developers, this isn’t a limitation of the technology, but a symptom of the imaginations behind the games.”
Novel Assembly Properties of Recombinant Spider Drag-line Silk Proteins
Huemmerich, Daniel, Thomas Scheibel, Fritz Vollrath, Shulamit Cohen, Uri Gat, and Shmulik Ittah. “Novel Assembly Properties of Recombinant Spider Drag-line Silk Protiens.” Current Biology 14 (2004): 2070 – 2074.
SUMMARY/EVIDENCE: most spider species have 2 proteins in their drag-line silk, one with proline residue and one without. The species in the study has 2 proline rich proteins, ADF-3 and ADF-4.
Proline rich proteins can “form structural features that result in the extraordinary physical properties of drag-lines” (2070). At the time of this research, the function of the proline free protein has yet to be determined.
For a gene transfer (into an insect cell line), they used baculoviruses containing cDNAs of adf-3 and adf-4 proteins.
ADF-4 was produced and resembled natural drag-line 3 days after infection. Most interestingly it was insoluble. ADF-3 was also produced yet was soluble.
In the conclusion, they suggest that drag-line would need to be created at natural speeds (1-10 cm/s) and ADF-4 would be a reliable protein (although “the tendency of ADF-4 to aggregate implies that other factors within the dope are likely required to keep it from premature polymerization in the gland” (2072).
ADF-3 probably is important, yet it was not needed by ADF-4 to form drag-line.
THESIS: Analyzing 2 “drag-line proteins of the garden spider Araneus diadematus, ADF-3 and ADF-4” (2070) and creating them synthetically has led to a further understanding of the structure of drag-line silk, or web, “which may open the door for commercial applications” (2070).
Interesting to me… is being this close to producing synthetic webbing. From other sources I will provide specifics on the properties of spider web – such as being 30 times stronger than steel (check source) and it possible uses which include bullet proof materials.
Questions I have… could webbing be used as a projectile? Although very strong and elastic, is synthetic webbing adhesive?
I can use this work… to exemplify the active research being done to synthetically create webbing. I believe many people are unaware of its commercial potential.
Quotes..
I will probably reference / summarize the research in my paper, rather than directly quote from it. It is too complicated so I will just have to simplify parts a lot.
The Physics of Superheroes
Kakalios, James. The Physics of Superheroes. New York: Gotham Books, 2005.
SUMMARY: This book uses superheroes and their comic book story-lines to explain many principles of physics. I was obviously concerned only with the chapters regarding Spider-Man, of which there were 2, The Day Gwen Stacy Died, and Can he Swing from a Thread? The first chapter ends explaining how Peter’s web catching Gwen Stacy after she was thrown off the George Washington Bridge by the Green Goblin was what, by simple force calculation, killed her. But the chapter begins as a very good introduction of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker and the birth of the famous comic hero.
The second chapter with Spider-Man wants to examine if there is any realism to swinging on thin strands of webbing. This discussion is right up my alley, as Kakalios explains that web would be more than sufficient in supporting Peter at even the highest swinging velocities.
THESIS: The thesis of the entire book, is merely that through using superheroes, one learning physics doesn’t have to be bored to death by traditional examples (like a mass resting on an inclined plane); rather (and it helps if your a nerd) one can learn physics by the examples provided in superhero comics.
Interesting to me… was that Spider-Man comics seem to be the most physically correct. Also, in the author’s introduction of Spider-Man, he touches on the fact that Marvel Comics, at the time (1962) created by Stan Lee, were stories of heroes who constantly felt their powers were a curse. I feel this is a realistic approach to creating a comic character. Although the real Spider-Man that I will describe will not come across his powers by accident, I feel that he/she would still experience a lot of emotional challenges: not wanting to be Spider-Man any more, not wanting to help others, etc.
Questions I have… still mainly concern whether webbing would be adhesive enough to the object Peter was swinging from the withstand the forces. Also, I still need to have a better understanding of how the comics present the New York publics feelings toward Spider-Man.
Quotes…
“ ‘In theory, a braided spider silk rope the diameter of a pencil could stop a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier. The combination of strength and elasticity allows it to withstand an impact five time more powerful than Kevlar, the synthetic fiber uses in bulletproof vests’ “ (p.56)
“One of the novelties that Lee and Ditko introduced in the Spider-Man comic book was a host of real-life concerns and difficulties that bedeviled Spider-Man nearly as much as his colorful rogue’s gallery of supervillians. Peter Parker would contend with seething high school romances and jealousies, money problems, anxiety over his aged aunt’s health, allergy attacks, even a sprained arm…” (p.45)
Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide
DeFalco, Tom. Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2001.
Quotes…
“I think Spidey has made such a lasting impression because he’s possibly the most realistically human of all super heroes…the world doesn’t exactly applaud his deeds – in fact, most people tend to suspect and distrust him. In short, he’s a lot like you and me” – Stan Lee (Foreword, p.7)
“…his very first story planted him firmly in Forest Hills, a part of New York City. So readers could really visualize him web-swinging around the streets of New York and its environs” -Stan Lee (Foreword, p.7)
“Spider-Man’s message is simple. It’s all about responsibility. If you want to be a good person, you have to be accountable for your actions. You can’t blame others for your mistakes or failures. You also have a duty to use your talents to make this world a better place…’With great power, there must also come great responsibility’” (p.9)
I can use this work… to have a good reference to the comic book story line, from which I can quote original comic books.
Redesigning Humans
Stock, Gregory. Redesigning Humans. New York: Mariner Books, 2003.
Quotes…
Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology
Reynolds, Richard. Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology (Studies in Popular Culture). London: Batsford Ltd., 1992.
Spider-Man on pages (7, 10, 49, 84)
Quotes…
“Scientific concepts and terms are introduced freely into plots and used to create atmosphere and add background detail to artwork – but the science itself is at most only superficially plausible, often less so, and the prevailing mood is mystical rather than rational.” (p.16)
“ 7. The stories are mythical and use science and magic indiscriminately to create a sense of wonder.” (p.16)
“But then, why should most people even care? They’ve got other things on their minds…like the rising cost of living…neutron bombs…braces or their kids teeth! Why should Joe or Jane American care who…or what…is inside this metal suit…as long as Iron Man gets the job done? As long as I risk my life to bring them peace of mind?” (Tony Stark AKA Iron Man p.27)
Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth, Justice, and the Socratic Way
Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society
The Hero With a Thousand Faces
Superheroes to America’s Rescue
An Anatomy of Leadership: princes, heroes, and supermen
Socrates concludes, through inductive reasoning, that the invention of writing serves only to handicap retention, causing men to “reminisce” and “creat[ing] [in them] forgetfulness.” This art, he asserts, lends not truth, but a mere “semblance of truth,” for the written word cannot have certainty; when attacked, it is unable to respond and defend itself. At length, it may be vulnerable to misuse and misinterpretation, being passed about carelessly; the written word, as such, may potentially be rendered unsound and defective. The only sort of word that may withstand offense is one made in speech for it originates directly from the serious learner—he who breaths life and soul into the written word and gives it truth. A serious husbandman, notes Socrates, would plant seeds not “for the sake of amusement and pastime” but to practice proper husbandry and rejoice at the product of his own work. Likewise, a dialectician should not “‘write’ his thoughts ‘in water’ with pen and ink, sowing words which can neither speak for themselves nor teach the truth adequately to others” for words, penned to paper, do not have with them their authority. Committing and storing words to memory protects them in the open field of discussion and debate. A true dialectician actively participates in an open exchange of words so as to arrive at the truth. Speech, therefore, surpasses the written word. The invention of writing will only prohibit the lovers of wisdom from their search.
Interestingly, without the written word, the Socratic Method would not have been known, publicized, and preserved to this day. There may be instances where penning words to paper would weaken the memory of men but it is unlikely that it does real damage. The invention of writing has benefited men both in transmission of information and retention of information. It has apparently aid him in obtaining knowledge and arriving at truth.
Quotes:
“the fact of his so writing is only a disgrace to him, whatever men may say. For not to know the nature of justice and injustice, and good and evil, and not to be able to distinguish the dream from the reality, cannot in truth be otherwise than disgraceful to him, even though he have the applause of the whole world.”
“only in principles of justice and goodness and nobility taught and communicated orally for the sake of instruction and graven in the soul…is the true way of writing”
Given that visual impressions are evidently more effective as a stimulus than verbal language and that individuals in the information age are invariably subjected to an overload of visual data, it is questioned whether or not this information society is an informed society. With the immediacy of information via digitization, society risks having too much information—they consume more visual information than their cognitive faculties are able to logically and critically process—and what results is a passive acceptance of what is perceived. Individuals are thus left “unarmed,” being without their ability to visually judge, select, and filter irrelevant information and when questioned why it is they find televised news more credible than newspapers, these individuals answered, “seeing is believing…you can see their eyes; you can tell if they’re lying.” Apparently, they are not referring to the information content itself but rather, the visual impression they received. In which case, television viewers are merely given the “illusion of credibility.”
The author here infers from a general principle—one’s knowledge is not determined by and dependent upon one’s stock of information—and through deductive reasoning, illustrates in what ways this particular instance holds true. When viewers are saturated with information, they may become “omnipotent thesaurus[es]” but they lose information discrimination, they lose visual competence, and as a consequence, their reality is shaped and directed, mirroring television content. The media is often believed to cater to the audiences but in practice, the audiences often cater to and reinforce the media. Consistent exposure to television’s dominant, thematic ideologies renders viewers more inclined towards populism and as such, their pattern of thought and behavior are limited to the mainstream. In effect, society is gradually forming into a macro-culture, one wherein values are standardized and homogenized.
Quotes:
“the impression of knowledge will replace actual knowledge in this society.” 107
“Too much information that is perceived as uncertain, ambiguous, novel, complex, and intense is perceived as a threat in the cognitive system.” 107
“[what is consistently perceived] provide the basis for attitude formation and decision making in the Information Society.” 108
In pre-adolescents, “learning [is best done in]…observation” and therefore, extended exposure to exaggerated and falsified messages concerning gender identity would form in children concepts of male/female norms that may negatively shape their world view. Norms are born out of the long-standing integration of stereo-typical imagery—gender roles in particular—in TV advertisements in which “boys [are] playing with cars, trucks, and action figures [and]….girls [are playing] dolls of all sorts, dressing and grooming them.” Without enough experience to dismiss the often depicted gender dichotomy, children are left absorbing bias gender roles, believing them to be “‘natural.’” They are encouraged to follow specific guidelines specific to their gender. In which case, beliefs about gender opposites arise and come to provide the basis for social reality formation; thereupon, it induces children towards specific behavioral changes. In the interest of fitting into the norm, children strive to grow into their stereotyped roles, buying into the “gender specific toys” marketers made sure clogs the television medium at the right time—when children are out of school. In effect, children begin to psychologically identify with the male/female definition, confining themselves within its four walls and risking the decay of their autonomy. Children’s thoughts and actions soon mirror the familiar screen actors because with the ubiquity of television and pervasiveness of stereo-typical ads, children are visually subjected, on a daily basis, to lessons of “‘how they should behave’.”
It is questionable that stereo-typical advertisements are effective to the extent that they persist in the minds of children for long periods of time. Identity formation is flexible and should be continually changing. During adolescent, stereotypes may be abandoned through experience and active interaction with other individuals and society at large. It is hard to imagine that children would remain confined within rigid, static, gender borders as they enter subsequent stages.
Quotes:
“ads…defin[e] ‘male’ and ‘female’ in children’s psyches by juxtaposing girls and boys, almost like yin and yang.”
“children’s ads undoubtedly contribute to the normative patterns of early gender role formation that leads to the social realities of gendered standards”
“children are forming ideals and norms of female/male and femininity/masculinity that may actually contradict even the realities of their families and friends.”
Maldonado, Rachel, Patriya Tansuhaj, Darrel D. Muehling. “The Impage of Gender on
Ad Processing: A Social Identity Perspective.” Washington State University. 16
July 2006.
When TV ads consistently attach their products to gender, they compel viewers to associate the two together as if they are natural pairs. In buying in to their ads, viewers are influenced more or less by the association and begin to identify with and categorize themselves into a gender group. Such a categorization of the self influences the individual’s thoughts and behavior because the process functions to structure his/her “self-concept.” When the individual perceives himself/herself as a member of a gender group, he/she is, in effect, identifying with a “psychological group.” Thus, viewers may go about conducting themselves according to their in-group, believing themselves to be “representative of that group.” Since the construction of one’s self-concept is open to change, when ads systematically combine products with gender and do so routinely, they shape the definition of gender for the viewers, rendering them into conformity. Gender categorization is thus cued and activated. Thoughts and attitudes on gender do not inherently exist but are socially constructed; as such, they are susceptible to external influence. In this respect, anything set in relation to gender becomes part of the gender-concept formation and is accepted and internally absorbed; in which case, there is “conformity to group norms, and…in-group bias.” Though this helps maximize the consumer’s desire to purchase marketers’ products, they apparently do not benefit the individual. He/she may risk losing his/her autonomy.
The influence may not have that much effect on the viewers. Gender related attitudes may be shaped by factors other than TV ads and have priority over ones influenced by marketers. The personality should also be considered as another factor relevant in affecting gender-based thoughts and behaviors as well as purchase preferences.
Quotes:
“notions of gender are perpetuated and…enacting gender [bias] creates inequality during [social] interaction.”
“[viewers will be] compelled by the ‘logic’ of gendered situations and cognitive images to [naturalize] cognitive images that give shape and substance to [their] daily lives.”
“[viewers will] feel themselves to be, and to act, as a group.”
“executional cues such as models, music, shapes, and even color, might…generate…immediate identity activation.”
Beasley, Elena. “Children, Television and Gender Roles.” The University of Wales,
Aberystwyth. 16 July 2006. http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/
elb9501.html
Given that children’s television viewing time often outweighs their moments of interaction with their parents or any other adults, TV content can be said to play the primary role in structuring children’s reality. The messages and displayed products on commercials become a “source of information” that is confused and mistaken as natural and true. Gender bias ads will instill in the child’s vulnerable psyche that there are specific social roles they must fulfill. Society soon appears to the child as “either a man or a woman” rather than individuals with unique qualities. The child will associate traits such as being strong, powerful, and “having the authority of the world” as belonging to the male race alone and the opposite qualities i.e. “‘powerless, helpless or seeking approval or reward’” as female specific. Consistent exposure to such associations will force the child to expect such unrealistic qualities in themselves as well as others. Their gender bias outlook on life invariably taints their self identity, molding them into the stereotypical individuals, and forcing them into groups in which they lose any distinction. They develop gender traits and since TV ads continually provide reinforcement, these traits may come to remain fixed and irreversible. The child, in the interest of gaining acceptance, he/she verily models his/her behavior according to what appears normal, wanting to belong and do the “right” thing. Social interaction with others would include unequal treatment of the sexes which perpetuate the patriarchal society.
Children do not have enough knowledge of their external world to distinguish fiction from nonfiction. Gender differences become grossly exaggerated in their minds and will be perceived as the standard by which to measure their actions. Often living with overworked parents, children are missing out on lessons about the workings of the world that are crucial to their normal development. Distorted views produce a misinformed, and misled individual.
Quotes:
“[TV ads] provid[e] a framework for what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in society.”
“[ads send] out implicit and explicit messages of what the world is like.”
“[they] reflec[t] the ‘importance of maleness’.”
“sex-role stereotypes presenting women as dependent, emotional, domestic care-givers, while men are the supporting ‘bread winners’.”
“representation of women doing mundane domestic tasks and demonstrating household products is common in many adverts.”
Signorielli, Nancy. “Television and the Perpetuation of a Gender-Role Stereotypes.”
American Academy of Pediatrics. 16 July 2006. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/
sign298.htm
Studies have shown that when viewers, those who are most subjected to stereotypical ad, are asked questions concerning men and women, they are more likely to have answers laced with “sexist” views. Males are associated with “independence” and “sports” whereas women are linked to “warmth” and “cooking”. With television as a medium, marketers are able to make available their products to consumers. Their main interest now is to maximize consumers’ interest and purchasing power. Armed with the understanding that combining certain products with gender tend to elicit feelings of familiarity, marketers take care to make this process apparent so as to create a comfort zone for consumers. Viewers would be more willing to accept the products once they have a strong hold on the product and gender associations. Whether or not viewers have a strong hold on these links is dependent upon how often they are visually reinforced. Here then, marketers also have the control. They consistently display stereotypical gender traits so as to broadcast to the masses and make permanent in them gender biases. “Unrealistic expectations” of, for instance, glamour and perfect bodies, for women negatively affect the social dynamics involved between men and women in general, and the gender identity of the individual, in particular. Nonstop exposure to recurring stereotypical imager of bias gender roles render the viewers unaware of the differences existing in media’s “storytell[ing]” and social reality; they lose sight of the subtle ways media employs in which an individual’s personality and qualities are created.
Once notions of how gender roles should be executed are rigidly set in the minds of the masses, intolerance will set in. There will be widespread intolerance of behaviors deviating from the norm. Either the individual acts in accordance to his/her gender or he/she is either not a true male or not a true female. Intolerance is happening at present but the effects of the ads perpetuate it, if not worsen it. This is so because gender bias ads are so pervasive that one finds it difficult to locate a “neutral” ad.
Quotes:
“While both women and men are attractive, the women are seen as more attractive than the men.”
“Moreover, [women] typically have almost perfect bodies; few on television have even the slightest problem with their weight.”
“the prime-time television world transmits a compelling and fairly stable set of images about gender roles.”
“research generally points to a relationship between watching television and having stereotypical conceptions about gender roles.”
Mander, Jerry. “Television: Audiovisual Training for the Modern World.” In the
Absence of the Sacred. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1991. 75-96.
Studies show that the brain, when subjected to heavy doses of television content, enters into a state of “steady brain-wave pattern” wherein the normal functions of cognition ceases. This transition to “noncognitive mode,” at length, causes the mind to be completely receptive to external stimulus with the viewer himself/herself kept unaware. Not having to pass the reasoning, cognitive faculties for inspection, “information can be placed into the mind directly” without question. The viewer, without needing much eye movement during viewing, helps further this “sleeping teaching” process, creating for himself/herself a kind of hypnosis. Pulling away from the TV experience becomes more difficult by the hour. Images are projected at their own speed, and as such, the viewer must surrender to that speed; pausing to interpret and dissect the contents would lag the viewing process, causing it to fall behind the stream. Watching wouldn’t be the same. Therefore, the act of resistance to the attractive visual imagery of television exists temporarily; in most instances it does not exist; the viewer is inevitably pulled into the imagery vortex. Television come to “hon[e] our minds” in accordance to the ideologies it routinely broadcasts. Acceptance of distorted views becomes the norm. In this respect, TV subtly but aggressively influences the masses and sooner or later will transform into a major governing power—one to which the populace listens and obey; it will be what “contro[ls] the [busy] populace” and nothing else.
To see what television is capable of is frightening. However, if there’s a possibility television may work for evil, there’s just as a good a possibility it may work for the good. Many TV commercials are educational and strive to be neutral, leaving the interpretation up to the viewer. For instance, drug or sexually transmitted disease awareness ads attempt to bring the viewer back into cognitive mode, raising important issues concerning the negative consequences of a decision made while one is completely uninformed.
Quotes:
“[television] is the most pervasive and powerful communications medium” 79
“[the] lack of seeking images [during viewing] disrupts the normal association between eye movement and thought stimulation” 80
“the nature of the experience makes you passive to its process” 81
“[viewers] are receiving images…without thinking about them.” 80
“When people spend the greatest part of their lives relating to television imagery, then television imagery becomes the greatest part of people’s lives.” 77
“the end result will be worldwide monoculture” 77
Dake, Karl. “Orienting Dispositions in the Perception of Risk.” Journal of Cross-Cultural
Psychology. 22 (1991): 61-82. http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid= v909opjbe8m5ogjpebq1d6a4d1&server=oh1.csa.com&check=c46904063f5 9a8f4b1222e2c23445c8b&db=sagepsyc-set-c&an=10.1177%2F002202219 1221006&mode=pdf&f1=0022-0221%2C22%2C1%2C61-82%2C1991
Individuals as a collective group risk losing their own cultural identity—one defined by color, depth and uniqueness—when television is given a governing role in their lives, completely integrated into their identity formation. Once viewers are admitted into the television cult, the particulars for their culture are erased and they are relocated into a world filled with missing information, “cultural biases,” and distorted values and beliefs. The entire social structure would be operated on a system with its own agenda, running on a specific schedule. The system has formulated its own particular arrangements on how things should be. People following the agenda exhibit thoughts and execute actions consistent with those who belong in the cult. Marketers target the human psyche directly, understanding the significance of changing the individuals’ attitudes and worldviews first before attempting to change his/her behavior. Television threatens the social establishment, creating individuals who are bias both in thought and action because their beliefs are “internalized,” and become a part of themselves. Speaking in long terms, the personality of the individual and the core personality of society as a whole are affected, redirected to mirror that of the “‘dominant’ worldview’”. Society would become impatient and intolerant of those who are “‘socially deviant,’” which is a cause for concern because inequality is thus worsened.
Living in a world that is rigidly governed by the dictates of television’s stereotypical ideologies steals from the individual the right to creativity, to autonomy. Different cultures would be forced into one macro-culture with each member of society sharing the same set of values and beliefs. This does not foster growth in the mind and body of the nation but accelerate decay. If society allows the continuation of bias views to be displayed on television, such views would become everyone’s reality—becoming natural and legitimate.
Quotes:
“‘adherence to a certain pattern of social relationships generates a distinctive way of looking at the world”
“‘adherence to a certain worldview legitimizes a corresponding type of social relations’”
“attributes of personality…[are susceptible to] cultural biases”
“technolog[y]…[is] a threat to human values”
“foresees doom unless a radical transformation of individual values and societal institutions moves urgently away from the materialist status quo.”
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BC. Trans. Benjamin Jowett.
1. Summary: As Plato writes down everything Socrates is saying, the conclusion Socrates comes up with is that technology in the form of writing reduces knowledge in people.
2. Thesis: Writing will introduce forgetfulness, the only way of knowing anything is thru careful thinking not remembering it when reading it.
3. Evidence: A serious farmer does not want his crop to yield quickly, he wants to take the appropriate measures and wait for his crop to be ready for optimum yield conditions.
4. The author uses the allusion of dialogue between master and pupil to provide both sides of the argument. Socrates argues for knowledge being created within oneself, only thru oral presentation can one fully evoke knowledge. Plato says that writing is solely coming from the inside.
5. What interested me about this excerpt is that master and pupil had conflicting views. In my eyes, Socrates did not fully explain with his references why Plato’s writing was not knowledge.
United States. Drug Enforcement Administration. California Medical Marijuana Information.
1. Summary: This website has California medical marijuana information. This website states that each different county in CA have different guidelines to how much marijuana they are allowed to grow. This article also states that many medical growers sell the marijuana to non medical users.
2. Thesis: The DEA cannot really prosecute many large scale growers because they are protected by state law. Many medical patients are in fact growing and distributing under false pretenses of being ill.
