NuRiN YaZaM

This article reminds me on something I watched on TV once before where a man is leading a double life somewhere else. A life full of happiness which is the extreme opposite of the other. It seems bizarre before but in the age of internet like now, nearly everyone leads not only one but multiple lives virtually.

Turkle highlighted that the computer offers us both new models of mind and a new medium on which to project our ideas and fantasy. We have a routine cyberspace life where we exchange idea and assume personae of our own creation. The virtual and the real life seem to be merging.

Hence, the creation of computer programmes like Multi-User Domains (MUDs) has made it more practical for us to live this multiple lives. It does not only create individual with their own life but also cyber communities. In MUDs, one’s body is represented by one’s own textual description. The description is often a fantasy of the author. A character which he/she presumes will be able to attract others to them by putting aside their real physical appearance or life background. There are also characters made just to tap into other peoples’ lives without them realizing it.

Identity is not just one block of attribute of a person but at present, there are a few more. Some may spend too much time in the virtual world where this can give a negative impact to their social life in the real world especially with a partner, family and friends.

In the use of MUDs, language or words in written can be very powerful. Text can be used to control others and to send our ideology through. We can also encounter others who can create their virtual identity similar to our own real identity. This characters can sometimes be bots and not real. Thus, it is very hard to differentiate between real identity and created identity because everything seems to be real.

The computer is no longer just a giant calculator but it is a link of peoples’ ideas and a generator of new ideas. It creates new cultures and new identity ideas to individual. A person’s intellect is not the only thing that a computer could project but it can also extend an individual’s physical presence. Group activities such as business conference as well as individual pleasure fulfilling activities such as netsex are now mediated by real-time audio video links. Programmes like MUDs generate experiences, relationships, identities and living spaces. Human are now intertwined with technology and each other through technology.

As a conclusion, we need to analyse whether it is ethical or acceptable in building different identities on-line? Although, once before it was just for entertainment but these activities today has been carried more seriously where if a person would try to merge the virtual and real life together, conflicts of identities and a feeling of being deceived will occur. On the other hand, computers have helped us to express ourselves better by putting aside our physical attributes and our life background.

Source: Sherry Turkle, 1999 [1996]. ‘Identity in the Age of the Internet’, in The Media Reader: Continuity and Transformation, Hugh Mackay and Tim O’Sullivan (eds), Sage: London, pp. 287-304

Both readings focuses on innovation and design from different perspectives. Silverstone and Haddon have discussed the matter in a more academic and theoretical way whereas Kahney’s article focuses more on practicality of design.

In Silverstone and Haddon’s article, they have listed three interrelated dimensions involved in design which are creating the artefact, constructing the user, and lastly, catching the consumer.

They also discussed about domestication in relation with design where an object and technology is placed in a space of exchanged values and in a market place that involves competition. It also involves the adaptation made by the consumer on a particular technology to its surroundings.

At first when an object is design, it only involves on the use of the object and how it can change the processes involved in the users’ lifestyle. To complement the needs of synchronising the object with the surroundings in other words domestication, the objects design is incorporated with aesthetic values to create a sense of style especially that can portray a future-like innovation.

When an object is created, not all users have the ability to adapt to change automatically without any assistance. Therefore, to enable them to fit with the design, users need to be shaped by the used of textual information such as manuals. This will construct a new user lifestyle who can understand new innovations at the same time complement the innovation of new technological objects.

With the awareness of the development of technological advances, users may want to have more new product that can further satisfy their needs. Therefore, to attract consumers to follow the development, innovators should understand the consumption trends of the users. New design should be able to suits their taste and preference and be introduced in the market place by highlighting the benefits and advantages that the consumers will receive.

In Kahney’s article, we can see that Mac has used the elements that have been discussed in the Silverstone and Haddon’s article in the development of their design. They focused more on the aesthetic value of a design and this has somehow created a new community of enthusiast who are inspired to create more innovative designs.

The domestication process in turning an object that can help us in daily routines such as the computer by designing them into a fancy object has created the interest of new users to buy the products.

On the other hand, Kahney focuses on how Mac design has inspired users not only to buy their product but also to invent and being innovative with their ideas. Some of the inventors does not even have a formal education on the area but still able to take control of designs by using powerful 3D softwares. This has in a way change users lifestyle from needing a background in multimedia to be able to be innovative to just those who are interested in them. Younger generations are now more literate of the information technology since most of the processes are simplified. Toy trucks have been replaced by PS2s and teenagers are now working the jobs of previously thirty year olds.

Refference
Extract from Silverstone, Roger and Leslie Haddon, 1996. ‘Design and the Domestication of Information and Communication Technologies: Technical Change and Everyday Life’ in Communication by Design: the Politics of Information and Communication Technologies, Robin Mansell and Roger Silverstone (