3. Activists in local areas are smart and are electing pro-marijuana leaders for easier access to marijuana. DEA cannot pursue them due to confusing county laws.
4. This article relates to science and society because it outlines how communities are finding loop holes in which they can use medical marijuana as they wish
5. What interested me about this article is that it outlines the main reasons why people ask for medical marijuana. I agreed with the break down of illnesses but I disagreed about the information regarding non medical users or people using the pretense of being ill to obtain growing privilege, how do they know that?
Saltonstall, David. “Uncle Sam’s Pot Farm.” Online Posting. 1997. 16 Mar. 2006
1. This article is about a man who sued the government and one of only 14 patients ever to receive medical marijuana from the government for free. He suffers from glaucoma and due to his constant use of marijuana has been able to save his vision. He is being researched and thanks to him marijuana has been linked to helping many other illnesses.
2. The main thesis is that marijuana does in fact have medical benefits to glaucoma patients as well for epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine headaches, menstrual cramps and depression in addition to nausea resulting from chemotherapy and AIDS treatment.
3. Robert Randall was diagnosed with Glaucoma in 1972 and was supposed to lose his sight within five years, he has been smoking medical marijuana for over 20 years now and his vision is as good as the day he got diagnosed. Also, Dr. Lester Grinspoon from Harvard Medical School suggests that marijuana benefits many other illnesses as well.
4. This work specifically relates to the theme of technology and society because it shows that there is a need for medical marijuana. It shows that society can benefit greatly from medical marijuana.
5. I could associate this work to the one by Plato because Socrates is like the government and they don’t want to acknowledge that patients much like Plato do not understand their reasoning for not believing in what they do. Medical marijuana is for patients what writing is for Plato.
6. I agree with the government carefully monitoring the eight surviving recipients of the medical marijuana but I do not agree with them closing off the program to more patients. I feel there is more research to be done and the government needs to lead the way.
Boyd, Ray. “Its time for you to grow marijuana.” Cannabis Culture Marijuana Magazine 03 May. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006 .
1. This is a pro-marijuana article that promotes the cultivation and distribution of marijuana as a general consensus against the government.
2. When people realize the benefits of marijuana and how incorrectly the government has labeled marijuana they are going to want to grow and smoke as a way of rebelling against the governments laws.
3. Marijuana makes people feel good but doesn’t kill them or hook them as do legal drugs like alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco. When people experience marijuana’s gentle pleasures, they realize the government is telling lies about marijuana.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because is shows the liberal side of the marijuana issue. It shows the point of view of the people against the government.
5. I agree with what the author says in regards to fighting for the cause but I don’t agree when he says we all need to begin growing and distributing marijuana.
“myDNA”. Online Posting. 18 Oct. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006.
1. This article says that HU-210, a potent synthetic cannabinoid similar to a group of compounds found in marijuana stimulate cell growth in areas of the brain related with anxiety and depression.
2. The thesis of this article is that cannabis may hold the answer to all of man kinds’ illnesses. The extent to which cannabis can be medicinal is still to be discovered. The HU-210 is a purified substance; there are many other substances to study.
3. “Most drugs of abuse suppress neurogenesis…only marijuana promotes neurogenesis”.
4. This article applies to the topic of science and technology because it shows that the benefits of medical marijuana are unknown. It could be possible that the government is trying to suppress the very medicine we could ever need.
5. I agree with the article because all the benefits of medical marijuana have yet to be determined leaving a good probability that there are more medical benefits to marijuana.
Zwillich, Todd. “House Rejects Medical Marijuana Again Amendment Would Have Barred Feds in 10 states” WebMD Health. 15 Jun. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006
1. This article is about a court decision in June of 2005, if court decision would have passed it would have allowed medical patients to receive immunity from federal prosecution. The federal government continues to have authority in the states that have allowed for medical marijuana use.
2. The federal government will continue to have control over the medical patients.
3. Decision effectively gave Congress the right to decide how to regulate marijuana, regardless of state laws.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because it describes the contemporary court rulings regarding the issue. The feds are completely against the legalization of marijuana.
5. I disagree with the article because it allows for the federal government the opportunity to arrest those medical users who grow it for themselves. The result is going to be more medically prescribed patients in jail.
United States. Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA Postion on Marijuana.
1. This article states the DEA’s anti marijuana stance on the legalization issue.
2. Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and public safety. It will create dependency and treatment issues, and open the door to use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior, and drugged drivers.
3. There is no scientific proof that medical marijuana is more beneficial than harmful. Marijuana has been proven to be harmful for the body and it leads to further drug use as well as addiction.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because it outlines the DEA’s stance on the legalization issue.
5. I disagree with many parts of this article. Marijuana is not a gateway drug although the government preaches marijuana being one. Marijuana has medical benefits even thought the government refuses to believe so.
Carr, Nicholas G. “The Amorality of Web 2.0.” Rough Type. 3 Oct. 2005. 2 July 2006
.
This article talks about the New Age that is becoming associated with Web 2.0 stating that the internet is changing the economics of creative work. He feels that certain aspects of Web 2.0, including Wikipedia, are unreliable. He uses excerpts from Wikipedia verbatim and points out flaws the article has. This raised questions regarding the society’s quickness to believe what they read on the web. This article will be useful because of what I mentioned previously and it also talks about blogs and their contribution to people collaborating.
Cerf, Vinton G. “A Breif History of the Internet.” Internet Society. 10 Dec. 2003. 30 June
2006 .
This article is just an informational article talking about how the internet was developed and how it came to be what it is today. This article was purely factual and could be used in my paper for a short summary of the history of the internet.
Graham, Paul. “Web 2.0.” Web 2.0. Nov. 2005. 10 July 2006 .
This article is a lot like the O’Reily article but it gives slightly different explanations for aspects of Web 2.0. He argues that the term Web 2.0 is unnecessary but goes on to say what the now popular term has come to mean. “We now have several examples to prove that amateurs can surpass professionals, when they have the right kind of system to channel their efforts.” I thought this idea of Internet democracy was very interesting and I had yet to think about Web 2.0 in this manner. I agree with the author on all of his points but I think arguing that the term Web 2.0 is unnecessary was in itself unnecessary. All other aspects of the article deal with my topic and will be helpful.
Java, Akshay, Tim Oates, Tim Finin, and Pranam Kolari. Modeling the Spread of
Influence on the Blogosphere. University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Maryland: UMBC, 2006.
This article focuses on blogs and evaluates the effectiveness of some of the influence models on the blogosphere. The authors use some experiments to “select an influential set of bloggers such that we could maximize the spread of information on the blogosphere.” The authors use these experiments to see how the topic of a blog is a function of its influence. They use various examples of sites they have looked at to show this. I agree with the authors on what they conclude but I felt that some of the information may have been slightly obvious. This article may help with my paper by providing some more information on different types of blogs and how the users are influenced by them.
Keen, Andrew. “Web 2.0 is Reminiscent of Marx.” CBS. 15 Feb. 2006. 7 July 2006
.
The author of this article is saying today’s Web 2.0 is seducing our society with creative self-realization in the same way Marx did with self-realization in a communist utopia. He says this new style of Internet is allowing everyone to be an “author, film director, or a musician.” This caused me to think about how this could change the way those careers such as those are affected. It has a lot of good examples of what this “seduction” is doing to our society and has a more negative outlook than other websites
O’Reily, Tim. “What is Web 2.0.” O’Reily. 9 Sept. 2005. 7 July 2006
.
This article talks about how the web has changed between 1.0 and 2.0. The main point of this article is to explain what is meant by the term “Web 2.0.” The author uses a variety of websites that used to be very popular and compares them to similar ones that now have something specific that correlates to Web 2.0. He clarifies what it is about these new popular websites that makes them Web 2.0. I though it was interesting to see comparisons between two websites such as Netscape and Google and how the old site differed from the new. I agreed with the author when he states that the sites of Web 2.0 have “embraced the power of the web to harness collective intelligence.” I can use this for my paper due to the fact that he talks about the exact subject of my paper.
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BCE. Translated by Benjamin Jowett.
This document states that technology and writing make people less than human. “Writing will create forgetfulness into the learner’s souls because they will not use their memories. Socrates uses examples such as the serious farmer and the story of Amen to help support his argument. I thought it was interesting how he was saying this but at the same time if Plato hadn’t written it down, no one today would ever know he felt this way. It got me thinking that maybe there were some negative aspects of writing and technology but I did not agree that they should be done away with..
Starling, Andrew. “Internet and Society.” Web Developers Journal. 11 Oct. 2000. 23 June
2006 .
This article was one of the first articles that I came across and was one of the main ones that really got me interested in writing about this subject. The article gives a few main examples of what and how the internet is changing in our society. Items such as news coverage on television or in the newspaper have been leaning more towards entertainment value than news since almost anyone can now log on to any of the webs main homepages and see the latest informational side of news stories immediately. The author talks about copyright issues with the ability for persons to easily distribute material of their choice directly to another. He goes on to talk about how the internet is changing the world in terms of daily jobs and companies. Companies from around the world are now connected to each other and can use this to outsource to other countries.
This article grabbed my attention because it was a very straightforward and general article that really leaves the reader thinking about this topic but at the same time gives them somewhere to start with some solid examples. I agree with the author for the most part in this article and I believe he has some solid points in this that could use some examining. He brings up one very interesting point about how people who are not taking the time to use the internet and learn about how it works will fall behind people with such skills and it will hurt them greatly.
Summary:
In Plato’s Phaedrus, the new technology of writing and how it makes people less human is discussed. The setting of the work is a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus where this topic is discussed.
Thesis Statement:
Socrates contends that writing will create forgetfulness in humans because they will no longer use their own memories; instead, they will trust external sources. Writing will detract from the Truth because it cannot respond or give a reason convincing its audience.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment.
2. The serious farmer who grows his plants with care over a season.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The essay is written in the form of a dialogue.
Questions:
How could a word can have a soul?
How does his argument relate to censorship?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that new technology will make humans less natural, and essentially lazier.
Statements I did not agree with:
I believe that writing has been the greatest invention of all time because it has allowed people share information even when they are not in close proximity.
How it will work with my project:
The idea that new technology’s bring new problems and are not just answers to the current problems.
2. The Dawn of the Hydrogen Economy
By Jeremy Rifkin
Summary:
The author argues that throughout history, the use of energy has determined the rise and fall of civilizations.
Thesis Statement:
The switch to a hydrogen economy will bring its own set of new problems and challenges, but in the end, our society will be better off.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The fall of ancient Rome
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The book lays out a step-by-step procedure that the author believes we should follow to achieve a successful switch to a hydrogen economy.
Questions it raised:
Can another fuel besides hydrogen be used in this energy transition?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with nearly every idea in the book. I agreed with his belief that the switch to this fuel needs to be wholeheartedly endorsed by the US government.
Statements I did not agree with:
I did not agree with the idea that global warming is a proven fact. I believe that there is the possibility that warmer weather is due to natural climate changes.
How it will work with my project:
This will be the backbone of my argument for a switch to a hydrogen economy.
3. Lavelle, Marianne. (2003). Living Without Oil. US News.
Summary:
The idea that in the future there will need to be a switch to an alternative fuel source is discussed. In addition, the author talks about the possible role of hydrogen in the economic future of the world.
Thesis Statement:
The world will one day run out of fossil fuels and new renewable energy sources have to be utilized to achieve a prosperous future.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The nature of gasoline as a volatile and finite product
2. Turmoil in the Middle east
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in an essay style format that is straight forward and is effective in getting the authors main points across.
Questions:
Will hydrogen technology be ready to take over the world economy?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that there will be a need to switch to a renewable fuel source. Also, I liked the statement that there is a need to integrate this new technology as soon as possible and not wait until the last minute.
Statements I did not agree with:
I did not agree with the statement about exploring other alternative fuel sources, because I think that we need to focus on one and stick with that technology .
How it will work with my project:
This will be a building block for my argument. The author shares many of the same beliefs as I do.
4. Postman, Neil. (1992) Technology: the surrender of culture to technology. Knopf
Summary:
This article discusses the possible economic impact that the change to a hydrogen economy will have on business and society in general.
Thesis Statement:
The author believes that in any transition of power, like the switch from fossil fuels to hydrogen power, there will be intrinsic winners and losers.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in an essay style format.
Questions:
Why can’t there be a technology transition where everyone wins?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that a switch to a new technology will be profitable for some and disastrous for others.
Statements I did not agree with:
I believe that a transition to a renewable and non-polluting fuel will benefit everyone and not just a select few.
How it will work with my project:
The idea that new technology’s bring new problems and are not just answers to the current problems.
Quote:
“The benefits and deficits of a new technology are not distributed equally. There are…winners and losers”
5. Ellison, Harlan. “’Repent, Harlequin’ Said the Ticktockman”
Questions:
As technology presents us with more information will there be enough time to interpret and critically think about the information presented? Has technology and increased efficiency made our society slaves to time?
Summary:
This story is about a man who defies the harsh rules of time on society and the ramifications of his disobedience
Thesis Statement:
The author’s main point is that there is an increasing movement to be enslaved by technology instead of being liberated by it.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in a narrative story format, which is helpful to show how bleak a future we, as a society, would have if we become enslaved to technology.
Questions:
Would we allow a technology to run our lives?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea technology controlling our lives is a bad idea.
Statements I did not agree with:
I thought this story was a little too far-fetched to be taken seriously.
How it will work with my project:
This will help me show that we must be in harmony will our surroundings and not controlling or be controlled by them.
Annotated Bibliography
Taylor, Richard. “The great firewall of China.” News.bbc.co.uk
6 Jan. 2006. 7 June 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/4587622.stm
Summary:
Internet in China has become one of the largest, high-tech efforts of censorship to date. There are an estimated 30,000 internet police who monitor all forms of web traffic and e-mail.
The experience found on Chinese Internet is profoundly different than that we are accustomed to. At every turn there is the shadow of “big brother” and the government’s censorship programs. This is evidenced by the banning of websites that are clearly informational such as the BBC and Wikipedia. A government official could only offer that the inability to reach the BBC online was a “technical problem”. The government has not stopped to merely censor the material available to its users. Amnesty International is aware of 64 Chinese people imprisoned for offenses such as signing petitions and communicating with foreign organizations. Steps are also being taken to censor the Internet physically. Internet cafes are all state-licensed and are required to conduct surveillance on users.
This article was of particular interest because it gave many brief examples of how the Chinese government is controlling the Internet. I agreed with the author on all points. It seems that he has fully supported all claims with undeniable evidence. Furthermore, this evidence has been backed up by numerous other articles I have found while researching the topic.
Although lacking details, I will probably use this article as a starting point for sub-topics to look into. The last section dealing with circumventing and resisting censorship was largely unhelpful, because at the moment I don’t plan to deal with these issues in my paper. One question that remains for me is how the US Internet differs from its Chinese counterpart. Are we truly as safe as we believe?
Quotes:
“…Chinese netizens find themselves surfing in the shadow of the world’s most sophisticated censorship machine, which is now more menacing than ever.”
“If you say anything against the government we’ve got to delete it, no exception, because it’s a forum, it’s a public place. If the government finds anything against them in the forum, that will jeopardise the company.”
“With 56 ethnic minorities, we can’t risk one slandering another.”
Annotated Bibliography
1. Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BCE. Translated by Benjamin Jowett
Summary:
-Technology/Writing makes people less than human.
Thesis:
-”…this discover of yours…[writing]…will create forgetfulness into the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories..” (29)
Evidence:
-Farmer/Seeds
-Story of Amen/Amen’s judgment
Style/Argument:
-form vs. content [speaking vs. writing]
-Pan’s story = wants internal truth reflected externally [writing hides truth]
Interests/Dislikes:
-allegorical short stories within narrative
-hard to follow who is speaking because of form
Questions:
-Does writing actually make us less than human, or more?
-Wouldn’t writing allow us to remember a lot more things?
Agreements:
-writing hides truth, and allows ignorant to be mislead
-technology takes away from human’s natural essence
Disagreements:
-writing will actually allow us to remember more
Project Incorporation:
-Covers Pros/Cons of technology
Quotes:
-”O King, here is something that once learned, will make the Egyptians wiser and will improve their memory…” (29)
-”…this discover of yours…[writing]…will create forgetfulness into the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories..” (29)
2. Christopher J. Newfield. “Where’s my Flying Car?” text of May 4, 2006 Speech presented at the launch for the Center for Nanotechnology in Society, Santa Barbara, California.
Summary:
-Nanotechnologies may drastically enhance human existence, but we must be careful and think before they are made public.
Thesis:
-Man is intellectually capable of creating any form of technology they choose, however, cultural and social factors, such as murder, war, disrespect, and ignorance prevent any futuristic high-tech utopian society from ever being achieved. Right now, our fate is in the hands of these latter, lesser powers, but it is up to humanity itself to overcome “cultural dumbness” and use our greater power of technology to preserve our existence, and not ensure its termination.
Evidence:
-Los Angeles freeways, population, traffic, pollution
-hydrogen fuel cells, the Manhattan Project for atomic bomb
Style/Argument:
-Science fiction examples vs. real life situations
Interests/Dislikes:
-good comparisons to science fiction and real life situations
-comparisons to science fiction may not be valid in real world
Questions:
-If we all suffer from cultural dumbness how can we overcome it?
-Who is the final judge on what is ethically right and whose opinion is right?
Agreements:
-it is true that all these inventions are destroying our planet faster
Disagreements:
-don’t know how valid the “cultural dumbness” claim is
Project Incorporation:
-Another piece on the pros and cons of technology with more modern examples
Quotes:
-”…a new society is not only the effect of technological enhancement, but its cause…” (2)
3. Richard P. Feynman. There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom: An Invitation to enter a New Field of Physics. Engineering and Science. February 1960.
Summary:
-A talk on manipulating and controlling things on a small scale, first introduction into nanotechnology given as a speech and later published
Thesis:
-Controlling things on a small scale
Evidence:
-computer circuits
-biological machinery
Style/Argument:
-Speech with vivid examples and lot’s of optimism
Interests/Dislikes:
-first man to envision field of nanotechnology
-so old it’s almost out of touch with modern times
Agreements:
-controlling matter at atomic scale has valuable applications
Disagreements:
-it won’t be as easy as this guy makes it seem
Project Incorporation:
-first discussion of field of nanotechnology
-good historical and practical examples
Quotes:
-”But I am not afraid to consider the final question as to whether, ultimately—in the great future—we can arrange the atoms the way we want; the very atoms, all the way down! What would happen if we could arrange the atoms one by one the way we want them (within reason, of course; you can’t put them so that they are chemically unstable, for example).
4. K. Eric Drexler. Molecular engineering: An approach to the development of general capabilities for molecular manipulation. Proc Vol. 78, No. 9, pp. 5275-5278, September 1981 Chemistry section. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
Summary/Thesis:
-Being able to design specific protein molecules will open up a pathway to design complex atomic scale machines.
Evidence:
-complex protein
-cellular machinery
Style/Argument:
-academic journal article citing references and giving examples
Interests/Dislikes:
-building precise atomic scale machines has many applications
-applications in mind may take along time to figure out
Questions:
-How much money will all this research cost?
Agreements:
-Being able to build specific proteins will give insight into molecular engineering
Disagreements:
-who knows what kind of ethical implications this research entails
Project Incorporation:
-first publication on nanotechnology, examples of applications
Quotes:
-”Development of the ability to design protein molecules will, by analogy between features of natural macromolecules and components of existing machines, make possible the construction of molecular machines.”
5. Ralph C. Merkle. It’s a Small, Small, Small, Small World. MIT Technology Review. February/March 1997.
Summary:
-This paper first addresses what molecular machines could look like and how long it could take to build them. Then it discusses some possible experimental paths to follow.
Thesis:
-In this paper we’ll first address the question of what molecular manufacturing systems could look like, and then consider how to build them given our current technology. This second question involves not only a consideration of current experimental triumphs and how they might be extended, but also the definition of intermediate goals and systems.
Evidence:
-self assembly, DNA, biological replication with molecular machinery
-diamonds, stiffness, strong materials
Interests:
-well thought out and described examples of applications
Agreements:
-may be a while before we envision truly remarkable nanotechnology
Project Incorporation:
-Thorough introduction and overview of nanotechnology
Quotes:
-”Like the first human landing on the moon, the Manhattan project or the development of the modern computer the development of molecular manufacturing will require the coordinated efforts of many people for many years.”
6. Ralph C. Merke. Nanotechnology and Medicine. Advances in Anti-Aging Medicine. Vol. 1. 1996. Pg. 277-286
Summary:
-Nanotechnology presents many possible applications to the field of medicine
Thesis:
-”Nanotechnology, “the manufacturing technology of the 21st century,” should let us economically build a broad range of complex molecular machines (including, not incidentally, molecular computers). It will let us build fleets of computer controlled molecular tools much smaller than a human cell and built with the accuracy and precision of drug molecules. Such tools will let medicine, for the first time, intervene in a sophisticated and controlled way at the cellular and molecular level. They could remove obstructions in the circulatory system, kill cancer cells, or take over the function of sub-cellular organelles. Just as today we have the artificial heart, so in the future we could have the artificial mitochondrion.”
Evidence:
-accuracy and precision of synthetic drug molecules
-nano-scale molecules that provide oxygen or kill cancer cells
Interests:
-detailed explanation of possible medical applications
Agreements:
-Machinery of body is at nano-scale, so countless applications could apply
Project Incorporation:
-detailed medical examples of applications of nanotechnologies
Quotes:
-See Thesis
7. Christine Peterson. Molecular Nanotechnology: The Next Industrial Revolution. Computer. January 2003.
Summary/Thesis:
-Mastering the ability to inexpensively rearrange atoms into any pattern permitted by physical law will have revolutionary consequences
Evidence:
-molecular gears
-molecular pumps
Project Incorporation:
-discusses examples of future applications of nanotechnologies as well as plausible effects on society
Quotes:
-”Key to enabling these systems to make macro-scale objects is the same principle used by nature in making large products: parallelism. Very small machines can make very large objects, but only if many of them work together, as when plant cells build large trees. Producing these large numbers of small machines requires that at least some of them be able to make copies of themselves, an ability called self-replication. Normally only found in nature and in software, self-replication will need to be made to work for human-designed nano-scale machinery.”
8. Christine L. Peterson. Nanotechnology: From Feynman to the Grand Challenge of Molecular Manufacturing. Technology and Society. January 2005.
Summary/Thesis:
-the advancement of nanotechnologies is inevitable will have drastic effects on society, such as the inevitability of military applications.
Evidence:
-Feynman, Drexler, Self Replication, DNA, Self Replicating robots
Project Incorporation:
-analyzes nanotechnology by how it will effect society and how it will really be applied by society
Quotes:
-”Whatever the prospects for a civilian program, a military one seems close to inevitable.”
Annotated Bibliography -Phaedrus
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Technology makes people less than human.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
[writing] will create forgetfulness in learners’ souls
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Farmer would take time to grow a good crop so to have good knowledge one should learn things for themselves
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
It is written as dialog because writing on its own is being criticized for not being responsive where as dialog has responses.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting to think that tools that would help man kind would damage man rather than help
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What about humankind is inherently good that writing will destroy. Certainly anything that will change man kind from its current definition makes people less human, but is it possible for the definition of human to change?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
that one must take time and care to produce good works on something rather than taking the easy route
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
that writing is bad because I do not believe that human memory is the most important quality of human kind.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Todays age of all of human memory being stored online and able to be accessed. Does this make us less human. Is Plato right in thinking that if we get all our information from other sources that it is not as good. Relying on information from the Internet flawed because it is inaccurate or biased.
Annotated Bibliography – Google behind the screen
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
A documentary asking what happens if a search engine become dominant. Speculating about weather Google is becoming dominant and what the consequences would be if one corporation controlled all of human information
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Google shouldn’t be let to become a monopoly, they shouldn’t be the only source of information, they shouldn’t become the Ministry of Truth.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Claiming that Google is just another corporation and will seek its own interests. Showing how easy it is for information to be altered to provide only one viewpoint and cite selected Google search results as evidence. Also that Google is now trying to index all the worlds information not just the web.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
I think it is interesting that they are talking about how wrong it is to alter information toward your own view yet they do exactly that and admit to it with editing of interviews with Google employees and music. Also their use of Google earth to zero in on the location of each interview gave a big brother feel.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I was very interested in the interviews with the librarian of Stanford and the leaders of organizations who are publicly trying to index books. I liked the different perspectives. The competitor scolded Google for do exactly what he did only in the private sector. While the librarian was sort of neutral commending Google for providing a way for him to have a digitized library without harming the books.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Is there a difference between information being publicly held and being freely provided by a company. Is a corporation more or less likely to alter the information it provides. The documentary seems to push that it should be publicly held and claimed that Google would become the ministry of truth, however in Orwell’s novel the ministry of truth was a public institution rather than private.
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
that all information as the potential to be biased because no matter what it must always be presented in some form by another and nothing should be taken as absolute truth
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
That there should be a fear of monopolization. Also I feel there is a difference between possessing the capability to manipulate all of the worlds information and having the intent to do so. Our society is based on the ideas of freedom do to things that have potential to cause harm but it is not a crime until intent or misuse occurs.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
I plan to do more research on what would be required for a monopoly on information to occur. Is it possible. Are people trusting of new technologies used to provide information?
Annotated Bibliography – In Google we trust
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Today the Internet has become a necessity for information. While new technologies like blogs and wikis provide hope that information will always be free, they are still flawed. At the time being we are forced to trust Goggle. The article asks what reasons if any there are to trust Google.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Analysis of the extensive coverage of Google’s share price and earnings reports leads to the conclusion that trust in Google is to some extent fostered simply by its fiscal success.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
That there is an abundance of overly positive information about Google and Google’s success
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Its very direct. Cites a lot of different very credible sources to back up every claim.
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting that the author would claim trust is related to finances.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What are valid bases to trust a corporation
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
I agreed that trust of major corporations can not be based on visible financial successes because companies such as enron appear to be successful but are not to be trusted
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
I do not think that most people place trust based on economics because I think the average users is completely unaware of a corporations financial situation.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Ideas of trusting a company. Why and if Google is a trusted company. Gives insight into future technologies that will make Internet information more reliable.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Google clearly diverges from this model in one critical way: the nature of the Internet requires information to flow two ways, placing Google in a position to collect vast databases of information describing who and how people use their services.“
Annotated Bibliography – Ten things
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
Goggle’s corporate ten things Google has found to be true page gives the philosophy of the Google corporation.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“1. Focus on the user and all else will follow. “
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Google has become a a trusted company with one of the most loyal base of users. This has not come about trough marketing but rather word of mouth from the positive experience.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
The writing is terse and clear and informal. The style of writing embodies the philosopy it is describing including “faster is better than slow” and “you can be serious without a suit.”
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
I found it interesting that a large corporation would have a breif philosophy and follow it so well. I am especially interested in “You can make money without being evil.”
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Does a public philosophy mean the company can be trusted to adhere to it?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
I agreed that as far as computing goes doing one thing very well has been very successful. The idea behind every unix application was to make each program do one thing very well and if the user needed more complex functions it would use many programs together rather than one bloated one, and this has caused it to continue to be one of the most wildly used operating systems after many many years.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
That democracy on the web works because it is not concrete. For the most part this has worked in many areas but ever democratic area of the web faces problems. Such as wikipedia will never be a credible source because it is impossible for vandalism and inaccuracies to be double checked.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This will be good evidence about the intent of Google. If Google is believed to follow this philosophy i may be able to research weather Google should be trusted to become more dominate
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Full-disclosure update: When we first wrote these “10 things” four years ago, we included the phrase “Google does not do horoscopes, financial advice or chat.” Over time we’ve expanded our view of the range of services we can offer –- web search, for instance, isn’t the only way for people to access or use information -– and products that then seemed unlikely are now key aspects of our portfolio. This doesn’t mean we’ve changed our core mission; just that the farther we travel toward achieving it, the more those blurry objects on the horizon come into sharper focus (to be replaced, of course, by more blurry objects). “
Annotated Bibliography – Google’s Philosophical Ten True Things Not So True Anymore?
1.Brief Summary (very brief 1-2 sentences):
The article criticizes Google’s philosophy page. States that since it has changed once it will always continue to change as the corporation changes and should not present itself as truths.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“It’s simply that Google itself is growing up and changing, and so will the things it finds true as part of that process. “
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Google claims that things that were blurry before became clear and so it needed to update its page so the author claims that many other of its philosophies are becoming untrue and will eventually have to change them as well. Citing Google’s ad campaigns in Japan and Korea as examples of how their statement that they are popular without advertising is false.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Many quotes from the Google page followed by an example of how it has become false. Following the style of the Google page’s philosophies followed by support
5.What was interesting to you in this work? What was not?
That the biggest argument was that Google should not claim that it has found the things to be true since many of them are not, rather than attacks on Google for not following its policies
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
If Google changes it’s philosophy from time to time as things become less blurry, what is stopping it from one day deciding it wants to sell out all of the information it has gathered from users or begin to provide false information.
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on _________ because ________.
Claiming it has found 10 things to be true is too strong because truth is to powerful of a word and to simply proved wrong.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on _________ because _________.
that the entire page should be taken down because having a guiding philosophy is something that can be very valuable.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
As evidence that Google should not be trusted and that perhaps there should be a fear of them controlling information.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting?
“Democracy on the web works.
We know that’s not the case, because Google’s had to introduce things like nofollow, campaign against link/vote selling and acknowledge that some elected to the top search results get there because of pranks, rather than democracy. ”
My other sources are
The Google story
and
how Google and its rivals rewrote the rules of business and transformed our culture by John Battelle
which I just checked out from UCSB library but have not read yet, sorry.
Annotated Bibliography
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BC. Trans. Benjamin Jowett.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
-Technology and writing makes people less human.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“…will crate forgetfulness in the learners souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves” (29).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
-Farmer: planting the seed (30).
- Story of the Omen “…writing creates forgetfulness” (29).
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
-Asking questions while talking
-Record presents the argument by two people speaking, rather than a simple essay.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
-What was interesting to me is to see how people viewed writing in early history. Writing was the technology back then and the way it was perceived varied from positive to negative. Writing was the new form of communication that according to Plato, lacked truthfulness and honesty.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
-Like some technology now in days, which is only available to those with money, was writing available to all or was it only available to the elite and those who had money.
- Was there a certain type of writing that was acceptable by society or was all writing seen in a negative way?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the argument he makes saying that the true self can not be defined by text because I feel that text does lack emotions, feelings, and response.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on writing being unable to teach since it does not speak because I believe that writing can teach people things. Writing can contain valuable advice that people may or may not take it and that can be interpreted in different ways depending on the person.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
-I can use this work for my paper to argue that the true self can not be defined by text. When people communicate online their true self is not being presented. The ability to shape our own identity through text lacks truthfulness just like Plato argues.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“…and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth…they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality” (20).
Wood, Andrew and Mathew J. Smith. Online Communication, Linking Technology, Identity, and Culture. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
-Self presentation online is greatly shaped by how we want others to perceive us therefore we are tempted to change aspects of our true identity
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
- “CMC contexts…offer communicators the ability to manipulate their personal identities in ways that call into question assumptions about what is possible and what is appropriate in the presentation of self” (51).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- The authors talks about Sherry Turkle who argues that the internet allows us to have multiple identities and be a complete different person which is healthy.
- They also talk about Cyber rape
- Bring in the cartoonist Peter Steiner to make the point that on the internet you can create a whole new identity (on the internet nobody knows you’re a dog)
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- Mentions both sides of this issue, the good views towards it and the negative views.
- The authors provide real life examples to make their argument regarding this issue.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What was interesting to me is that self presentation over the internet is shaped by how we want others to see us. What was also interesting were the short real life scenarios provided.
-What was not interesting is the section about identity fraud because it has nothing to do with my argument about identity.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Why would the ability to have multiple identities be considered healthy rather than dangerous?
- How is cyber rape related to identity and self presentation over the internet?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on how the internet allows you to be a different person and how this shapes how you think of your true identity
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on how having multiple identities online is considered something healthy according to Turkle.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
-I can use this work for my paper to argue that the internet allows you to have multiple identities which can affect your own perspective about identity as well as the life of others who are communicating with those who present a fake identity. I can also use the example to the cartoonist to argue that even dogs can use the internet and hide their true identity without others knowing.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“…Internet technologies offer us the possibility of controlling more aspects of our identity for public consideration than has been possible before” (57).
Riva, Gluseppe and Carlo Galmberti, ed. Towards Cyber Psychology. Washington DC: IOS Press, 2001
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- Personal homepages are sites that serve for identity construction and are not interpersonal interaction because they are not maintained and presented. They also lack of meaningful interactions since they are text based.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“Communication in cyberspace is primarily text-based and therefore does not provide visual and auditory cues that are available in face to face interaction” (54).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
-Personal homepage and the self
- Uses Goffman to make his arguments.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He gives specific examples of how home pages lack of real interaction.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
-What was interesting to me is to see how homepages lack of true and meaningful interaction between people because they are not able to see each other and make assumptions about the other based on what they see.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Is my space also considered a page which lacks of meaningful interaction between its users?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the argument he makes saying that personal web pages allow for identity construction and that it is influenced by how we want others to see us.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on interaction over the internet not being meaningful because we are not able to see the person who we are talking with because I believe that any form of communication is valuable and it is not necessary to see the person.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- To argue that having a personal homepage make people vulnerable to want to create a fake identity and experience with this endangering the life of themselves as well as others.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“on the web…information about the self is explicitly stated and can be managed by the person making the communication.
Turkle, Sherry. “Who am We” Wired Magazine Web. Jan. 1996
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- The internet allows people to have multiple identities and experience multiple aspects of their life which she says is healthy and a positive thing.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
- “Life on the Screen tells how the computer profoundly shapes our ways of thinking and feeling, how ideas carried by technology are reshaped by people for their own purposes, how computers are not just changing our lives but changing our selves” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- She talks about her own experience with multiple identities on the internet and how she believes it is healthy.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- Much of her examples are about women and she argues that even women who are housewives can experience a complete different identity with the internet.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What interested me about this essay are her positive views of multiple identities online. How she relates multiple identities to being healthy.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- Knowing that having access to control you identity and change aspects of your true self can hurt the life of people, should this aspect about the internet still be considered something positive and healthy?
- Are the dangers associated with multiple identity online not too good of an argument to argue against Turkles’ statement that having multiple identities is healthy?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the internet allowing for its users to have access to control their identity and be a complete different person if they desire.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on the access to multiple identities over the internet being healthy and a fun experience allowing the person to experience different aspects of the self.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this piece of writing as a counter argument to my own argument. I can present statements that Turkle uses and with the research I have done argue against her argument.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
- “Without a deep understanding of the many selves that we express in the virtual, we cannot use our experiences there to enrich the real. If we cultivate our awareness of what stands behind our screen personae, we are more likely to succeed in using virtual experience for personal transformation” (11).
Karge, Martha, The Digital Self in Cyberspace. 1999. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee http://www.uwm.edu/Course/com813/karge2.htm.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- Interaction over the internet can be an experience of alienation because conversations over the internet lack reality, feelings, and emotions.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
-“Contemporary criticism of electronic media is that it isolates people from society or turns them away from face-to-face interaction. Text-based CMC and VR (virtual reality) technologies do not allow the oral tradition of rhetoric, the oral delivery of speech in public discourse” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- He brings in Plato and Socrates to support his argument stating that communicating through text (writing) lack reality as well as the ability to respond and deliver a speech.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He not only presents the negative views towards online interaction but he also presents the positive argument that scholars have made regarding this issue.
- He also provides question to make the reader think about this issue.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- The comparison he makes between this issue of online interaction to the views that Socrates and Plato had towards writing. The works of Socrates and Plato serve the author to better support his argument that online interaction cause alienation between people.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
-How can identity be tied to this aspect of online interaction causing alienation and not being real?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on online interaction through text causing alienation because there is no conversational or visual cues serve to define a conversation and meaningful and real.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on addition of sound and visual media to internet interaction allowing for the conversation to be more honest and in fact as real and a face to face interaction. I believe that the computer itself is still interrupting the direct interaction therefore still being vulnerable to an unreality.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this piece to better support my argument that having access to multiple identities online is a negative thing. I can use this to support my argument and add to it by saying that online interaction lacks of reality and honesty and therefore it can even more be a negative thing.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“Writing disrupts the human memory of public discourse and the social interaction, routines and communal intimacy of oral society and culture. It alienates the individual from the oral community in which cultural tradition and identity are expressed and shared” (1).
Suler, John, The Psychology of Cyberspace, Apr. 2000. .
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- This article talks about the freedom on cyberspace to change your gender, age, history, personality and many other things. This article also talks about the positives and negatives of identity on cyberspace the jumps from fantasy to reality online, the level of awareness and control, and the different Medias that are chosen by many people.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“One of the interesting things about the internet is the opportunity if offers people to present themselves in a variety of different ways. You can alter your style of being just slightly or indulge in wild experiments with your identity by changing your age, history, personality, physical appearance, even your gender” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- Uses examples of online romance, the level of fantasy and reality online ant the level of control and awareness that there should exist.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He brings in examples of online romance as well as a point by point awareness that should exist when communicating online and dealing with multiple identities.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What was interesting is to learn about the positive and negative aspects of multiple identities online. What was also interesting is to learn that different communication channels express different aspects of identity.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- How is identity expressed in different ways depending on the communication channel being used?
- What is some awareness that online users should keep in mind when dealing with multiple identities online
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on the internet allowing for its users to have access to control aspects of who they are such as age, sex, gender, and historical background, as well as physical appearance.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on online romance starting as a fantasy but later developing into a reality.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this article to support my argument. I can also use it to bring in how the way you present yourself and control your identity has a lot to do with the channel of communication being used.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“The media chosen can intimately interlock with the degree of identity integration and dissociation and with the extent to which a person presents a real or imaginary self” (3).
Miller, Hugh. “The Presentation of Self in Electronic Life: Goffman on the Internet.” Cyber Psychology. June 1955. University of London.
1. Brief summary (very brief—1-2 sentences):
- He uses Goffman arguments that talks about the problems that multiple identities online bring about and how they are shaped by how we want others to perceive us. His main interest is on the problem of establishing and maintaining an acceptable self given the ability to do so online.
2. Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Although apparently more limited and less rich than interactions in which the participants are physically present, it also provides new problems and new opportunities in the presentation of self” (1).
3. Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
- Compares face to face interaction to internet interaction.
- Brings in historical context about self presentation starting the 50s.
4. How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
- He analyses Goffman’s arguments and as he does this he provides examples of the arguments being made by Goffman.
5. What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
- What interest me is to learn about the contrast between face to face and online interaction. How they differ in value, reality and truthfulness.
- I was not much interested in the historical context regarding face to face interaction and self presentation.
6. What questions does the work raise for you?
- How is do face to face interaction and online interaction differ?
- How might they affect the people communicating through the internet in terms of their identity?
7. I agreed with the author’s stance on people wanting to present themselves as someone acceptable by the other person. They are careful of the way they present themselves to avoid embarrassment.
8. I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on the aspects of the self only being apparent and described by the sender. What other think of you also shapes your identity.
9. How can I use this work for my project?
- I can use this article to support my argument that self presentation online is influenced by how we want others to see us and how it differs from face to face interaction. I can counter argue some of his arguments which I do not agree with.
10. Which quotes did I find most interesting?
-“Electronic communication will become more and more human communication to the extent that there is more to it than just efficiently passing information to each other” (2).
- “Goffman points out that one of the difficulties of interaction lies in establishing contact, because an offer to interact always leaves one open to rebuff. Conversely starting an interaction always involves a risk about what the interaction might lead to, and possible difficulty in ending it” (3).
1. Plato’s Phaedrus
Summary: Plato’s essay titled Phaedrus is about the technology of writing and how it makes people less human. The work is composed of a dialogue in which the philosopher Socrates convinces Phaedrus of this fact.
Thesis Statement: Ammon’s Judgment of the creation of writing is the core thesis. He states that letters and writing will create forgetfulness in the human soul, because they will no longer use their memories trusting to external sources. Writing is not memory but reminiscence and is not truth but a semblance of truth. Writing can not respond or reason to give convincing proof of truth.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: 1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment over writing. 2. The Serious Farmer who grows his plants over a season and year. 3. The writings of Lysias.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: The essay is written in the form of a dialogue. This dialogue form shows a way in which writing can interact and respond to questions to convince the reader of its truth, which goes against Socrates’ critique of writing. However, the form is also an example of the type of writing that Socrates states is acceptable in the essay, compositions based on knowledge and truth that could be defended on paper but also and more eloquently by spoken arguments, so that there could be a response and dialogue. Because Socrates would find Plato’s essay acceptable the form supports statements made in the essay.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I thought it was interesting the amount of esteem and praise Socrates placed on oration and spoken dialogues. He values dialogue and discourse as the only form that can progress thought and academic knowledge. In today’s world it is the opposite. Verbal dialogue is hardly ever used to convey academic knowledge, it is mostly books and lectures. I found the religious parts uninteresting and not explained enough to make sense. The section about the temple of Dodona where an oak gave a prophetic utterance was confusing and did not really fit into the argument. Since when can trees talk and speak truths?
Questions it raised: I had questions about what Plato calls the “Living Word of Knowledge which has a soul” Here is a word that they praise in an essay about evils of writing and letters. How can a word have a soul?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that writing should be adapted to the audience in which it is for “the simple form of speech may be addressed to the simpler nature, and the complex and composite to the more complex nature”. This allows for it to be better understood and more meaningful to the audience. However, if there is room to advance the comprehension and writing skills of the audience the writing should stretch those skills so that they can improve.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I think that reading and writing significantly help with memory and retaining information. I find that when I read something I retain it better then if I just listen to information.
How it works with my Project: The idea that technology makes us less human and corrupts the soul is centuries old, as proven by Plato’s essay. My project looks at the idea that computers and technology could be bad for the development of children. Both topics share the idea that technology is inhibiting humans from their full potential.
Quotes of interest: “The parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them. And in this instance, you who are the father of letters, from a paternal love of your own children have been led to attribute to them a quality which they cannot have.”
2. Mind and Media: The Effects of Television, Video Games, and Computers
By Patricia Greenfield Chapter
8: Computers
MLA:
Greenfield, Patricia. Mind and Media: The Effects of Television, Video Games, and
Computers. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984.
Summary: Chapter 8 titled “Computers” looks at how computers affect the cognitive development of children and teenagers. It examines three areas of computer usage, learning software, word processing and programming.
Thesis Statement: Overall the thesis is that computers benefit the development of important cognitive skills in children and teens, without a negative impact to social development. Learning software is positive for children because it is impersonal with no biases or favorites, it fosters cooperative behavior and it maintains level with the child’s skill by creating new challenges. Word processing improves children’s writing and thinking skills by allowing for easy revision and creates cooperation in the classroom. Programming teaches children symbolic conceptualization and skills in manipulation complex systems and can help children learn mathematics.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Specific studies are and interviews with teachers and students are used as supporting evidence. Learning software: James Levin and the study of his Harpoon learning game, Gompers Secondary Center. Word Processing: Teacher Jan Austin, Bank Street College of Education study, James Levin study of third and fourth graders, and Seymour Papert’s book Mindstorms. Programming: Bank Street School study, Papert’s study of children and LOGO.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: The thesis is not clearly stated at the beginning which makes it harder to discover. In a few places the author’s use of the first person undermines the legitimacy of the arguments.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the effects of programming computers interesting. From personal experience I have know people who programmed in LOGO as a child and have advanced math and reasoning abilities. I was disinterested in all the detailed explanation of computer processes that have now become widespread and well know.
Questions it raised: If children primarily use word processing for writing projects and homework will they lose their handwriting skills? Will spellchecking in word processing programs have a negative effect on children’s spelling abilities? Computer programming is not a feature widely used or taught to children in today’s society; does the author’s argument that computers increase children’s cognitive skills still hold?
Statements I agreed with: Word processing increases writing and revision skills in children and teens especially students with learning disabilities.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Computers foster cooperation and social skills, this may have been true when computers were new and children gathered around a single machine now computers are used mostly alone.
How it works with my Project: The book is very old and computers and their use have changed a lot since it was written. The book presents some of the very important benefits that computers have, such as word processing and as a motivational tool to capture children’s interest. It presents preliminary research into computers impact on children’s development which is an important question in my paper, but it is old and outdated.
Quotes of interest: “Programming games is a good first step in the symbolic conceptualization and manipulation of complex systems. Because more abstract skills build on practical, sensorimotor experience, video games can furnish a solid foundation for the symbolic representation of complex, interactive, dynamic systems.” p. 149
“My hypothesis is that not all high school or college students have enough experience with revision, to be able to solve [abstract] problems. I believe word processing can provide just this sort of experience. Therefore, I predict that as writing on the computer becomes more widespread it will lead to better performance … on the type of formal problem involving the mental manipulation of abstract propositions.” p.146
3. Children in the Digital Age, Influence of Electronic Media on Development Edited by Sandra Clavert, Amy Jordan, and Rodney Cocking
Essay: The Impact of Computer Use on Children’s and Adolescents’ Development
By Kaveri Subrahmanyam, Patricia Greenfield, Robert Kraut, and Elisheva Gross
MLA:
Subrahmanyam, Kaveri, Patricia Greenfield, Robert Kraut, and Elisheva Gross. “The
Impact of Computer Use on Children’s and Adolescents’ Development.” Children in the Digital Age, Influence of Electronic Media on Development. Ed. Sandra Calvert, Amy Jordan and Rodney Cocking. Westport Connecticut: Praeger, 2002. 3-33.
Summary: Essay looks at many different studies of computer use and its impact on children’s development. It covers time usage data and displacement of other activities and topics such as computer games and cognitive skills, home computer and academic performance, social development and relationships, perceptions of reality and the computers impact on violent behavior. In the end it draws some conclusions about the studies and calls for further research in specific areas.
Thesis Statement: The thesis is to review the available research on the effects of computer use on children’s cognitive and academic skill development, social development as well as perceptions of reality and violent behavior and draw conclusions.
Conclusions reached at the end are we need more reliable estimates of
Immediate positive effects are seen playing specific computer games but long-term studies are needed to see if there are long-term improvements. Moderate computer use does not negatively impact children’s social skills and activities but the impact of excessive use must be examined. More studies are needed to understand the relationship of violent games and children’s aggression and see wither repeated game play desensitizes children to violent behavior.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Specific studies and academic research are used as evidence and are used to draw conclusions. Time usage: HomeNet study. Development of Cognitive skills: Greenfield’s research, Academic Performance: Sparks’ research and Rocheleau’s research. Social Development: HomeNet and the follow up study, Perceptions of Reality: Turkle’s research, Schiano and White survey. Violent Behavior: Kirsh’s research, Calvert and Tan’s research and Schie and Wiegman’s research.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Academic presentation and organization makes it convincing and easy to follow. Good citation and references allows for continued research for my project.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the impact of computers and video games on family interaction to be interesting. Studies in the 80’s said it brought families together but now that most computers are in bedrooms and the time spent on it is alone I think things have drastically changed. I was disinterested in the detailed study about multiple online identities.
Questions it raised: Studies show that computer games increase visual skills over verbal skills as a result are children who excessively play computer games going to lose their verbal acuity?
Statements I agreed with: Computers can blur the distinction between real life and simulation in small children. Computers can increase spatial skills, Iconic representation and visual attention in children.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Computers computer games bring family members together for shared play and interaction (Mitchell, 1985).
How it works with my Project: This will be a good source for my project because it covers many studies on my topic and tries to evaluate them objectively.
Quotes of interest: “There are at least two plausible and theoretically interesting mechanisms for the initial effects of declining social involvement and increasing loneliness …The first is that the time that people devote to using the Internet substitutes for time that they had previously spent engaged in social activities. … This leads to a second explanation, which is that by using the Internet, people are substituting poorer quality social relationships for better ones, that is, substituting weak ties for strong ones.” p.17-18
4. Technology in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Balance
By Judy Van Scoter, Debbie Ellis and Jennifer Railsback
MLA:
Van Scoter, Judy, Debbie Ellis, and Jennifer Railsback. “Technology In Early Childhood
Education: Finding the Balance.” NW Regional Educational Laboratory. June 2001. 10 July 2006.
Summary: Article explores technology in early childhood education. It looks at an overview of research on technology and child development, strengths and problem areas of technology for children in the classroom. It is written as a guide for educators successfully integrate computers into a curriculum.
Thesis Statement: When used correctly technology can be a positive tool for children in the classroom increasing literacy, social development and cognitive skills. However it is not a substitution for traditional methods of teaching. Computers must be well balanced with other activities and teaching techniques.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Uses academic research as supporting evidence also uses schools with existing programs as models and examples for successful integration of technology in the classroom.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting that the most positive effects of computers were seen in the classroom rather than in computer labs. I wasn’t interested in the examples of different schools’ programs of technology in the classroom.
Questions it raised: Will software that has excessively stimulating noises and constantly moving graphics help children with poor concentration and attention problems or give them ADD?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that developmentally young children need space to create and explore and that the best computer programs for young children are ones that do not lecture or drill but allow for exploration and creativity.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I don’t agree that fax machines are an additional technology that can be effectively used with children.
How it works with my Project: Practical advice on proper computer use with young children with the emphasis is on finding a balance with computers. This practical integration is important to have along side my statistical data and studies.
Quotes of interest: “Whatever materials or tools are best suited to the activity will be used; sometimes computers are the best tool for the job, and sometimes they are not; the secret is knowing the difference.”p.7
“Technology cannot and should not replace human interaction or relationships, or take the place of activities such as reading stories together or sharing conversations with children.” p.4
5. Children and Computers: New Technology- Old Concerns
By Ellen Wartella and Nancy Jennings
MLA:
Wartella, Ellen, and Nancy Jennings. “Children and Computers: New Technology- Old
Concerns.” The Future of Children 10.2 (2000): 31-41.
Summary: The article examines the historical context of research on the effects that media has on children and places the current research and debates about computer’s effect on children into that context.
Thesis Statement: Research into the effects of media such as film, radio and television, on children and child development follows reoccurring themes and patterns. Current research on computers and children aligns with the previous patterns in media research. Increased “interactivity” makes the computer media a potentially more enriching learning tool but for the same reason increases the risk of harm. Therefore, it is important to continue research and foster partnerships between industry providers and academia in order to insure quality content.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Previous media studies in film, radio and television. Recent studies on computer media and children such as Seymour Papert research.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting how similar the concerns have been, and therefore the resulting studies, for all the different types of media. I was uninterested in the concerns about the filtering of explicit and violent content.
Questions it raised: If media studies and history follow patterns and cycles, how can the media of computers brake away from the previous pattern of providing research and then just falling back on parents as the primary safeguard to protect children from media’s harmful effects?
Statements I agreed with: Partnerships should be formed, where content providers look not only at what is profitable but what research proves to be advantageous in order to insure high quality “cultural products that are entertaining as well as educationally beneficial”.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I do not agree that young children should be programming in Logo, a computer language made in the 60’s. Because I do not think is developmentally appropriate to young children’s needs.
How it works with my Project: This source is useful because it provides a historical background to all the studies that have been the main features of my other sources. It will work well as backdrop to my main topic.
Quotes of interest: “Earlier media, whether educational or not, still puts the child in a passive mode, a situation of seeing or hearing rather than doing. In contrast computers can be programmed to respond to previous exchanges and give the user more control over the context of the exchange.”
6. The I-Generation—From Toddlers to Teenagers
A Conversation with Jane M. Healy
By Carol Tell
MLA:
Tell, Carol. “The I-Generation—From Toddlers to Teenagers A Conversation with Jane
M. Healy.” Educational Leadership 58.2 (2000) 8-13.
Summary: An interview with Jane M. Healy, author of Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds—for Better and Worse. Looks at her views of computers in children’s education.
Thesis Statement: Healy’s views on computers and children- She thinks that schools spend too much money on computers that are necessary and are not used in ways that benefit the learning process. She believes that education should stick to more proven methods of teaching if it will work as well as a computer because it is more cost effective. She believes that computer should only be used in very specific circumstances where it will markedly add to the curriculum because she sees most computer use now as “edutainment”. She is worried about student injuries from computer use and believes that children should not start using computers in school until age 7. She is concerned with the digital-divide, but thinks that a disadvantaged student with a good teacher and decent school programs, in areas such as the arts, will be better off then a student in a school that only has lots of computers.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: The Geography game, School with IBM headquarters,
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Because it is an interview and no detailed information is provided as supporting evidence it does not really support the thesis or hold much validity aside from a personal opinion.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found the interview style refreshing to read. It was written to be informative yet not overly academic. However, that makes it naturally less legitimate and helpful to my project. I found her personal experiences interesting but I was not interested in her discussion of bias industry reviews and studies influencing schools to purchase equipment.
Questions it raised: How accurate are her opinions about children and computers? How do they coincide with academic research?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that the teacher is the most important factor in a good education and that computers can never replace a good teacher.
Statements I didn’t agree with: That watching television is more active and social for children that using a computer. That students use expensive computers mostly for word processing in school, which is work that should be done on an electric typewriter. Statement does not look at the studies that show the importance of word processing as a tool for developing writing, revision and the thought process.
How it works with my project: Because it is just an interview with no substantial evidence to back up statements this article will not be much help except to provide interesting quotes from one side of the technology debate.
Quotes of interest: “To assume that adding a computer and software to a classroom will automatically make kids learn better is a perfect example of how little out culture understands the dynamic interaction between teacher and student.” p.1
“Most of us originally went …” p.5
7. Fool’s Gold: A Critical look at Computers in Childhood
Edited by Colleen Cordes and Edward Miller
Chapter 2, Developmental Risks: the Hazards of Computers in Childhood
MLA:
Cordes, Colleen and Edward Miller, eds. “Fool’s Gold: A Critical look at Computers in
Childhood.” Alliance for Childhood. 2000. 16 July 2006
Path: Projects, Reports, Fool’s Gold.
Summary: Chapter 2 is an examination of how computers are negative to children’s development.
Thesis Statement: Computers are detrimental to children’s physical, social, intellectual and moral development. Computers are hazardous to children’s physical health, including musculoskeletal injuries, visual strain and myopia, obesity and complications of a sedentary lifestyle, and side effects from toxic emissions and electromagnetic radiation. Computers are hazardous to children’s emotional and social development resulting from social isolation, weakened bonds with teachers, loss of self discipline and self motivation, detachment from the community, and commercial exploitation. Computers can negatively effect children’s intellectual development through stunting the imagination and creativity, impairing language and literacy skills, creating children with poor concentration who are distracted from meaning, and increased plagiarism. Computers are morally hazardous to children because they expose them to online violence, sex and other inappropriate material, information that is devoid of ethical and moral context, and irresponsibility in searching and applying information.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: Mostly stated opinions of professionals in the fields of Psychology and Developmental Psychology, Education, English, Sociology, Physics, Occupational Therapy, Neurology and Optometry. Some specific studies are used as evidence. Other examples and evidence are stories from classrooms, examining specific web sites and quotes from students.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I thought it was interesting to look at possible health ramifications of computers which I didn’t see mention of in other articles I read. I was disinterested in the commercialization of childhood which would come from many sources of media and practices, not just the computer.
Questions it raised: Why is there such difference between this article and the evidence it presents, and other scientific studies I have read? (They are almost polar opposites)
Statements I agreed with: I agree that computers can be misused in the classroom and that such use of computers does not benefit children or the learning process. I agreed that time on the computer and in front of screens should be limited and that children should not be forced to spend long hours at the computer.
Statements I didn’t agree with: Statements which obviously had no scientific proof to back them up, such as computers causing myopia which is known to be a genetic condition and the effects of electromagnetic fields of which there is no evidence that it negatively affects health. The essay stated such facts but then proceeded to state that there was still a risk. Based on the research I have read I do not agree that computers necessarily have a negative effect on child development. I believe that they can be a valuable tool if used in developmentally appropriate ways.
How it works with my project: This publication provides a good jumping off point for examining the effects of computers on children. The article is sensationalized and over dramatic in stating the negative effects of computers. But the article brings up the question of how accurate are these claims. Are there strong risks to computer use? This article provides one side of a controversial debate. I plan to look at both arguments and come to a conclusion.
Quotes of interest: “So-called interactive, computer-based instruction that does not provide true interaction but merely a mechanistic response to the student’s efforts.” p.28
“The actual shift is to computer-centered, not student-centered, education.” p.29
8. Strip Mining for Gold: Research and Policy in Educational Technology
—A Response to “Fool’s Gold”
By Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama
MLA:
Clements, Douglas, and Julie Sarama. “Strip Mining for Gold: Research and Policy in
Educational Technology—A Response to “Fool’s Gold” Educational Technology Review 11.1 (2003).
Summary: The article provides a thorough analysis of the article “Fool’s Gold” examining its research approach and methodology and the creditability of its statements.
Thesis Statement: The thesis statement is that “Fool’s Gold” presents misleading interpretations and half truths under the guise of academic respectability, presenting a one-sided picture. Their methods of dishonest reporting do harm because they dissuade public confidence in empirical research, and are detrimental to research and intellectual discourse. The authors call for balanced reporting and complete consideration when examining and discussing research.
Evidence and Examples supporting the Thesis: They use numerous scientific studies by multiple researchers as their supporting evidence. They use interviews with professors quoted by “Fool’s Gold” as examples of incorrect interpretation and de-contextualization.
Author’s Rhetorical Style and Form and how it works with the Thesis: Their use of a clear and direct line of reasoning and their comprehensive reporting and good citation of scientific research studies make their thesis much stronger.
Notes of Interest and Disinterest: I found it interesting to look at the creativity study where fool’s gold blatantly left out half the findings and failed to specify in which cases loss of creativity was seen. I find it unbelievable that a respectable organization would twist the facts that way. I was disinterested in the examination of methodology of “Fool’s Gold” and how it impacts empirical research. These sections were wordy and complicated to understand.
Questions it raised: This article states the positive effects of computer use on children’s development but I want to know at what age they think children should start using computers? What software on the market is considered developmental appropriate for young children?
Statements I agreed with: I agree that “Fools Gold” was not presented in a very scholarly way and avoided mentioning the numerous studies that went against their opinion.
Statements I didn’t agree with: I didn’t agree with their thesis that the “Fool’s Gold” article and others like it would impede public confidence in empirical research. It was not clearly explained how articles like this would negatively effect the public’s opinion of research, except that “Fool’s Gold” might give research studies a bad name, because of its misleading interpretations.
How it works with my project: This article offers specific counter arguments and research to some of the claims in the “Fool’s Gold” article which I can use when objectively examining computers effects on child development.
Quotes of interest: “Misuse of technology by some and overzealous promotion by others are not valid reasons for misrepresenting the field or for speciously framing the computer as the lightning rod for a broad range of criticisms that we argue can be reasonably attributed to no single source.” p.41
MLA:
Starling, Andrew. “Internet and Society.” Web Developers Journal. 11 Oct. 2000. 23 June
2006 .
Summary:
This article was one of the first articles that I came across and was one of the main ones that really got me interested in writing about this subject. The article gives a few main examples of what and how the internet is changing in our society. Items such as news coverage on television or in the newspaper have been leaning more towards entertainment value than news since almost anyone can now log on to any of the webs main homepages and see the latest informational side of news stories immediately. The author talks about copyright issues with the ability for persons to easily distribute material of their choice directly to another. He goes on to talk about how the internet is changing the world in terms of daily jobs and companies. Companies from around the world are now connected to each other and can use this to outsource to other countries.
Why I used this article:
This article grabbed my attention because it was a very straightforward and general article that really leaves the reader thinking about this topic but at the same time gives them somewhere to start with some solid examples. I agree with the author for the most part in this article and I believe he has some solid points in this that could use some examining. He brings up one very interesting point about how people who are not taking the time to use the internet and learn about how it works will fall behind people with such skills and it will hurt them greatly.
Excerpt from Plato’s Phaedrus
1.Brief summary.
Technology /writing makes people less human.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“for this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; …reality.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Socrates stated that there were two kinds of writers, one wrote about his life experience based on memories, the other wrote stuff serving as criticism or instruction. The latter one tells people what the writer wants them to believe; it doesn’t reflect the truth, but rather distracts people from reality. Thus, writing is a bad invention.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author used metaphor on the “husbandmen sowing” to writing. Also, in the end of the article, “inward pure and truth” was used to symbolize any writing that doesn’t reflect truth is not a good one.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
The thesis is a quite interesting one, but the metaphors were not persuasive enough to bring me to agree with the points.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
According to the author’s point, as writing developed, does that reveal a decline of humanity?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on writing of a politician may misleads people because I think writing on criticism is biased by its one-sided persuasion.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on writing is a bad invention because I think writing is a way to help memorizing the past as well as a way to express one’s thoughts freely.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This article is not quite related to my topic, but it provides me the form of technological determinism, which may be useful.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them.” P.1
“It All began with a Broken organ”
1.Brief summary.
Yamaha pianos were manufactured based on the idea of western ones, and by mass production, Yamaha electronic pianos went popular for classroom use and contribute in promoting musical education.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“In the case of piano, the often overlooked ‘invisible’ role of the piano tuner is of vital importance.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
“Tuning techniques in Japan required more subtle and elaborate care than in the Western countries. It was their task to select and recondition the pianos to the specific conditions of time and place.”
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author compared Yamaha piano to Toyota cars, stating that those pianos are easy to tune, repair and maintain just like the cars.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Interesting: Japanese pianos don’t sound as beautiful as the western ones only because they focused too much on the “ precision of a particular mechanism as to smother the resonance of the entire piano body.”
Not interesting: the part where it talks about the competition between Yamaha and Kawai companies.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Yamaha was originally imitating the western pianos, but what national or special trait does it reveal through development?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “musical instruments reflect the weather and climatic condition of the country from which they originate” because every piano of different countries sound different to me.
8.Since it is not a technological determinism article, I don’t have any disagreement with the author’s stating facts.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
From the fact that Yamaha first built the piano, then developed other kinds of engineering (one company had products vary from concert grands to motorbikes), we can see the mutual relationship between technology and music and the things in common. That will serve as the social impact part of my paper.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the adaption of the piano in Japan can be regarded as a typical example of technology transfer into this country which, in its early stages, was to a large extent based on ‘reverse engineering’.” P65
“Pianists and Pianos”
1.Brief summary.
Pianist and piano influenced each other on pursuing the art of music.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Pianists influenced the piano making by adjust it to their needs.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Chopin had different types of piano at home just for playing when he had different mood since every piano has slightly different sound quality. Also, Beethoven asked for different pianos for him to hear music better due to his hearing problem.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author gave stories of the great composers based on facts instead of using comparisons or other rhetorical means to state his points.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Stories of Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven were quite interesting.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Could pianist expanded or explore the ability of a piano by his unique performing style?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on Beethoven influenced development of piano into more octaves because his compositions were like an orchestra and required a larger range of sound.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on adjustment of piano could help hearing.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It tells that piano and pianists were connected tightly and a good piano suggested social status of people.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Piano-playing by women in the nineteenth century was considered an attractive social accomplishment.” P64
“Harpsichord to Piano”
1.Brief summary.
As harpsichord faded away, early piano still tried to resemble the sound of harpsichord.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Piano was not just a derivative from harpsichord, but a new instrument that needed new compositions.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Mozart began to rely on piano more and wrote pieces on piano after 1777.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Some musician preferred harpsichord at that time called the piano “a boiler-maker’s instrument”.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I was interested in the comparison between harpsichord and piano on their functions.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What ideas drove piano makers to produce such a huge instrument when harpsichord was available and in favor?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on piano needs new compositions because that would explore the capability of piano.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on piano was “a boiler-maker’s instrument” because harpsichord had a rather harsh sound when piano could produce a smoother one.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It tells me how harpsichord transit to piano and the compositional changes adapted to both instruments, as well as the economic and social factors contributed to the increasing use of piano.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Conversely, early piano-makers, as though loath to abandon the harpsichord once and for all, added stops which lowered strips of metal, leather, or cloth on to the strings to suggest a harpsichord sound.” P56
“The Modern Piano”
1.Brief summary.
The article analyzed basic forms of the modern pianos through their varieties and leading makers.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Countries all over the world were producing pianos in various sizes and shapes, but whether piano has a future or will its function be replaced by a totally new instrument is still a mystery.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Digital piano or keyboard has already invented and became more popular with the application of popular music, yet piano still has its value of existence since classical music would not fade away and could not well pursued on digital piano.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
When the author argued electronic keyboard had some history of piano, he said “It’s like the old saying about ducks. If it has a keyboard like a piano, sounds like a piano, and is played like a piano, then in some sense, and with all the modifying qualifiers in full play, it is a piano.”
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I am interested in the part of introducing the Schimmel grand piano model 208p, since it has a shape different from the tradition. I am not quite interested about the long sections when author talks about some firms of their products in great details.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Will classical music be out of favor by people and electronic devices replace the traditional instruments like piano while music takes in more electronic elements in the future?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on keyboard has a history of piano because the idea of shape and function is from piano.
8.I didn’t have any disagreement with author on this article.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
It provides me information on various kinds of modern pianos, and possibilities to my question of piano’s future.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“The iron frames are cast by what is called the vacuum-shield mold process, which Yamaha first used in casting engine parts for motorcycles.” P282
“Stringed keyboard instruments today”
1.Brief summary
The article begins with a description of piano structure and then distinct values of both piano and harpsichord.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Just as by the end of the eighteenth century the piano was recognized as not an improved harpsichord but a new instrument, now in the twentieth century the harpsichord has been rediscovered as an instrument that the piano does not truly supplant.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
To prove the importance of the old instrument harpsichord, author gave examples of musician nowadays asked for a harpsichord to perform in concerts, and the reproduction of harpsichord with modern techniques.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Comparison between harpsichord and piano on their new use during development of both instruments.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
Interested in: Composers are writing for the future possible piano, and created new methods to “play” piano.
Not interested in: the parts in the world where pianos were made.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
If piano has a future, will it be a more capable one or totally a different instrument?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “there is a growing inclination to prefer the harpsichord for the music composed for it ” because piano can’t make the exact sound baroque composers wrote and tried to depict.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on “ Some modern composers are even exploring the use of the harpsichord for expressing contemporary ideas” because the sensitive structure of harpsichord limits itself from playing music, which is too “violent” .
9.How can I use this work for my project?
This work provides me information about the rediscovery of existing stringed keyboard instruments on their capability of applying new musical elements and future development.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“More than 21,000,000 people now play the piano in the United States alone-about the same number as the combined total of all other instrumentalists.” P120
“Some American Firms and Their Contributions to the Development of the Reproducing Piano”
1.Brief summary.
It talks about the difference of player piano and reproducing piano, and the different kinds of reproducing piano that firms manufactured.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
Reproducing piano is better than player piano in reproducing sound.
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
“Player and reproducing pianos differ in their abilities to vary dynamic levels in the notes they play. Most player piano’s hammers travel their normal distance and play loudly, the reproducing piano is capable of playing at many dynamic levels.”
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
He used comparison between music box and the reproducing piano on their mechanical similarities and different ways of music interpretation.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I prefer the contribution reproducing piano had to music over the description of different models of reproducing pianos.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
Since reproducing piano could represent the exact music pianist performed, why isn’t it widely used nowadays?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “what worth doing worth doing well”.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on “you are what you drive” because we can’t judge a person by appearance.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
The part of comparison between player piano and the reproducing piano provides me great details of the development of piano in the 20th century.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“the prime objective was the meticulous reproduction of an event as witnessed by its observer.” P105
“Movin’ on”: Trains and Planes as a Theme in Music
1.Brief summary.
As the development of industrialization in the early 20th century, composers began to write music about transport technology, through the technology, later they also contributed to the warfare.
2.Identify the thesis statement/statement of main argument.
“Although one should be wary of making simplistic connections between the pace of life and the tempo of music, many composers of the early 20th century consciously wrote music to reflect a changing world.”
3.Identify the evidence and examples the author uses to support it.
Author gave examples of musical pieces in shaping the impression and symbols railway and planes provided people. Such as “Dixie Flyer Blues” and “Daybreak Express”,etc.
4.How does the author’s rhetorical style work with his or her argument?
Author sees transportations as symbols of freedom and escape from the unpleasant reality.
5.What was interesting to you in this essay? What was not?
I am interested in the description of Barber’ s symphony and its connection with the war, but not the section where it talks about the music for spacecraft.
6.What questions does the work raise for you?
What does music contribute in establishing the relationship between technology and culture?
7.I agreed with the author’s stance on “reception of this music differed according to race or gender” because when railway was an freedom and excitement symbol for male who went out to look for a job, it was a miserable thing for women since they had to stay at home, taking care of children while waiting endless for their men.
8.I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on music always depicted the positive side about technology because there were compositions written about crashes and dissonances in music were not that unacceptable.
9.How can I use this work for my project?
Technology is reflected in culture, and culture influences technology. This article shows the mutual influences between technology and music.
10.Which quotes did I find most interesting? Copy the start of it and provide the page number.
“Closely connected with energy and power is the idea of liberation and freedom through railways, aeroplanes, automobiles, but also through technology in general.” P107
Nicole Bulalacao
Writing 50
July 16, 2006
Annotated Bibliography.
Plato. Benjamin Jowett (trans) Phaedrus.
This text is a rhetoric between Socrates and his student about the loss of the aura in writing.
The author’s thesis is that once a memory aid is needed for learning than the essense of the memory is lost .
The rhetorical style of the dialogue works in the argument because the teachings are clearly divided.
The text raised the following questions. Is depending on a new technology a disables the ability of the human that the new technology aids? When does a new technology go from aid to necessity?
I agreed with the author’s stance on being dependent on a new technology displaces the need for whatever human aspect the new technology aids because that is what our society has become. For example, most people depend on an automobile to get to places that people could potentially walk to.
I disagree with the author’s stance on writing being a negative influence upon memeory because writing appeals to the senses and actually helps human beings remember through interacting with the memory.
Ellison, Harlan. “’Repent, Harlequin’ Said the Ticktockman.” Along Against Tomorrow. 1971. 109-121. http://eres.library.ucsb.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=2245&page=docs. Santa Barbara, CA. 6 July 2006.
This text depicts the tale of a man who defies the strict regulations of time on society and the reprocussions of his defiance
The author’s main point is that in the process of advancing in time efficiency and technology, society has lost humanity.
The narrative structure of the text works with the argument because it keeps the reader engaged in the authors argument by revealing the middle of the plot first then the middle and then the end.
I agree with the author’s stance on society being slaves of the clock because that is the only type of regulation society can truly depend upon.
I do not agree with the authors stance on the loss of humanity because humans are not disciplined and as a whole will not be able to regulate their time based on a uniform timekeeping system.
Questions:
As technology presents us with more information will there be enough time to interpret and critically think about the information presented? Has technology and increased efficiency made our society slaves to time?
Baudrillard, Jean. Selected Writings, Simulacra and Simulations (excerpt). Stanford: Stadford UP. 166-184.
Using specific examples the author describes the difference between simulation an reproduction. Simulation is the reality of today.
Thesis: There is no reality. Simulation is society’s reality.
I agree to an extent that simulation has taken the place of reality because more people are content to sit at home and watch television rather than experience what they are viewing on television.
I do not agree with the author’s notion that there is no reality only simulation because there must be a reality created before simulation can take its place.
Questions:
Has simulation replaced reality? Is there such thing as an origin? Does the presentation of images in television create a certain image of reality that the powerful want us to accept.
Parenti. Michael. Inventing Reality The Politics of News Media. Wadsworth Inc.: New York. (1993).
This text describes how the popularization and repeated use of images in the television news projects a reality that those in power want to impress on society
Thesis: Nothing on television is designed to entertain or inform. Television is designed to manipulate the realities in society.
I agree on the authors stance that the major companies who own network news manipulate the news so that minorities are viewed in a negative light. With this reality repeatedly projected onto society the middle class remains divided and will not united against the injustices of the upper class.
Questions:
Although the media manipulates the news so that it protects the network’s major financial backers, how often does the media manipulate the news to project a negative image of minorities in society. Is the negative image entirely untrue?
The Matrix. Dir Andy and Larry Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fisburne. 1999. Warner Brothers.Videocassette
This film follows the journey of neo as he uncovers the truth about the simulation of reality that is the matrix and reality.
Thesis: Reality is shielded and sugar coated from the eyes of the masses. Most people are unwilling or not ready to accept reality. Although humans created technology it is humans who are controlled by technology.
I agree on the filmmaker’s idea that advancing technology controls our daily lives because people get so dependent on popular technology that we feel helpless when it fails to work properly.
I do not agree with the filmaker’s notion that there is a real reality and a simulated reality.
Questions:
What makes something reality? Which images are the easiest to simulate and influence the masses?
Faces of the Enemy.
This documentary chronicles the history of propaganda starting from political cartoons in World War II to image manipulation on television in the Reagan administration.
Thesis: A person’s most powerful weapon is the image of the enemy. Television is the perfect tool to create the enemy because the media can expose many negative images to society with little exposition.
I agree with the idea that the news media has the power to create the most influencing image of the enemy because the news is the medium in which most people get their information.
Questions:
What examples are there today in the media in which minorities are presented as the enemy? Is it evident that minorities are portrayed as the enemy?
Your Money or Your Life: Racism in the Media.
This documentary chronicles the views of a stereotypical black criminal and uses violent crime as an allegory for bluc collar crime.
Thesis: the media tends to focus on violent crime committed by young black males. This misrepresentation hides the fact that whites make up the majority of convicted criminals and softens the effects of blue collar crime. Crime is a reflection of the nation’s current economic system
The narrative used to make the analogy between black crime and blue collar crime is effective because it reveals how blue collar crime is more prevalent and impacts more people.
I agree with the idea that the media tends to focus on black criminals and white victims because when most people in the United States think of a criminal they think of a black person
Questions:
What images does the media focus on? What message does the media relay to the public about race? What message should the media be sending?
Dixon, Travis L and Danile Linz. Race and the Misrepresentation of Victimization on local television news. Communication Research 27.5 (Oct. 2000): 547-574).
This article is a summation of statistical research and analysis of a study that focused on the representation of blacks in the media.
Thesis: The media focuses on black violent criminals and victimized white in disproportionate numbers and fails to focus on crime in black communities with black victims.
I agree with the author’s idea that blacks get predominantly negative coverage in the media because I have noticed this trend in my hometown.
Questions:
Why would the media send the wrong message to the public? Is this false message a consequence of resource (easy to get shots of black criminals.) or of cruel intention against blacks?
Source:
Rauh, Sherry. Detox for Video Game Addiction? 3 July, 2006. 16 July, 2006
Summary:
The article discusses the symptoms of video game addiction, how the addiction may be formed, the dangers of addiction, and how to treat it. The article seems to focus mainly on spotting addiction in gamers and the symptoms of addictive or abusive play. It also highlights exactly what addiction is and how video games, much like compulsive gambling, can cause addiction despite the fact that they are not a chemical substance that elicits physical dependency. While this article is not necessarily arguing a specific point, it is acknowledging that video game addiction is a real problem and attempts to provide evidence to argue this. The general argument is best highlighted in the following quote: “The person is trying to change the way they feel by taking something outside of themselves. The [cocaine] addict learns, ‘I don’t like the way I feel, I take a line of cocaine.’ For gamers, it’s the fantasy world that makes them feel better.”
Analysis:
I generally agree with the article in that video game addiction, much like compulsive gambling, is a real problem. However, the article may not provide strong enough evidence on the causes and symptoms of this addiction. While the article does list some signs that point to abnormal or obsessive playing it may not be enough to conclusively state that gamers showing these symptoms are indeed addicts. However, the symptoms and signs listed here are similar to the ones listed in other sources. The most important aspect of this article is the fact that medical institutions are establishing programs to help individuals with this addictive behavior which is direct evidence that the problem is accepted as real in these established institutions. It also shows the steps involved in treating the addiction and how someone with obsessive behavior can be treated. It relates to the subject of technology in society in that it shows how the technology of gaming has specific social impacts, namely that game addicts suffer from an obsessive disorder that is atypical and yet treatable in most cases.
Source:
Does Internet and Computer “Addiction” Exist? Some Case Study Evidence
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/109493100316067
Summary:
This article focuses on five subjects whose computer usage is considered excessive. The article assesses these case studies and compares the results with typical addictive components in order to determine if the addiction is real. It finds that only two out of the five cases studied reflect addictive behavior and the remaining three were simply symptomatic and suffered from other deficiencies. The articles main point is that not all gamers who show certain symptoms are indeed addicted to video games and shows this by analyzing subjects with very similar symptoms but different diagnoses. As stated before the basis for this comparison is the study of similarities between video game addiction and traditionally accepted addictive behaviors.
Analysis:
The fact that this article recognizes that some individuals do suffer from addictive behavior while other with similar behavior are simply a product of other problems is an important point and one which I agree with. Addiction is a powerful problem and one which should not be generalized to encompass all individuals that happen to play video games more than average. While many gamers may display symptoms of addictive behavior this does necessarily mean that they are truly addicted to games and in many cases the truth can be very different. The study of these five cases will provide for a good compare/contrast point of view while analyzing the problem. The question of whether or not a person is truly addicted may not be all that apparent and the in depth analysis that this article provides should be used as way to investigate this.
Source:
Schreier, Laura. Online addiction a growing problem. 2 July, 2006. 17 July, 2006
Summary:
This is a recent news article that illustrates the growing problem of online game addiction. It argues that addiction is an issue that is just beginning to be considered a real problem as the numbers of cases grow and as people begin to seek advice and help with their problems. The article uses the stories of a couple individuals to support the fact that obsessive gaming can sometimes lead to problems and the appeal of gaming as an escape from reality. At the same time it shows how this escape can sometimes lead to more serious behavior in which individuals begin to ignore other aspects of their lives as they slip deeper into the fantasy of computer simulated worlds.
Analysis:
The fact that this news source shows a growing number of cases reported and shows how the establishment of clinics and online tools are being deployed to help addicts exemplifies the fact that the idea of video game addiction is being considered a real problem. I agree that many times a person should seek counseling for obsessive game playing behavior but also agree that playing video games on a more than average basis is not always necessarily a problem. The difficulty lies in being able to identify when gaming can become a problem and should not rely on facts like hours of play, etc. This article does not analyze the actual addiction but rather offers an account of certain cases and how they affected the individual.
Source:
Chiu, Shao-I, Jie-Zhi Lee, and Der-Hsiang Huang. “Video Game Addiction in Children and Teenagers in Taiwan.”
CyberPsychology & Behavior. Vol 7(5), Oct 2004, pp. 571-581
Summary:
This article focuses on video game playing in children and teenagers in Taiwan, using studies and other sources as background. It relates this information as well as other findings with ideas of academic achievement, family function, sensation seeking, gender, boredom, relationships and social skills. The objective is to show how individuals “addicted” to video games share certain criteria which points to shared symptoms in these individuals. The main thesis and aim of this study are summarized by a list of questions the author introduces: “How much have video games affected children and youth? Do indifferent games substitute for harmony between parents and children, trustworthiness between teachers and students, and healthy social relationships? If not, what attitudes does society need to apply to address the embarrassing phenomenon of teenager game addiction? What can be done for victims of video gaming to redirect their energies and talents, with the support of information technologies?”
Analysis:
These questions are similar to some of the questions I had considered while investigating this topic. The information provided by this paper will help to answer these questions with the information of studies conducted into this subject being supporting evidence. I agree with the articles stance on how obsessive video games can affect the lives of players and the studies shown here provide some useful evidence to support this theory. The social skills and level of animosity in children who abuse the use of video games are different on average then those who do not. This correlation could go either way however, is it these factors that lead to abusive gaming or is it abusive gaming that leads to these factors. I think that this article will be important to my topic since it provides statistics on the habits of video game playing and relates this information to real life experiences.
Source:
Ricardo A. Tejeiro Salguero, Rosa M. Bersabé Morán. “Measuring problem video game playing in adolescents.”
Addiction. Vol 97(12), 2002, pp 1601
Research Report: Measuring problem video game playing in adolescents
Summary:
The aim of this report was to design and test a means to measure the problems that are associated with obsessive video game play. Researchers issued questionnaires to adolescents (13-18 year-olds) in a school in Spain. The questions were much like those in analyzing substance abuse and pathological gambling. There is no clear thesis or argument in the article but rather a presentation of collected data and analysis of the data. The findings that this article reports do point to problems often associated with addictive behavior, but caution that these results are not conclusive and there is currently not enough evidence to state with certainty that the addiction is real.
Analysis:
Since the research was modeled after research into not only substance abuse, but more importantly compulsive gambling – which is another example of what is known as behavioral addiction – the findings and notes should provide good evidence on the problem of addictive gaming. It does not attempt to answer any questions conclusively but does provide evidence that points to actual addiction. Although no real conclusion is given the process and findings should provide a good means of arguing addiction while still providing a devil’s advocate point of view. Since I do not believe I will be arguing for addiction one way or another but rather analyzing the problem, this paper should be a good reference on arguing both angles.
Source: BBC News Online, S Korean dies after games session. 10 August, 2005. 15 July, 2006.
Summary:
This news article from BBC reports that a 28 year-old man, identified as Lee, died after a 50 hour video game binge. During this time Lee took very few breaks and only stopped to use the bathroom and take a few short naps. It was presumed that his heart failed due to sheer exhaustion. It was also noted that Lee had lost his job recently because his video game obsession caused him to skip work.
The article also included a brief survey and analysis on video game addiction by Psychologist Professor Mark Griffiths. Professor Griffiths’ work focused mainly on MMORPG’s like EverQuest and World of Warcraft. His surveys indicate that the gamers that suffered from excessive or addictive game playing were in the small majority, but that these gamers suffered the same symptoms of traditional addicts. He also remarked that MMORPG’s and other online games were more addictive then most due to their social aspect.
Analysis:
Professor Griffith remarks that the immersion of certain online games make them harder to put down then most, stating that “They are not games that you can play for 20 minutes and stop.” I think this is an important point. The huge world and social structures created in these games can completely engulf a player much more than a traditional arcade game. The fact that someone can play in an alternate reality while still interacting with other humans makes the user feel more involved in a game. This report, although an extreme case, is direct evidence of just how strongly video games can affect a person’s life. Questions that this article does not answer are how common are problems like this, what are some less extreme examples, and is it the video game or simply the person. However, some of these questions are the study of other articles listed here, in fact another article by Professor Griffiths listed here is one of these.
Source:
Miller, Stanley. Death of a game addict. 31 March 2002. 17 July 2006
Summary:
Much like the previous article this news report covers the story of a man who died as a result of obsessive game play. It also provides an account of how games like EverQuest are more engrossing than most and can lead to addictive play, again much like previous articles. The main argument in this news article is that excessive game play can be hazardous to ones health, and that these games, much like packs of cigarettes, should come with warning labels to warn consumers.
Analysis:
Where this article differs from the last is in how it attempts to relate game play with a death. This story focuses on a man, Shawn Woolley, took his own life presumable as a result of obsessive playing in the online game EverQuest. While the symptoms of Shawn are very indicative of addiction the fact that his death was a direct result of this addiction is not entirely convincing. In the last article it is seemingly undeniable that an obsessive 50-hour gaming marathon lead directly to the mans death, but in this article a suicide can either be as a result of gaming or something entirely different. This article will help in providing a counter argument when dealing with the extreme effects of video game playing, by offering a news article that claims a mans suicide was a direct result of excessive online game playing.
Source:
Plato. Phaedrus. Translation Benjamin Jowett. 25 June, 2006.
Summary:
This article is a dialogue between Socrates and the uninformed Phaedrus in which the two discuss the perils of technology. In this article Socrates argues that the use of writing makes people unhuman. This is a good example of technological determinism in which the speaker attempts to convince Phaedrus that writing is a technology that should not be used. The fact that this article is written seems slightly ironic but the way in which it is written, that is formal dialogue, helps to support the argument. Socrates supports his argument by stating that writing cannot defend itself and is not as affective as speech.
Analysis:
I do not agree with Socrates in his argument. While it is true that the written word cannot defend itself it is true that the written word can account for the thoughts of a man at a given moment in history and can be used to educate people on a wider scale. Writing is an important technology and if it were not for this technology the ideas of Socrates himself would have been lost. Writing enables people to share ideas and thought over wide areas and a mans writing can outlive him in order to be heard even when the man is dead.
Plato. The Phaedrus. 370 B.C.
This excerpt is a dialogue that supposedly occurred between Socrates and Phaedrus over the issue of the accuracy of writing. Socrates is making the point that writing is far less effective than speaking because a point cannot be fully dictated. He claims that unlike a live person, a document cannot present an argument because it cannot answer any questions. This relates to the topic of technology because, like usual, new technologies are often critiqued, and here the new technology is a very basic one; writing. I do not particularly agree with Socrates’ point, because I feel that even some thoughts cannot be expressed through speech and that no matter the form of communication, something could get lost along the way. However, it is a bold statement he is making and fits perfectly into our theme of Technology in Society by demonstrating how not all technologies are accepted at first, even by some considered to be the most wise.
Chopra, Mikey, and Ian Darnton-Hill. “Tobacco and obesity epidemics: not so different after all?”bmj.com (2004): 16 pars. 13 July 2006 http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/extract/328/7455/1558.
Although unfortunately brief, this article contains plenty of information on how obesity has become so, well, big. It talks about the changes in densities of energy in fast food, amount of sugars and fats, hormones, substitutes and how much more processed the products are. This issue is one that has been made worldwide and what used to be up to Mother Nature is now the control of corporations who can even control the production of other life forms such as chickens with today’s new technologies. There are many useful statistics and facts in the article that I believe I can incorporate in my paper. The paper also speaks about tobacco use, and although this would fall under the category of harmful things to put into our bodies, I don’t feel that I will focus on this matter too greatly.
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Narr. Morgan Spurlock. Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2004.
This film documentary was created after grad student Morgan Spurlock after he watched a news report about two girls who sued McDonalds. The film is about a man who dares to eat only McDonald’s fast food, measuring his weight, noting his health and feeling the emotional changes for a whole month. The film sheds a new light on the food corporations in America, and how easily people unknowingly fall victim to the bad habits of fast food diets. I found this film to be very eye opening and it contains a great amount of data supporting my thesis that the shift in the things we put into our body away from the natural is harmful.
Teitel, Martin, and Kimberly A. Wilson. Genetically Engineered Food: Changing the Nature of Nature. Vermont: Park Street Press, 1999
I have already learned a lot from this book on the fundamentals of genetic engineering. There are many aspects to this new technology, some harmful, others potentially beneficial. I find it a little frightening, when reading this book, to think of how our foods are changing so drastically so often and we barely even notice. Most of what we consume today is hardly natural. So if it is not natural, can it still be good for us? Yes in some cases, however we need to be careful about our choices.
Rolls, Barbara J. “The Supersizing of American: Portion Size and the Obesity epidemic.” Nutrition Today 38.2 (2003):42-54
This article is about the correlation to proportion size and obesity, and how intake has been steadily rising since the 1970’s. People are eating larger portions of food that tends to be higher density, and as the article says since it is unlikely that our biology has changed in the last 30 years, our eating habits probably have a large effect. Because technology has allowed us create higher density foods and it is easy to obtain, people are consuming far greater amounts than recommended. The article summarizes many studies that had been conducted to test this issue. One in particular that I found interesting and believe I can use was a test done on 3 year olds, showing that they consistently ate the same amount despite the proportion size provided, where as adults often eat more simply because there is more. This leads to the theory that it is a learned trait, one that is prevalent in our country today.
Bailes, Julian E. “The neurosurgeon in sport: Awareness of the rises of heatstroke and dietary supplements.” Neurosurgery 51.2 (2002):283-288
Although this article strays slightly from my topic, is does cover some points which I am hoping I can incorporate. The article is mostly about the health of athletes, more specifically football players, and the effects of their training and dietary choices. It uncovers the story of the increasingly common heatstroke. It is clear that this is a consequence of practice hot conditions, yet it is also speculated to be due to the extreme amount of body mass that many players carry. A great number of players use dietary supplements to improve their performance. I would like to use this article in order to demonstrate how putting substances such as these creates great risks.
Fahey, Thomas D, Paul M. Insel, and Walkton T. Roth. Fit & Well 6th ed. New York NY: McGraw Hill, 2005
This textbook is a general reference book on what the healthiest lifestyles are. It covers a variety of topics such as nutrition, fitness, muscular strength and stress. The book was written with the intention of showing students how to live fit and well and that doing so may improve the quality of their lives. One of the points I plan on making in my paper is how the general substances we are exposed to today are not what our bodies were built to handle and this book refers to what the natural body should be like. I intend on using this book as a reference back to how the body is built and expected to function as well as using the authors’ scholarly opinions on what can be done to achieve good health.
Pimentel, David, ed. and Marcia Pimentel, ed. Food, Energy, and Society. Colorado: University Press of Colorado, 1996
The general theme of this book is talking about the role energy plays in society. Mostly it focuses on how energy is produced, what forms it comes in and the different options. The main part of this book that I will be focusing on is the three chapters on early civilizations needs for energy. I had planned on beginning my paper by comparing the style of ancient civilizations to those of today, and I have been able to find quite helpful material in this book.
Oliver, Eric J. Fat Politics: the Real Reason for America’s Obesity Epidemic. New York: Oxford University Press 2006
This book overviews what fat is, how obesity became so widespread and what factors are considered when reviewing obesity. It also covers the effects of obesity and how to deal with it. Some of the particular sections that I will be focusing on will be how obesity became an epidemic and the misconceptions of weight gain. A reoccurring theme that I see is that greater proportions seem to be a great suspect, but the book also goes into the thought that perhaps the ideal of the food pyramid from health officials might be incorrect.
Annotated Bibliography
Plato. The Phaedrus. 370 B.C.
The Phaedrus is a dialogue between Plato and Phaedrus himself, recorded by Plato around the year 370 B.C. In this dialectic, Socrates lectures Phaedrus about the evil of writing, saying that it makes society lazy, lacks responsibility, does not reflect the truth, and diminishes our character. He promotes verbal communication, condemning the newly invented technology of writing. This piece shows that similar to today, debates over whether technology benefits or harms society existed thousands of years ago.
Taylor, Frederick Winslow. The Principles of Scientific Management. 1911.
In this work, by Frederick Winslow Taylor, the country’s inefficiency in all aspects of daily life is described. According to Taylor, the world would be much more productive, if we could discover a way to maximize our efficiency. The best way to do this is maximum prosperity. This is the idea that if you pay the workers well, they will be happier and healthier, and will in turn produce more goods, making for maximum efficiency.
McNamara, Joe. “Television is Corrupting American Society.” Mass Media Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Byron L. Stay. Greenhaven Press Inc., 1999. 35-44.
In this overtly conservative article, author Joe McNamara states his heated
1
opinion by describing the violence and vulgarity that dominate television today. According to him, television corrupts society because it abuses children for profit, uses vulgar language, displays violent acts, and promotes lifestyles that highly contradict traditional family values. Suggestions given on how to avoid this “wasteland” of demoralizing programming include watching musicals, historical footage and other quality television, and keeping movie gossip magazines out of your house. This article gives a vivid description of how American television is destroying family values today more so than ever before.
Miller, Daphne. “Television’s effects on kids: It can be harmful.” CNN.com 20 Aug. 1999. 12 July 2006 http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9908/20/kids.tv.effects/
This article by doctor Daphne Miller says that children in the United States are spending way too much time in front of the television. The average child spends about 25 hours a week watching TV, way over the maximum recommended limit of two hours per day. The effects of extensive television viewing by adolescents can be detrimental both physically and mentally. The majority of children‘s programming, about 75%, is non-educational, and instead often filled with scenes of violence and aggressive behavior. Also, watching too much TV has been linked to a poorer performance in school. Watching late night TV can lead to daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating and therefore can also cause poor school performance as well. If that weren’t enough, there
seems to be a strong relationship between time spent watching TV and being overweight.
2
Comstock, George. Television in America. London: Sage Publications, 1980.
According to author George Comstock, family life in America has deteriorated since the invent of the television. In homes with televisions, less time is devoted to conversation, the time parents devote to child care decreases, and overall family interaction is less frequent. On top of all of this, almost half of all American households have multiple TV’s, which alters the social aspect of family TV viewing. This book describes the negative impact that this piece of technology has had on family interaction and togetherness.
“TV Has Negative Impact on Very Young Children’s Learning Abilities.” Medical News Today. 2005. 16 July 2006. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=26985
According to this news article, television viewing before age three can have a harmful effect on cognitive development. Children younger than three watch on average 1.3 hours of television per day, even though it has been shown that no program can benefit a child this young, no matter how educational it may be. Recent longitudinal studies show that there is a negative correlation between television viewing prior to age three and adverse cognitive outcomes at ages six and seven. This article demonstrates the harmful effect television viewing has on children’s development.
Schmitt, B.D. “ Television: Reducing the Negative Impact.” University of Michigan Health System. 15 April 2004.
3
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_btelevis_hhg.htm
This article by doctor B.D. Schmitt outlines the negative physical and psychological effects television has on children. This effects include poor grades, an interference with conversation time, discouraging reading, and encourages a demand for material possessions. He gives a few suggestions on how to prevent television from dominating your life, which include not using TV as a babysitter, turning it off during meals and encouraging educational programming.
Anderson, Daniel R., et al. Early Childhood Television Viewing and Adolescent Behavior. Boston, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.
This book give an interesting look at televisions impact on adolescent body image. After a carefully conducted study, they found that males who watched a lot of sports television were less satisfied with their height and physical appearance than those who did not. With females, they found that those who watched a lot of entertainment television were more unhappy with their weight than less frequent viewers. This proves that television’s depictions of unrealistic physical appearances has a great negative psychological effect on America’s adolescents.
Rudich, Joe. “ID 4 Life: a web-based service moves photos quickly in cases of child abduction.” Link-Up 16.1 (Jan-Feb 1999): 16(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
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Smolowe, Jill. “A high-tech dragnet. (computers used to spread information about child abduction).” Time 142.n18 (Nov 1, 1993): 43(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
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“Help kids protect themselves from abductions with computer game. (Technology Update).(Brief Article).” Curriculum Review 42.2 (Oct 2002): 5(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. UC Santa Barbara (CDL). 17 July 2006
.
Arnaldo, Carlos A. “Child abuse on the Internet: ending the silence” New York: Berghahn Books; Paris: UNESCO Pub., c2001
Medaris, Michael and Girouard, Cathy. “Protecting Children in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program” Juvenile Justice Bulletin NCJ 191213. (January 2002): 8 pages July 12, 2006 http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/191213.pdf
Stanley, Janet. “Child abuse and the Internet” Issues No.15 Summer 2001. July 12, 2006 http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/issues/issues/15.pdf
Annotated Bibliography
Taylor, Richard. “The great firewall of China.” News.bbc.co.uk
6 Jan. 2006. 7 June 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/4587622.stm
Summary: Internet in China has become one of the largest, high-tech efforts of censorship to date. There are an estimated 30,000 internet police who monitor all forms of web traffic and e-mail.
Thesis/Evidence: The experience found on Chinese Internet is profoundly different than that we are accustomed to. At every turn there is the shadow of “big brother” and the government’s censorship programs. This is evidenced by the banning of websites that are clearly informational such as the BBC and Wikipedia. A government official could only offer that the inability to reach the BBC online was a “technical problem”. The government has not stopped to merely censor the material available to its users. Amnesty International is aware of 64 Chinese people imprisoned for offenses such as signing petitions and communicating with foreign organizations. Steps are also being taken to censor the Internet physically. Internet cafes are all state-licensed and are required to conduct surveillance on users.
Style: No particular style is used. It’s a very straightforward, factual report.
Points of Interest: This article was of particular interest because it gave many brief examples of how the Chinese government is controlling the Internet.
Questions Raised: One question that remains for me is how the US Internet differs from its Chinese counterpart. Are we truly as safe as we believe?
Agreements: I agreed with the author on all points. It seems that he has fully supported all claims with undeniable evidence. Furthermore, this evidence has been backed up by numerous other articles I have found while researching the topic.
Disagreements: None.
How I can use this: Although lacking details, I will probably use this article as a starting point for sub-topics to look into. The last section dealing with circumventing and resisting censorship was largely unhelpful, because at the moment I don’t plan to deal with these issues in my paper.
Quotes:
“If you say anything against the government we’ve got to delete it, no exception, because it’s a forum, it’s a public place. If the government finds anything against them in the forum, that will jeopardise the company.”
“With 56 ethnic minorities, we can’t risk one slandering another.
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BC. Trans. Benjamin Jowett.
Summary: Socrates and Phaedrus argue the morality of introducing writing to the masses. They agree that writing must meet certain standards or serve a noble purpose to be worthy of reading.
Thesis/Evidence: Writing will create forgetfulness among the masses; they will rely on text rather than their own thoughts. When seriously planting seeds one would take the proper care to ensure their growth.
Style: Socrates and Phaderus discuss the matter in a dialogue rather than merely lecturing. This follows the ideas they present in the paper.
Points of Interest: They argue that writing should be able to defend itself alike to spoken word. Either that, or be presented so thoroughly there is no doubt in its correctness. However, I find that this text fails to do either. If their standards for writing are just then perhaps the content of the text should be ignored. However, if those standards are incorrect, then the text would have meaning. This seems like a paradox to me.
Questions Raised: Same as above.
Agreements: I agreed with the idea that writing like other technologies has the potential to be misused and have a negative effect on society.
Disagreements: I find the standards set by the two philosophers are much too strict. My interpretation of the reading was that they found works of fiction to be unworthy of writing. I see no problem with fiction as long as it is declared as such.
How I can use this: This text can be used as an example of how seemingly good technologies can make a negative impact on society.
Quotes:
“The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing…”
“China defends internet regulation” News.bbc.co.uk
2 Feb 2006. 7 June 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4715044.stm
Summary: Chinese officials claim the West is using a double standard to view their Internet censorship.
Thesis/Evidence: We cannot agree Chinese officials claims that their role on the Internet is comparable to the west because they have far surpassed us in censorship and rights violations. Officials claim no one has been arrested for publishing online content. However, in fact, many people have been imprisoned for posting information the government opposed. Shi Tao is one such journalist who was imprisoned for 10 years for such an act.
Style: Strict reporting, no flair is added to the text.
Points of Interest: I find the misleading information released by officials to be sickening. They make statements that are clearly false regarding their Internet censorship.
Questions Raised: Is it possible that the US government’s role in the Internet is nearly as negative as the Chinese government? Maybe, the US government acts covertly in a similar manner. This is doubtful, but still I find it worth asking.
Agreements: I’m totally in agreement with the report of hypocrisy in the messages released by Chinese officials.
Disagreements: It’s possible for the Chinese officials to argue that what they say is actually true, since their messages are very vague.
How can I use this: This text gives examples of people imprisoned for their actions on the Internet. I can use these examples to support the notion that the Internet is facilitating the suppression of the Chinese people.
Quotes: “It is unfair and smacks of double standards when (foreigners) criticise China for deleting illegal and harmful messages, while it is legal for US websites to do so.”
Tim. “The Google Search Results Case”. RadMod.com
3 March 2006. 9 June 2006.
http://www.radmod.com/2006/big-brother/copa-google-subpoena/
Summary: The author “Tim” explains the recent Google subpoena. He goes on to argue that we should be wary of the governments intrusion on our rights.
Thesis/Evidence: COPA hinders free speech because it punishes everyone, not just criminals. COPA’s tactics are being justified to protect children. However, they are effectively violating the right to free speech to do so. By demanding access to user’s information and searches the government is punishing everyone, not only those who search for things like pedophilia.
Style: The author has a very informal style and makes comments with paranoid undertones. This only goes to reinforce his views against the government’s recent actions.
Points of Interest: I found the notion that we are being treated as criminals very interesting. He makes it clear that by looking at the issue from another angle we can see how are rights are being infringed upon. This was a view I never saw before reading this.
Questions Raised: Can I find examples of the patriot acts which support the notion that the government is using the Internet to further control society?
Agreements: Overall I agreed with the author’s arguments that we are essentially being punished by COPA.
Disagreements: While, I’m not in complete disagreement, the author makes many claims which simply cannot be proven. For example:
The government would LOVE to have daily access to Google search queries, including the address of the computer that performed the search. Then, agents could pay visits to people whose searches suggested they might not be the purest of mind. Is that a good power to give the government? That’s where we are heading.
How I can use this: Unfortunately, the non-academic style seriously detracts from the paper. However, I felt there were too many good points made to ignore this website. I can use these examples to show how the US government’s demands for search information can be cast in a very negative light.
Quotes:
“As a parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent, I endorse [the COPA goals] without reservation. As a judge, however, I must confess to a growing sense of unease when the interest in protecting children from prurient materials is invoked as a justification for using criminal regulation of speech as a substitute for, or a simple backup to, adult oversight of children’s viewing habits.”
Olsen, Stefanie. “Patriot Act draws privacy concerns.” news.com.com
26 October 2001. 10 June 2006.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-275026.html
Summary: After 9/11 the USA Patriot Act was passed, giving the government increased surveillance capabilities.
Thesis/Evidence: The US government will have even easier access to personal information because of the newly passed Patriot Act. A new program known as Carnivore will be used to mine data such as names and web surfing habits. Under the Patriot Act ISPs must allow backdoors for the government to conduct surveillance.
Sytle: Strict reporting, no flair is used.
Points of Interest: The main thing I’m looking at here is the increased potential for civil rights violations. The government appears to be slowly allowing more and more intrusion into private data.
Agreements: The author doesn’t take a specific stand on the issue, but I agree that there is a need to keep an eye on the government’s actions from here.
Disagreements: None.
How I can use this: By looking at the progression in Internet related law making I can probably show that the government is slowly expanding its powers to monitor and suppress certain rights.
Quotes:
“The trouble with the bill is that it’s very sweeping and it can apply not just to suspected terrorists but people and organizations that may be engaged in lawful actions.”
Annotation of Alan Marzilli’s Piece
1.) This piece is about policing the internet and protecting people in general.
2.) “It is imperative that people take proper precautions in order to maintain safety when accessing the internet.”
3.) The evidence in the book has to do more with predators raping, killing, or abusing younger children.
4.) The entire book was interesting, but I thought it was especially interesting what great lengths certain people went to in order to find someone through the internet.
5.) This book is going to help me with my paper because I am going to relate it to authority figures and adults going into facebook and saying that they are using it just as predators and criminals are.
6.) I agreed with the fact that you need to be careful because the internet can be a dangerous tool.
7.) I didn’t agree with completely avoiding posting pictures because that is something that can be privatized.
8.) “The spunky 13 year old softball player that you’re chatting with can actually be America’s Most Wanted.”
Annotation of Alan Marzilli’s Piece
1.) This piece is about policing the internet and protecting people in general.
2.) “It is imperative that people take proper precautions in order to maintain safety when accessing the internet.”
3.) The evidence in the book has to do more with predators raping, killing, or abusing younger children.
4.) The entire book was interesting, but I thought it was especially interesting what great lengths certain people went to in order to find someone through the internet.
5.) This book is going to help me with my paper because I am going to relate it to authority figures and adults going into facebook and saying that they are using it just as predators and criminals are.
6.) I agreed with the fact that you need to be careful because the internet can be a dangerous tool.
7.) I didn’t agree with completely avoiding posting pictures because that is something that can be privatized.
8.) “The spunky 13 year old softball player that you’re chatting with can actually be America’s Most Wanted.”
Annotation of Wikipedia Piece
1.) This is simply a description of what facebook is, what it is used for, and how popular it is.
2.) Facebook is a social networking service for high school, college, university, corporate, non-profit, militarty and geographic communities primarily in English-speaking countries.
3.) “Anyone with access to a valid e-mail address from 2000+ universities can register for and access the site.”
4.) There isn’t much controversy in this article, but I thought it was interesting that it is the number one site for photos, even ahead of public photo sites.
5.) I can use this in my paper because there essentially is not argument here. Yet it still supports the fact that facebook.com was designed simply to link students and provide entertainment.
6.) Some benefits of this piece is that it divides the special features of the website up and describes them. It also addresses the criticisms and counters them with privacy updates and answers.
7.) The best part of the website is that it specifically addresses alcohol policy violations and how many colleges use facebook to regulate these alcohol violations.
8.) “It has been documented that some employers look at Facebook profiles of prospective employees or interns.
“We have never provided our users’ information to third party companies, nor do we intend to.”
Annotation of Nancy Haas’s Piece
1.) Police officials shut down a party of a student’s at GWU upon discovering underage drinking, so the students decided to prove the police found the party through facebook.com
2.) “Because of its popularity, though, the site has become a flashpoint for debates about free speech, privacy, and whether the Internet should be a tool for surveillance.”
3.) The police broke into a party, only to find students had purposely talked it up on facebook, but only had cake and cookies at the actual gathering.
4.) I thought it was interesting that some administrators said that they really support facebook simply because it helps build a college community.
5.) This raises the question of What do professors and actual campus officials decide about checking or not checking facebook? Also do facebook employees think it is ok that punishments are being given because of the website?
6.) I agreed with the stance that facebook gives people a way to find each other and connect because it has given me that exact opportunity.
7.) I didn’t agree with the stance that administrators and parents worry about cyberstalking because I have not heard one incident of someone being found and killed or raped or abused because a predator has found their facebook account.
8.) I can use this for my project because it gives examples of what some universities are doing and it also lists the attractive features of the website.
9.) “Nearly three-quarters of Facebook users sign on at least once every 24 hours, and the average users sign on six times a day.”
“The weapon of choice? Facebook of course.”
Annotation of Physorg Piece
1.) Two students at Fisher College were expelled because of certain conduct on their facebook profiles.
2.) “Facebook officials are also finding themselves in a difficult position: how to balance administrative concerns with the freedoms to which users are accustomed.”
3.) “It’s certainly not what we designed Facebook to be used for.” There is examples of other colleges, such as University of Missouri-Columbia, Brandeis University, and UCSB.
4.) I find it really interesting to hear what the police officers think is practicing their duties because they wouldn’t be able to unless they were snooping on facebook.com in the first place.
5.) This raises questions for me such as Who discovered that they could get into the website to keep close tabs on college students in the first place. Also what kind of independence to R.A.s and campus officials think they are promoting by not even giving student the privacy of their own websites?
6.) I agreed with the part of the article where one of the students says that the police made a comical group into an issue when it didn’t have to be because older adults and authorities don’t understand a lot of the humor in our generation.
7.) I didn’t agree with the part about UCSB exercising the right to punish students for having pictures of drinking in resident halls because if the only way this was found out was through pictures, it clearly didn’t harm anyone.
8.) I can use this work for my project because it not only gives specific examples, but it also touches on UCSB, my own campus.
9.) “Users are able to adjust their privacy settings to only allow fellow students to see their profiles or even further the availability of their information so only their confirmed ‘friends’ can see their information.”
Annotation of the Newsweek Piece
1.) This article is about two different incidents dealing with authority figures hacking into facebook.com to get students in trouble.
2.) “…identifying the over-zealous fans seemed impossible. Impossible, that is, until the police department turned to a new crime-fighting tool: facebook.com.”
3.) Students at GWU posted a fake raging party that advertised the exact location to trick police. And when the police showed up, there was no alcohol or drugs, but it proved the police use facebook unfairly.
4.) It was really interesting to me how police actually check facebook to get students in trouble.
5.) The article raises questions for me such as Isn’t it some sort of invasion of privacy to look at pictures in order to punish students? And how can police get into a college-only website and get away with it?
6.) I agreed with the part of the article that police finding a balance between upholding the law and maintaining good relations because safety does really matter.
7.) I disagreed with the part that there’s nothing immoral or illegal about police using it because I think that it is immoral to look at pictures. It is the same idea of going into a dorm room and using pictures as evidence.
8.) I can use this work for my paper because it gives specific examples of authorities using facebook.com
9.) “I guess they’ll play their game, we’ll play ours, and we’ll see who wins.”
“Most university police forces claim that they have better things to do than surf student profiles.”
Annotation of the Mark Zuckerberg Piece
1.) The website http://www.inc.com/30under30/Zuckerberg.html gives a description of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of facebook.com and describes his original idea of the website.
2.) “Zuckerberg developed software to help fellow students trade photos and jokes, rant on any topic they pleased, or just say ‘hi’—creating a searchable database of personal profiles exclusively for the college set.”
3.) “The site connects seven million(and counting) registered users at colleges and high school across the globe.”
4.) I would also like to use a statement to argue against what I believe facebook should be for. “Today, he sees the company as a a vanguard of a growing communications revolution in the way everyone-not just college kids-will eventually interact.”
5.) This was interesting because the beginning of the article starts out with how Mark Zuckerberg simply just started it to link students, yet by the end it talks about wanting to keep expanding it to include others.
6.) This article raises questions such as Is it really safe to start including everyone in a website that reveals information, pictures, and locations? Also, won’t the website turn into a replica of MySpace.com?
7.) I agreed with Zuckerberg’s stance on connecting college students because college is the most unique version of education and independence, so it should have something special to connect everyone.
8.) I didn’t agree with the author’s stance on expanding facebook.com because it begins to be used as a weapon and works against college students instead of for them.
9.) I can use this work for my paper by using it to back up the idea that facebook was originally designed to simply link college students together, and also to argue against the expansion of it.
10.) “Facebook has already tested the viability of running social networks for the
armed forces.”
“Still, moving out of the college market puts his company into the same arena as
MySpace, a borader networking site that was acquired by News Corp last year
for $580 million.”
Annotation for Facebook.com
1.) This website contains the privacy features and all other aspects that I am researching about.
2.) Facebook.com is a website designed to link college students together.
3.) The privacy settings give way to keep certain people from viewing profiles and there is a description that says that “people with a valid email address from a supported college…” can register for Facebook.
4.) There is no exact argument that the creator of facebook.com demonstrates, but all of the different aspects and parts of the website support my own thesis of the research paper.
5.) I would like to really focus on the privacy part of the website to go through what’s possible to keep predators out of personal accounts and then compare these privacy features to see if they can keep out adults and authority figures.
6.) This is really going to help my paper because this is the website that my research is even about.
7.) I also want to try and find someone that I do not know, look at their pictures, and view their information to see just how easy it is to get to know someone.
Arntzenius, Frank, Maudlin, Tim. “Time Travel and Modern Physics.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2005 Edition). Edward N. Zalta (ed.). http://plato.stanford. edu/archives/sum2005/entries/time-travel-phys/.
This piece is an extensive philosophical work dealing with time travel. The paper deals with both the logical and scientific validity and possibility of someone traveling through time. It raises a number of ideas of how time travel would work as well as bringing up fallacies and paradoxes that could result from time travel. The paper takes an unbiased approach, not discussing whether they think time travel is possible, but rather focusing on the science and philosophy of time travel. This works well with my paper as it gives a scientific basis with which I can compare the films and their forms of time travel to check validity. It also provides some possible solutions to paradoxes that are raised in the films as a result of the characters traveling through time.
Back to the Future. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, and Crispin Glover. Universal Pictures, 1985.
This film is one of the first popular comedy films to deal with time travel in American cinema. The movie follows Dr. Emmett Brown and Marty McFly as they develop a form of time travel and effectively use it to travel through time. This film introduced the flux capacitor, a technology used in a number of science fiction works that followed as a way for characters to travel through time without the writer having to give an explanation as to how they can perform this act. The film also brings up ideas of different paradoxes that are associated with time travel, such as the grandfather paradox, but doesn’t do too much to explain them. The ideas are raised but no solution is given. This work ties into my paper because it is a very popular example of time travel in film, and created the flux capacitor, as stated earlier, that has been imitated on a number of occasions. One problem I had with the film was the lack of an explanation as to how the flux capacitor actually worked, but aside from that it provided a rather interesting portrayal of time travel.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Dir. Stephen Herek. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, and George Carlin. Orion Pictures, 1989.
This film is another popular comedy dealing with time travel. In the film, Bill and Ted have to travel back in time to finish a homework assignment to keep Ted from being sent to military school. The film offers a ridiculous, comical means of time travel where they use a telephone booth. However, even though the means of time travel is slightly ridiculous, the film raises a number of interesting ideas involving time travel. The idea that if they decide to, at a later time, go back and change something that will affect their current situation, then it will happen instantaneously is an interesting thought about time travel. I will be using this piece in my paper less in the sense of how they actually travel through time, but more to do with any paradoxes raised and the different ideas about time travel that are presented.
Donnie Darko. Dir. Robert Kelly. Perf. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, and Holmes Osborne. Newmarket Films, 2001.
This film deals in depth with the idea of time travel and how it affects the human condition. The idea of being able to change the past is also raised in this film and how this would affect the world as a result. The film revolves around Donnie Darko who is visited by a giant bunny that tells him the world is going to end. After learning this Donnie begins studying time travel and different ideas associated with this event. The film offers interesting ideas surrounding time travel and Richard Kelly got very deep and involved in this concept while making the movie. The idea that someone actually could change the past is presented in this film, as well as time travel through wormholes, which is not present in any of the other films I am using as sources.
Plato. Phaedrus. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. 26 June 2006. http://philosophy.eserver.org/ plato/phaedrus.txt.
Phaedrus is a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus about the perils of technology. The main focus is about how technology, specifically writing, makes people less human. The thesis of the paper is basically how writing introduces forgetfulness in humans and creates something that is impure. To justify his claims, one example Socrates uses is in reference to a farmer and how writing is like a farmer hurrying to harvest his crop. Another example Socrates uses is in reference to the Egyptian story of Ahmen. This work somewhat relates to my topic because time travel in some of the films I will be discussing contemplates the human condition and how technology affects this. I agreed somewhat with Socrates’ idea that technology alters humans in a negative way. Technology has created a number of benefits for humans, but at the same time it has caused a number of problems. However, there were some points that I did not agree with. The main thing I disagreed with was when Socrates said that certain forms of writing are acceptable. I understood the way in which he differentiated the different types of writing, but I did not agree that there should be any acceptable form of writing coming from his perspective.
Primer. Dir. Shane Carruth. Perf. Shane Carruth, David Sullivan. THINKFilm, 2004.
Primer is a science fiction film that provides a commentary on the human condition, using time travel as the catalyst for events. The film was written, directed, and produced by Shane Carruth, who before making this film was a mechanical engineer. This scientific background gave the film a more realistic and sound approach of time travel as compared with other films dealing with the subject. The film documents two friends as they develop a means of time travel and slowly drift apart as they use it promote their own goals. The main idea of this film is that technology, in this case time travel, is in a way detrimental to society and causes humans to act in an egocentric manner. Using his engineering background, Shane Carruth developed an idea of time travel that maintains a relatively valid concept of time travel that parallels certain common conceptions held by scientists and philosophers today. In the film a person can only travel as far back as the original point in time that the machine was turned on. Working with this idea, Carruth invited the concept of multiple world lines, where a number of the same individual coexist. At first the two characters, Aaron and Abe, use the machine merely as a way to make money as they go back in time and buy stocks they know turn a profit and bet on sporting events that they know the results of. However, as the story progresses, they start using the machine the get more power than the other and to promote their own goals. The film and its use of different timelines is difficult to follow and took me watching it a couple times just to get somewhat of a grasp on the events. It does raise a number of interesting ideas about time travel though, and the use of the timelines is what ties everything together. The idea that they can go back and change events of their past is a highly debated topic of time travel, as well as moving to different world lines when someone travels back in time.
Rapfogel, Jared. “Teen schizophrenia: Donnie Darko.” Senses of Cinema July 2002. 13 July 2006. http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/02/21/darko.html.
This essay is a review and interpretation of the film Donnie Darko and some of the thoughts the film evokes. The main point the author attempts to make throughout this piece is how the film sets itself apart from other teenage dramas and how this was accomplished. The driving force of the essay is the character of Donnie Darko and the way Jake Gyllenhaal portrays him. This essay ties in with the topic because it is a critical review of the film Donnie Darko. It deals with the state of mind Donnie is in throughout the film, which directly correlates with his involvement and understanding of time travel.
Terminator, The. Dir. James Cameron. Perf. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn. Orion Pictures, 1984.
This is an action film in which the events that take place are set in motion by time travel. The idea of the film is that a machine is sent back in time to kill the mother of the leader of the human faction during a war between machines and humans before he is born. The film does not make an attempt to explain the time travel, but does deal with a very interesting point that is extremely pertinent to my topic. The debate of whether someone could go back in time and effectively change the past is a debate that is ever present when dealing with time travel. This film gives an interpretation of this, leaning toward the idea that time and the past have a way of regulating themselves in such a way that major changes could not take place. The film gives an interpretation that going back in time to kill somebody is not possible and there will be some way to prevent something like this from happening.
Atkins, Barry. “What Are We Really Looking at?: The Future-Orientation of Video Game Play” Games and Culture 1.2 (2006): 127-140
1) This article is looking at the differences between analyzing videogames versus other visual media. The author asserts that there is a “game gaze” that incorporates the actions taken within the game that should be dissociated from the “cinema gaze” that one follows when watching a movie.
2) Thesis: “our collective attention as critics might be misplaced if we focus too much on the video in video game to the exclusion of any understanding of games as systems of simulation, and particularly if we do so by simply lazily transporting our understanding of this visual experience from our understanding of other visual experience.”
3) The author points out that The Sims 2 director Will Wright believes games should be thought as “toys” rather than objects that you buy. That is, games require the user’s creative input to make the most of the experience.
4) The author uses a clear scholarly voice which helps to clearly show his understanding of games vs. cinema.
5) All of the analysis of game-play and graphics was interesting, but his section of “Video Games seen in the Gallery” seemed off-topic.
6) What is the relationship between visuals and game-play? To me it seems rewards-based, but the author never mentioned this.
7) I agreed with the author that what sets games apart from movies is the “game-play”, because there is a much more non-linear problem-solving type of thinking that takes place when playing video games as opposed to the “what happens next?” sort of thinking one has while watching movies.
9) I’m going to argue that it is the mode of interaction that limits the derived experiences of video games. The de-emphasis on visuals presented in this paper supports my argument, especially by focusing on the “game gaze” aspect of game-play.
10) “The pleasures of video games, as James Newman (2001) has pointed out, comparing
Tomb Raider to cartoonish-looking Super Mario Kart, are not primarily visual, but
kinaesthetic, functional and cognitive.” (pg. 129)
Steven Johnson. Everything Bad Is Good For You. New York: Riverhead Books, 2005
1) This book argues that certain aspects of popular culture have made the population at large smarter over the past few decades. The author focuses on videogames and points out that games often require logical reasoning or “work” in order to be satisfying.
2) Thesis: “This book is an old-fashioned work of persuasion that ultimately aims to convince you of one thing: that popular culture has, on average, grown more complex and intellectually challenging over the past thirty years.”
3) Specifically related to games, the author gives an example of a carpenter that works 60 hours a week. Every day when the man gets home from work, he plays Everquest. His avatar is a blacksmith, and essentially what happens is he does physical labor in the game context in order to “level-up”. The man was questioned about his day-job and his game-job and replied “Well, it’s not work if you enjoy it.”
4) The author has a clear writing style and supports his arguments with strong examples.
5) Although not exactly important for my paper, I was really interested in the author’s defense of the common notion that “videogames are an immense waste of time.” He goes on to tackle many assumptions people have about the brain-strengthening properties of books (and in general).
6) The author asserts that some games require challenging thought processes. What aspects of games lead to passive thought processes?
7) I agreed with the author’s stance that videogames often require complex thinking.
9) For my paper, I’ll use all the stuff that shows the increased complexity of video games and tie that in with the increased complexity in the modes of interaction that take place.
10) “The dirty little secret of gaming is how much time you spend not having fun.” (pg. 25)
Jean Baudrillard. “Simulacra and Simulations” Selected Writings. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998 pp.166-184
1) Jean Baudrillard argues that simulations exist in reality, possibly to the point that everything that one sees is a simulation.
2) Thesis: “The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth – it is the truth which conceals that there is none.”
3) An example that he uses that people who “simulate” an illness (i.e. they believe they have it even though there may be no biological evidence) can actually develop the symptoms of the illness.
4) The author’s writing style is an insult to his readers, who are largely competent individuals who would have no problem understanding his arguments except that these arguments are hidden behind a grating flow.
5) I’m interested in all of the examples of simulation as they could be applied to videogames. I’m not interested in re-reading paragraphs five times with no understanding of the main points within.
6) Is there a difference between perceived simulations and non-perceived simulations?
7) I agree with the author that many simulations exist in the modern world, largely due to new technology.
9) For my paper I would like to show that a possible reason for the derived pleasure of video games is that the player knows that they are interacting with a simulation (there is a truth to it) rather than taking part in a simulation (reality) that is largely out of their control.
10) “Disneyland is a perfect model of all the entangled orders of simulation.”
Parish, Jeremy. “Gamers Versus…” Toastyfrog.com, January 15, 2005 http://www.toastyfrog.com/toastywiki/index.php/Site/GamersVersus
1) This paper discusses the tendency for video game products to be misrepresented to their target audiences. The author urges that video game makers create advertising that is consistent with their products.
2) Thesis: “If Nintendo were truly, truly serious about making the DS a success, they’d be going after the people for whom the system has genuine appeal: non-gamers.”
3) The author uses the example of the Nintendo DS, a handheld video game device. The advertising campaign (“Touching is Good”) focuses on the “sexiness” of the device, despite the fact that the majority of the games for the system are designed for the not-hardcore gamers who generally don’t respond to this sort of advertising.
4) The author’s writing style is very personable, which seems to weaken some of his important examples.
5) I’m interesting in reading the perspective of a game-journalist who is not writing for a heavily controlled media publication. It is refreshing to read objective criticisms of potential advertisers without any restraint.
6) How should the “non-gamer” be introduced to more complicated games?
7) I agree with the author that the “non-gamer” is an under-represented audience for game advertising.
9) For my paper I’d like to defend the Nintendo DS as an accessible media device for non-gamers and argue that it innovates in its modes of interaction (WiFi, touch screen-only games, etc.). I’d like to use this article to counter some of the points that it makes.
10) “Give someone whose last game was Pac-Man an Xbox controller and they’re going to look at the buttons and feel intimidated.”
Allen, Jason. “How Good Can Graphics Get in the Next Generation” ign.com 5/3/2006 http://wii.ign.com/articles/704/704644p1.html
1) This paper talks about the importance of graphics in the minds of the video game playing fan-base. The author talks about the upcoming Nintendo Wii console, which is designed to focus on accessible game-play rather than graphics.
2) Thesis “Let’s face it: games have come and gone that were so dour and joyless, not even the most brilliant graphical wizardry could’ve saved them.”
3) The author points out that as video games are becoming more graphically detailed, the production costs (and thus the game prices) are increasing because of the additional staff necessary to create such effects.
4) The author’s writing style is very straightforward and easy to understand.
5) I’m interested in the ways that the reliance on creating “good-looking” games is distracting attention away from games that provide stronger interactions with the players.
6) How can “bad-looking” games attract one’s attention?
7) I agree that there is a strong visual-connection between players and games.
9) For my paper I’d like to argue that there is a strong visual connection between a game and a player. However, it is only a fragment of the overall experience, and for example the controller is much more important for the possibilities of interactions that can take place.
10) “Some of you have noticed that a large sum of the next-gen games we’ve seen so far look way too shiny or plastic. According to some developers, this isn’t a limitation of the technology, but a symptom of the imaginations behind the games.”
Novel Assembly Properties of Recombinant Spider Drag-line Silk Proteins
Huemmerich, Daniel, Thomas Scheibel, Fritz Vollrath, Shulamit Cohen, Uri Gat, and Shmulik Ittah. “Novel Assembly Properties of Recombinant Spider Drag-line Silk Protiens.” Current Biology 14 (2004): 2070 – 2074.
SUMMARY/EVIDENCE: most spider species have 2 proteins in their drag-line silk, one with proline residue and one without. The species in the study has 2 proline rich proteins, ADF-3 and ADF-4.
Proline rich proteins can “form structural features that result in the extraordinary physical properties of drag-lines” (2070). At the time of this research, the function of the proline free protein has yet to be determined.
For a gene transfer (into an insect cell line), they used baculoviruses containing cDNAs of adf-3 and adf-4 proteins.
ADF-4 was produced and resembled natural drag-line 3 days after infection. Most interestingly it was insoluble. ADF-3 was also produced yet was soluble.
In the conclusion, they suggest that drag-line would need to be created at natural speeds (1-10 cm/s) and ADF-4 would be a reliable protein (although “the tendency of ADF-4 to aggregate implies that other factors within the dope are likely required to keep it from premature polymerization in the gland” (2072).
ADF-3 probably is important, yet it was not needed by ADF-4 to form drag-line.
THESIS: Analyzing 2 “drag-line proteins of the garden spider Araneus diadematus, ADF-3 and ADF-4” (2070) and creating them synthetically has led to a further understanding of the structure of drag-line silk, or web, “which may open the door for commercial applications” (2070).
Interesting to me… is being this close to producing synthetic webbing. From other sources I will provide specifics on the properties of spider web – such as being 30 times stronger than steel (check source) and it possible uses which include bullet proof materials.
Questions I have… could webbing be used as a projectile? Although very strong and elastic, is synthetic webbing adhesive?
I can use this work… to exemplify the active research being done to synthetically create webbing. I believe many people are unaware of its commercial potential.
Quotes..
I will probably reference / summarize the research in my paper, rather than directly quote from it. It is too complicated so I will just have to simplify parts a lot.
The Physics of Superheroes
Kakalios, James. The Physics of Superheroes. New York: Gotham Books, 2005.
SUMMARY: This book uses superheroes and their comic book story-lines to explain many principles of physics. I was obviously concerned only with the chapters regarding Spider-Man, of which there were 2, The Day Gwen Stacy Died, and Can he Swing from a Thread? The first chapter ends explaining how Peter’s web catching Gwen Stacy after she was thrown off the George Washington Bridge by the Green Goblin was what, by simple force calculation, killed her. But the chapter begins as a very good introduction of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker and the birth of the famous comic hero.
The second chapter with Spider-Man wants to examine if there is any realism to swinging on thin strands of webbing. This discussion is right up my alley, as Kakalios explains that web would be more than sufficient in supporting Peter at even the highest swinging velocities.
THESIS: The thesis of the entire book, is merely that through using superheroes, one learning physics doesn’t have to be bored to death by traditional examples (like a mass resting on an inclined plane); rather (and it helps if your a nerd) one can learn physics by the examples provided in superhero comics.
Interesting to me… was that Spider-Man comics seem to be the most physically correct. Also, in the author’s introduction of Spider-Man, he touches on the fact that Marvel Comics, at the time (1962) created by Stan Lee, were stories of heroes who constantly felt their powers were a curse. I feel this is a realistic approach to creating a comic character. Although the real Spider-Man that I will describe will not come across his powers by accident, I feel that he/she would still experience a lot of emotional challenges: not wanting to be Spider-Man any more, not wanting to help others, etc.
Questions I have… still mainly concern whether webbing would be adhesive enough to the object Peter was swinging from the withstand the forces. Also, I still need to have a better understanding of how the comics present the New York publics feelings toward Spider-Man.
Quotes…
“ ‘In theory, a braided spider silk rope the diameter of a pencil could stop a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier. The combination of strength and elasticity allows it to withstand an impact five time more powerful than Kevlar, the synthetic fiber uses in bulletproof vests’ “ (p.56)
“One of the novelties that Lee and Ditko introduced in the Spider-Man comic book was a host of real-life concerns and difficulties that bedeviled Spider-Man nearly as much as his colorful rogue’s gallery of supervillians. Peter Parker would contend with seething high school romances and jealousies, money problems, anxiety over his aged aunt’s health, allergy attacks, even a sprained arm…” (p.45)
Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide
DeFalco, Tom. Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2001.
Quotes…
“I think Spidey has made such a lasting impression because he’s possibly the most realistically human of all super heroes…the world doesn’t exactly applaud his deeds – in fact, most people tend to suspect and distrust him. In short, he’s a lot like you and me” – Stan Lee (Foreword, p.7)
“…his very first story planted him firmly in Forest Hills, a part of New York City. So readers could really visualize him web-swinging around the streets of New York and its environs” -Stan Lee (Foreword, p.7)
“Spider-Man’s message is simple. It’s all about responsibility. If you want to be a good person, you have to be accountable for your actions. You can’t blame others for your mistakes or failures. You also have a duty to use your talents to make this world a better place…’With great power, there must also come great responsibility’” (p.9)
I can use this work… to have a good reference to the comic book story line, from which I can quote original comic books.
Redesigning Humans
Stock, Gregory. Redesigning Humans. New York: Mariner Books, 2003.
Quotes…
Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology
Reynolds, Richard. Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology (Studies in Popular Culture). London: Batsford Ltd., 1992.
Spider-Man on pages (7, 10, 49, 84)
Quotes…
“Scientific concepts and terms are introduced freely into plots and used to create atmosphere and add background detail to artwork – but the science itself is at most only superficially plausible, often less so, and the prevailing mood is mystical rather than rational.” (p.16)
“ 7. The stories are mythical and use science and magic indiscriminately to create a sense of wonder.” (p.16)
“But then, why should most people even care? They’ve got other things on their minds…like the rising cost of living…neutron bombs…braces or their kids teeth! Why should Joe or Jane American care who…or what…is inside this metal suit…as long as Iron Man gets the job done? As long as I risk my life to bring them peace of mind?” (Tony Stark AKA Iron Man p.27)
Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth, Justice, and the Socratic Way
Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society
The Hero With a Thousand Faces
Superheroes to America’s Rescue
An Anatomy of Leadership: princes, heroes, and supermen
Natural Born Cyborgs
Bibliography
Plato. “Phaedrus.” The Internet Classics Archive. 26 June 2006
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/phaedrus.html
Socrates concludes, through inductive reasoning, that the invention of writing serves only to handicap retention, causing men to “reminisce” and “creat[ing] [in them] forgetfulness.” This art, he asserts, lends not truth, but a mere “semblance of truth,” for the written word cannot have certainty; when attacked, it is unable to respond and defend itself. At length, it may be vulnerable to misuse and misinterpretation, being passed about carelessly; the written word, as such, may potentially be rendered unsound and defective. The only sort of word that may withstand offense is one made in speech for it originates directly from the serious learner—he who breaths life and soul into the written word and gives it truth. A serious husbandman, notes Socrates, would plant seeds not “for the sake of amusement and pastime” but to practice proper husbandry and rejoice at the product of his own work. Likewise, a dialectician should not “‘write’ his thoughts ‘in water’ with pen and ink, sowing words which can neither speak for themselves nor teach the truth adequately to others” for words, penned to paper, do not have with them their authority. Committing and storing words to memory protects them in the open field of discussion and debate. A true dialectician actively participates in an open exchange of words so as to arrive at the truth. Speech, therefore, surpasses the written word. The invention of writing will only prohibit the lovers of wisdom from their search.
Interestingly, without the written word, the Socratic Method would not have been known, publicized, and preserved to this day. There may be instances where penning words to paper would weaken the memory of men but it is unlikely that it does real damage. The invention of writing has benefited men both in transmission of information and retention of information. It has apparently aid him in obtaining knowledge and arriving at truth.
Quotes:
“the fact of his so writing is only a disgrace to him, whatever men may say. For not to know the nature of justice and injustice, and good and evil, and not to be able to distinguish the dream from the reality, cannot in truth be otherwise than disgraceful to him, even though he have the applause of the whole world.”
“only in principles of justice and goodness and nobility taught and communicated orally for the sake of instruction and graven in the soul…is the true way of writing”
Lehtonen, Jaako. “The Information Society and the New Competence.” American
Behavioral Scientist 32 (1988): 104-111. http://www.csa.com/ids70/gateway.php?mode=pdf&doi=10.1177%2F0002764288032002003& db=sagesoc-set-c&s1=351a343670c3d2c4c04850763b01dd84&s2=c0c8281d32c65e3150f21137b8a7668f
Given that visual impressions are evidently more effective as a stimulus than verbal language and that individuals in the information age are invariably subjected to an overload of visual data, it is questioned whether or not this information society is an informed society. With the immediacy of information via digitization, society risks having too much information—they consume more visual information than their cognitive faculties are able to logically and critically process—and what results is a passive acceptance of what is perceived. Individuals are thus left “unarmed,” being without their ability to visually judge, select, and filter irrelevant information and when questioned why it is they find televised news more credible than newspapers, these individuals answered, “seeing is believing…you can see their eyes; you can tell if they’re lying.” Apparently, they are not referring to the information content itself but rather, the visual impression they received. In which case, television viewers are merely given the “illusion of credibility.”
The author here infers from a general principle—one’s knowledge is not determined by and dependent upon one’s stock of information—and through deductive reasoning, illustrates in what ways this particular instance holds true. When viewers are saturated with information, they may become “omnipotent thesaurus[es]” but they lose information discrimination, they lose visual competence, and as a consequence, their reality is shaped and directed, mirroring television content. The media is often believed to cater to the audiences but in practice, the audiences often cater to and reinforce the media. Consistent exposure to television’s dominant, thematic ideologies renders viewers more inclined towards populism and as such, their pattern of thought and behavior are limited to the mainstream. In effect, society is gradually forming into a macro-culture, one wherein values are standardized and homogenized.
Quotes:
“the impression of knowledge will replace actual knowledge in this society.” 107
“Too much information that is perceived as uncertain, ambiguous, novel, complex, and intense is perceived as a threat in the cognitive system.” 107
“[what is consistently perceived] provide the basis for attitude formation and decision making in the Information Society.” 108
Johnson, Erik and Joshua Gannon. “The Rape of Our Youth.” St. Lawrence University.
15 July 2006. http://it.stlawu.edu/~advertiz/children/gender.html
In pre-adolescents, “learning [is best done in]…observation” and therefore, extended exposure to exaggerated and falsified messages concerning gender identity would form in children concepts of male/female norms that may negatively shape their world view. Norms are born out of the long-standing integration of stereo-typical imagery—gender roles in particular—in TV advertisements in which “boys [are] playing with cars, trucks, and action figures [and]….girls [are playing] dolls of all sorts, dressing and grooming them.” Without enough experience to dismiss the often depicted gender dichotomy, children are left absorbing bias gender roles, believing them to be “‘natural.’” They are encouraged to follow specific guidelines specific to their gender. In which case, beliefs about gender opposites arise and come to provide the basis for social reality formation; thereupon, it induces children towards specific behavioral changes. In the interest of fitting into the norm, children strive to grow into their stereotyped roles, buying into the “gender specific toys” marketers made sure clogs the television medium at the right time—when children are out of school. In effect, children begin to psychologically identify with the male/female definition, confining themselves within its four walls and risking the decay of their autonomy. Children’s thoughts and actions soon mirror the familiar screen actors because with the ubiquity of television and pervasiveness of stereo-typical ads, children are visually subjected, on a daily basis, to lessons of “‘how they should behave’.”
It is questionable that stereo-typical advertisements are effective to the extent that they persist in the minds of children for long periods of time. Identity formation is flexible and should be continually changing. During adolescent, stereotypes may be abandoned through experience and active interaction with other individuals and society at large. It is hard to imagine that children would remain confined within rigid, static, gender borders as they enter subsequent stages.
Quotes:
“ads…defin[e] ‘male’ and ‘female’ in children’s psyches by juxtaposing girls and boys, almost like yin and yang.”
“children’s ads undoubtedly contribute to the normative patterns of early gender role formation that leads to the social realities of gendered standards”
“children are forming ideals and norms of female/male and femininity/masculinity that may actually contradict even the realities of their families and friends.”
Maldonado, Rachel, Patriya Tansuhaj, Darrel D. Muehling. “The Impage of Gender on
Ad Processing: A Social Identity Perspective.” Washington State University. 16
July 2006.
Maldonado, Rachel, Patriya Tansuhaj, Darrel D. Muehling. “The Impage of Gender on
Ad Processing: A Social Identity Perspective.” Washington State University. 16
July 2006. http://oxygen.vancouver.wsu.edu/amsrev/theory/maldonado03-2003.html
When TV ads consistently attach their products to gender, they compel viewers to associate the two together as if they are natural pairs. In buying in to their ads, viewers are influenced more or less by the association and begin to identify with and categorize themselves into a gender group. Such a categorization of the self influences the individual’s thoughts and behavior because the process functions to structure his/her “self-concept.” When the individual perceives himself/herself as a member of a gender group, he/she is, in effect, identifying with a “psychological group.” Thus, viewers may go about conducting themselves according to their in-group, believing themselves to be “representative of that group.” Since the construction of one’s self-concept is open to change, when ads systematically combine products with gender and do so routinely, they shape the definition of gender for the viewers, rendering them into conformity. Gender categorization is thus cued and activated. Thoughts and attitudes on gender do not inherently exist but are socially constructed; as such, they are susceptible to external influence. In this respect, anything set in relation to gender becomes part of the gender-concept formation and is accepted and internally absorbed; in which case, there is “conformity to group norms, and…in-group bias.” Though this helps maximize the consumer’s desire to purchase marketers’ products, they apparently do not benefit the individual. He/she may risk losing his/her autonomy.
The influence may not have that much effect on the viewers. Gender related attitudes may be shaped by factors other than TV ads and have priority over ones influenced by marketers. The personality should also be considered as another factor relevant in affecting gender-based thoughts and behaviors as well as purchase preferences.
Quotes:
“notions of gender are perpetuated and…enacting gender [bias] creates inequality during [social] interaction.”
“[viewers will be] compelled by the ‘logic’ of gendered situations and cognitive images to [naturalize] cognitive images that give shape and substance to [their] daily lives.”
“[viewers will] feel themselves to be, and to act, as a group.”
“executional cues such as models, music, shapes, and even color, might…generate…immediate identity activation.”
Beasley, Elena. “Children, Television and Gender Roles.” The University of Wales,
Aberystwyth. 16 July 2006. http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/
elb9501.html
Given that children’s television viewing time often outweighs their moments of interaction with their parents or any other adults, TV content can be said to play the primary role in structuring children’s reality. The messages and displayed products on commercials become a “source of information” that is confused and mistaken as natural and true. Gender bias ads will instill in the child’s vulnerable psyche that there are specific social roles they must fulfill. Society soon appears to the child as “either a man or a woman” rather than individuals with unique qualities. The child will associate traits such as being strong, powerful, and “having the authority of the world” as belonging to the male race alone and the opposite qualities i.e. “‘powerless, helpless or seeking approval or reward’” as female specific. Consistent exposure to such associations will force the child to expect such unrealistic qualities in themselves as well as others. Their gender bias outlook on life invariably taints their self identity, molding them into the stereotypical individuals, and forcing them into groups in which they lose any distinction. They develop gender traits and since TV ads continually provide reinforcement, these traits may come to remain fixed and irreversible. The child, in the interest of gaining acceptance, he/she verily models his/her behavior according to what appears normal, wanting to belong and do the “right” thing. Social interaction with others would include unequal treatment of the sexes which perpetuate the patriarchal society.
Children do not have enough knowledge of their external world to distinguish fiction from nonfiction. Gender differences become grossly exaggerated in their minds and will be perceived as the standard by which to measure their actions. Often living with overworked parents, children are missing out on lessons about the workings of the world that are crucial to their normal development. Distorted views produce a misinformed, and misled individual.
Quotes:
“[TV ads] provid[e] a framework for what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in society.”
“[ads send] out implicit and explicit messages of what the world is like.”
“[they] reflec[t] the ‘importance of maleness’.”
“sex-role stereotypes presenting women as dependent, emotional, domestic care-givers, while men are the supporting ‘bread winners’.”
“representation of women doing mundane domestic tasks and demonstrating household products is common in many adverts.”
Signorielli, Nancy. “Television and the Perpetuation of a Gender-Role Stereotypes.”
American Academy of Pediatrics. 16 July 2006. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/
sign298.htm
Studies have shown that when viewers, those who are most subjected to stereotypical ad, are asked questions concerning men and women, they are more likely to have answers laced with “sexist” views. Males are associated with “independence” and “sports” whereas women are linked to “warmth” and “cooking”. With television as a medium, marketers are able to make available their products to consumers. Their main interest now is to maximize consumers’ interest and purchasing power. Armed with the understanding that combining certain products with gender tend to elicit feelings of familiarity, marketers take care to make this process apparent so as to create a comfort zone for consumers. Viewers would be more willing to accept the products once they have a strong hold on the product and gender associations. Whether or not viewers have a strong hold on these links is dependent upon how often they are visually reinforced. Here then, marketers also have the control. They consistently display stereotypical gender traits so as to broadcast to the masses and make permanent in them gender biases. “Unrealistic expectations” of, for instance, glamour and perfect bodies, for women negatively affect the social dynamics involved between men and women in general, and the gender identity of the individual, in particular. Nonstop exposure to recurring stereotypical imager of bias gender roles render the viewers unaware of the differences existing in media’s “storytell[ing]” and social reality; they lose sight of the subtle ways media employs in which an individual’s personality and qualities are created.
Once notions of how gender roles should be executed are rigidly set in the minds of the masses, intolerance will set in. There will be widespread intolerance of behaviors deviating from the norm. Either the individual acts in accordance to his/her gender or he/she is either not a true male or not a true female. Intolerance is happening at present but the effects of the ads perpetuate it, if not worsen it. This is so because gender bias ads are so pervasive that one finds it difficult to locate a “neutral” ad.
Quotes:
“While both women and men are attractive, the women are seen as more attractive than the men.”
“Moreover, [women] typically have almost perfect bodies; few on television have even the slightest problem with their weight.”
“the prime-time television world transmits a compelling and fairly stable set of images about gender roles.”
“research generally points to a relationship between watching television and having stereotypical conceptions about gender roles.”
Mander, Jerry. “Television: Audiovisual Training for the Modern World.” In the
Absence of the Sacred. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1991. 75-96.
Studies show that the brain, when subjected to heavy doses of television content, enters into a state of “steady brain-wave pattern” wherein the normal functions of cognition ceases. This transition to “noncognitive mode,” at length, causes the mind to be completely receptive to external stimulus with the viewer himself/herself kept unaware. Not having to pass the reasoning, cognitive faculties for inspection, “information can be placed into the mind directly” without question. The viewer, without needing much eye movement during viewing, helps further this “sleeping teaching” process, creating for himself/herself a kind of hypnosis. Pulling away from the TV experience becomes more difficult by the hour. Images are projected at their own speed, and as such, the viewer must surrender to that speed; pausing to interpret and dissect the contents would lag the viewing process, causing it to fall behind the stream. Watching wouldn’t be the same. Therefore, the act of resistance to the attractive visual imagery of television exists temporarily; in most instances it does not exist; the viewer is inevitably pulled into the imagery vortex. Television come to “hon[e] our minds” in accordance to the ideologies it routinely broadcasts. Acceptance of distorted views becomes the norm. In this respect, TV subtly but aggressively influences the masses and sooner or later will transform into a major governing power—one to which the populace listens and obey; it will be what “contro[ls] the [busy] populace” and nothing else.
To see what television is capable of is frightening. However, if there’s a possibility television may work for evil, there’s just as a good a possibility it may work for the good. Many TV commercials are educational and strive to be neutral, leaving the interpretation up to the viewer. For instance, drug or sexually transmitted disease awareness ads attempt to bring the viewer back into cognitive mode, raising important issues concerning the negative consequences of a decision made while one is completely uninformed.
Quotes:
“[television] is the most pervasive and powerful communications medium” 79
“[the] lack of seeking images [during viewing] disrupts the normal association between eye movement and thought stimulation” 80
“the nature of the experience makes you passive to its process” 81
“[viewers] are receiving images…without thinking about them.” 80
“When people spend the greatest part of their lives relating to television imagery, then television imagery becomes the greatest part of people’s lives.” 77
“the end result will be worldwide monoculture” 77
Dake, Karl. “Orienting Dispositions in the Perception of Risk.” Journal of Cross-Cultural
Psychology. 22 (1991): 61-82. http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid= v909opjbe8m5ogjpebq1d6a4d1&server=oh1.csa.com&check=c46904063f5 9a8f4b1222e2c23445c8b&db=sagepsyc-set-c&an=10.1177%2F002202219 1221006&mode=pdf&f1=0022-0221%2C22%2C1%2C61-82%2C1991
Individuals as a collective group risk losing their own cultural identity—one defined by color, depth and uniqueness—when television is given a governing role in their lives, completely integrated into their identity formation. Once viewers are admitted into the television cult, the particulars for their culture are erased and they are relocated into a world filled with missing information, “cultural biases,” and distorted values and beliefs. The entire social structure would be operated on a system with its own agenda, running on a specific schedule. The system has formulated its own particular arrangements on how things should be. People following the agenda exhibit thoughts and execute actions consistent with those who belong in the cult. Marketers target the human psyche directly, understanding the significance of changing the individuals’ attitudes and worldviews first before attempting to change his/her behavior. Television threatens the social establishment, creating individuals who are bias both in thought and action because their beliefs are “internalized,” and become a part of themselves. Speaking in long terms, the personality of the individual and the core personality of society as a whole are affected, redirected to mirror that of the “‘dominant’ worldview’”. Society would become impatient and intolerant of those who are “‘socially deviant,’” which is a cause for concern because inequality is thus worsened.
Living in a world that is rigidly governed by the dictates of television’s stereotypical ideologies steals from the individual the right to creativity, to autonomy. Different cultures would be forced into one macro-culture with each member of society sharing the same set of values and beliefs. This does not foster growth in the mind and body of the nation but accelerate decay. If society allows the continuation of bias views to be displayed on television, such views would become everyone’s reality—becoming natural and legitimate.
Quotes:
“‘adherence to a certain pattern of social relationships generates a distinctive way of looking at the world”
“‘adherence to a certain worldview legitimizes a corresponding type of social relations’”
“attributes of personality…[are susceptible to] cultural biases”
“technolog[y]…[is] a threat to human values”
“foresees doom unless a radical transformation of individual values and societal institutions moves urgently away from the materialist status quo.”
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BC. Trans. Benjamin Jowett.
1. Summary: As Plato writes down everything Socrates is saying, the conclusion Socrates comes up with is that technology in the form of writing reduces knowledge in people.
2. Thesis: Writing will introduce forgetfulness, the only way of knowing anything is thru careful thinking not remembering it when reading it.
3. Evidence: A serious farmer does not want his crop to yield quickly, he wants to take the appropriate measures and wait for his crop to be ready for optimum yield conditions.
4. The author uses the allusion of dialogue between master and pupil to provide both sides of the argument. Socrates argues for knowledge being created within oneself, only thru oral presentation can one fully evoke knowledge. Plato says that writing is solely coming from the inside.
5. What interested me about this excerpt is that master and pupil had conflicting views. In my eyes, Socrates did not fully explain with his references why Plato’s writing was not knowledge.
United States. Drug Enforcement Administration. California Medical Marijuana Information.
1. Summary: This website has California medical marijuana information. This website states that each different county in CA have different guidelines to how much marijuana they are allowed to grow. This article also states that many medical growers sell the marijuana to non medical users.
2. Thesis: The DEA cannot really prosecute many large scale growers because they are protected by state law. Many medical patients are in fact growing and distributing under false pretenses of being ill.
3. Activists in local areas are smart and are electing pro-marijuana leaders for easier access to marijuana. DEA cannot pursue them due to confusing county laws.
4. This article relates to science and society because it outlines how communities are finding loop holes in which they can use medical marijuana as they wish
5. What interested me about this article is that it outlines the main reasons why people ask for medical marijuana. I agreed with the break down of illnesses but I disagreed about the information regarding non medical users or people using the pretense of being ill to obtain growing privilege, how do they know that?
Saltonstall, David. “Uncle Sam’s Pot Farm.” Online Posting. 1997. 16 Mar. 2006
1. This article is about a man who sued the government and one of only 14 patients ever to receive medical marijuana from the government for free. He suffers from glaucoma and due to his constant use of marijuana has been able to save his vision. He is being researched and thanks to him marijuana has been linked to helping many other illnesses.
2. The main thesis is that marijuana does in fact have medical benefits to glaucoma patients as well for epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine headaches, menstrual cramps and depression in addition to nausea resulting from chemotherapy and AIDS treatment.
3. Robert Randall was diagnosed with Glaucoma in 1972 and was supposed to lose his sight within five years, he has been smoking medical marijuana for over 20 years now and his vision is as good as the day he got diagnosed. Also, Dr. Lester Grinspoon from Harvard Medical School suggests that marijuana benefits many other illnesses as well.
4. This work specifically relates to the theme of technology and society because it shows that there is a need for medical marijuana. It shows that society can benefit greatly from medical marijuana.
5. I could associate this work to the one by Plato because Socrates is like the government and they don’t want to acknowledge that patients much like Plato do not understand their reasoning for not believing in what they do. Medical marijuana is for patients what writing is for Plato.
6. I agree with the government carefully monitoring the eight surviving recipients of the medical marijuana but I do not agree with them closing off the program to more patients. I feel there is more research to be done and the government needs to lead the way.
Boyd, Ray. “Its time for you to grow marijuana.” Cannabis Culture Marijuana Magazine 03 May. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006 .
1. This is a pro-marijuana article that promotes the cultivation and distribution of marijuana as a general consensus against the government.
2. When people realize the benefits of marijuana and how incorrectly the government has labeled marijuana they are going to want to grow and smoke as a way of rebelling against the governments laws.
3. Marijuana makes people feel good but doesn’t kill them or hook them as do legal drugs like alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco. When people experience marijuana’s gentle pleasures, they realize the government is telling lies about marijuana.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because is shows the liberal side of the marijuana issue. It shows the point of view of the people against the government.
5. I agree with what the author says in regards to fighting for the cause but I don’t agree when he says we all need to begin growing and distributing marijuana.
“myDNA”. Online Posting. 18 Oct. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006.
1. This article says that HU-210, a potent synthetic cannabinoid similar to a group of compounds found in marijuana stimulate cell growth in areas of the brain related with anxiety and depression.
2. The thesis of this article is that cannabis may hold the answer to all of man kinds’ illnesses. The extent to which cannabis can be medicinal is still to be discovered. The HU-210 is a purified substance; there are many other substances to study.
3. “Most drugs of abuse suppress neurogenesis…only marijuana promotes neurogenesis”.
4. This article applies to the topic of science and technology because it shows that the benefits of medical marijuana are unknown. It could be possible that the government is trying to suppress the very medicine we could ever need.
5. I agree with the article because all the benefits of medical marijuana have yet to be determined leaving a good probability that there are more medical benefits to marijuana.
Zwillich, Todd. “House Rejects Medical Marijuana Again Amendment Would Have Barred Feds in 10 states” WebMD Health. 15 Jun. 2005. 16 Jul. 2006
1. This article is about a court decision in June of 2005, if court decision would have passed it would have allowed medical patients to receive immunity from federal prosecution. The federal government continues to have authority in the states that have allowed for medical marijuana use.
2. The federal government will continue to have control over the medical patients.
3. Decision effectively gave Congress the right to decide how to regulate marijuana, regardless of state laws.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because it describes the contemporary court rulings regarding the issue. The feds are completely against the legalization of marijuana.
5. I disagree with the article because it allows for the federal government the opportunity to arrest those medical users who grow it for themselves. The result is going to be more medically prescribed patients in jail.
United States. Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA Postion on Marijuana.
1. This article states the DEA’s anti marijuana stance on the legalization issue.
2. Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and public safety. It will create dependency and treatment issues, and open the door to use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior, and drugged drivers.
3. There is no scientific proof that medical marijuana is more beneficial than harmful. Marijuana has been proven to be harmful for the body and it leads to further drug use as well as addiction.
4. This article applies to the topic of technology and society because it outlines the DEA’s stance on the legalization issue.
5. I disagree with many parts of this article. Marijuana is not a gateway drug although the government preaches marijuana being one. Marijuana has medical benefits even thought the government refuses to believe so.
Carr, Nicholas G. “The Amorality of Web 2.0.” Rough Type. 3 Oct. 2005. 2 July 2006
.
This article talks about the New Age that is becoming associated with Web 2.0 stating that the internet is changing the economics of creative work. He feels that certain aspects of Web 2.0, including Wikipedia, are unreliable. He uses excerpts from Wikipedia verbatim and points out flaws the article has. This raised questions regarding the society’s quickness to believe what they read on the web. This article will be useful because of what I mentioned previously and it also talks about blogs and their contribution to people collaborating.
Cerf, Vinton G. “A Breif History of the Internet.” Internet Society. 10 Dec. 2003. 30 June
2006 .
This article is just an informational article talking about how the internet was developed and how it came to be what it is today. This article was purely factual and could be used in my paper for a short summary of the history of the internet.
Graham, Paul. “Web 2.0.” Web 2.0. Nov. 2005. 10 July 2006 .
This article is a lot like the O’Reily article but it gives slightly different explanations for aspects of Web 2.0. He argues that the term Web 2.0 is unnecessary but goes on to say what the now popular term has come to mean. “We now have several examples to prove that amateurs can surpass professionals, when they have the right kind of system to channel their efforts.” I thought this idea of Internet democracy was very interesting and I had yet to think about Web 2.0 in this manner. I agree with the author on all of his points but I think arguing that the term Web 2.0 is unnecessary was in itself unnecessary. All other aspects of the article deal with my topic and will be helpful.
Java, Akshay, Tim Oates, Tim Finin, and Pranam Kolari. Modeling the Spread of
Influence on the Blogosphere. University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Maryland: UMBC, 2006.
This article focuses on blogs and evaluates the effectiveness of some of the influence models on the blogosphere. The authors use some experiments to “select an influential set of bloggers such that we could maximize the spread of information on the blogosphere.” The authors use these experiments to see how the topic of a blog is a function of its influence. They use various examples of sites they have looked at to show this. I agree with the authors on what they conclude but I felt that some of the information may have been slightly obvious. This article may help with my paper by providing some more information on different types of blogs and how the users are influenced by them.
Keen, Andrew. “Web 2.0 is Reminiscent of Marx.” CBS. 15 Feb. 2006. 7 July 2006
.
The author of this article is saying today’s Web 2.0 is seducing our society with creative self-realization in the same way Marx did with self-realization in a communist utopia. He says this new style of Internet is allowing everyone to be an “author, film director, or a musician.” This caused me to think about how this could change the way those careers such as those are affected. It has a lot of good examples of what this “seduction” is doing to our society and has a more negative outlook than other websites
O’Reily, Tim. “What is Web 2.0.” O’Reily. 9 Sept. 2005. 7 July 2006
.
This article talks about how the web has changed between 1.0 and 2.0. The main point of this article is to explain what is meant by the term “Web 2.0.” The author uses a variety of websites that used to be very popular and compares them to similar ones that now have something specific that correlates to Web 2.0. He clarifies what it is about these new popular websites that makes them Web 2.0. I though it was interesting to see comparisons between two websites such as Netscape and Google and how the old site differed from the new. I agreed with the author when he states that the sites of Web 2.0 have “embraced the power of the web to harness collective intelligence.” I can use this for my paper due to the fact that he talks about the exact subject of my paper.
Plato. Phaedrus. 360 BCE. Translated by Benjamin Jowett.
This document states that technology and writing make people less than human. “Writing will create forgetfulness into the learner’s souls because they will not use their memories. Socrates uses examples such as the serious farmer and the story of Amen to help support his argument. I thought it was interesting how he was saying this but at the same time if Plato hadn’t written it down, no one today would ever know he felt this way. It got me thinking that maybe there were some negative aspects of writing and technology but I did not agree that they should be done away with..
Starling, Andrew. “Internet and Society.” Web Developers Journal. 11 Oct. 2000. 23 June
2006 .
This article was one of the first articles that I came across and was one of the main ones that really got me interested in writing about this subject. The article gives a few main examples of what and how the internet is changing in our society. Items such as news coverage on television or in the newspaper have been leaning more towards entertainment value than news since almost anyone can now log on to any of the webs main homepages and see the latest informational side of news stories immediately. The author talks about copyright issues with the ability for persons to easily distribute material of their choice directly to another. He goes on to talk about how the internet is changing the world in terms of daily jobs and companies. Companies from around the world are now connected to each other and can use this to outsource to other countries.
This article grabbed my attention because it was a very straightforward and general article that really leaves the reader thinking about this topic but at the same time gives them somewhere to start with some solid examples. I agree with the author for the most part in this article and I believe he has some solid points in this that could use some examining. He brings up one very interesting point about how people who are not taking the time to use the internet and learn about how it works will fall behind people with such skills and it will hurt them greatly.
1. Plato’s Phaedrus
Summary:
In Plato’s Phaedrus, the new technology of writing and how it makes people less human is discussed. The setting of the work is a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus where this topic is discussed.
Thesis Statement:
Socrates contends that writing will create forgetfulness in humans because they will no longer use their own memories; instead, they will trust external sources. Writing will detract from the Truth because it cannot respond or give a reason convincing its audience.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment.
2. The serious farmer who grows his plants with care over a season.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The essay is written in the form of a dialogue.
Questions:
How could a word can have a soul?
How does his argument relate to censorship?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that new technology will make humans less natural, and essentially lazier.
Statements I did not agree with:
I believe that writing has been the greatest invention of all time because it has allowed people share information even when they are not in close proximity.
How it will work with my project:
The idea that new technology’s bring new problems and are not just answers to the current problems.
2. The Dawn of the Hydrogen Economy
By Jeremy Rifkin
Summary:
The author argues that throughout history, the use of energy has determined the rise and fall of civilizations.
Thesis Statement:
The switch to a hydrogen economy will bring its own set of new problems and challenges, but in the end, our society will be better off.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The fall of ancient Rome
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The book lays out a step-by-step procedure that the author believes we should follow to achieve a successful switch to a hydrogen economy.
Questions it raised:
Can another fuel besides hydrogen be used in this energy transition?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with nearly every idea in the book. I agreed with his belief that the switch to this fuel needs to be wholeheartedly endorsed by the US government.
Statements I did not agree with:
I did not agree with the idea that global warming is a proven fact. I believe that there is the possibility that warmer weather is due to natural climate changes.
How it will work with my project:
This will be the backbone of my argument for a switch to a hydrogen economy.
3. Lavelle, Marianne. (2003). Living Without Oil. US News.
Summary:
The idea that in the future there will need to be a switch to an alternative fuel source is discussed. In addition, the author talks about the possible role of hydrogen in the economic future of the world.
Thesis Statement:
The world will one day run out of fossil fuels and new renewable energy sources have to be utilized to achieve a prosperous future.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The nature of gasoline as a volatile and finite product
2. Turmoil in the Middle east
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in an essay style format that is straight forward and is effective in getting the authors main points across.
Questions:
Will hydrogen technology be ready to take over the world economy?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that there will be a need to switch to a renewable fuel source. Also, I liked the statement that there is a need to integrate this new technology as soon as possible and not wait until the last minute.
Statements I did not agree with:
I did not agree with the statement about exploring other alternative fuel sources, because I think that we need to focus on one and stick with that technology .
How it will work with my project:
This will be a building block for my argument. The author shares many of the same beliefs as I do.
4. Postman, Neil. (1992) Technology: the surrender of culture to technology. Knopf
Summary:
This article discusses the possible economic impact that the change to a hydrogen economy will have on business and society in general.
Thesis Statement:
The author believes that in any transition of power, like the switch from fossil fuels to hydrogen power, there will be intrinsic winners and losers.
Evidence and Examples:
1. The story of Ammon’s Judgment.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in an essay style format.
Questions:
Why can’t there be a technology transition where everyone wins?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea that a switch to a new technology will be profitable for some and disastrous for others.
Statements I did not agree with:
I believe that a transition to a renewable and non-polluting fuel will benefit everyone and not just a select few.
How it will work with my project:
The idea that new technology’s bring new problems and are not just answers to the current problems.
Quote:
“The benefits and deficits of a new technology are not distributed equally. There are…winners and losers”
5. Ellison, Harlan. “’Repent, Harlequin’ Said the Ticktockman”
Questions:
As technology presents us with more information will there be enough time to interpret and critically think about the information presented? Has technology and increased efficiency made our society slaves to time?
Summary:
This story is about a man who defies the harsh rules of time on society and the ramifications of his disobedience
Thesis Statement:
The author’s main point is that there is an increasing movement to be enslaved by technology instead of being liberated by it.
Author’s Rhetorical Style:
The article is written in a narrative story format, which is helpful to show how bleak a future we, as a society, would have if we become enslaved to technology.
Questions:
Would we allow a technology to run our lives?
Statements I agreed with:
I agreed with the idea technology controlling our lives is a bad idea.
Statements I did not agree with:
I thought this story was a little too far-fetched to be taken seriously.
How it will work with my project:
This will help me show that we must be in harmony will our surroundings and not controlling or be controlled by them.
Buon luogo, congratulazioni, il mio amico!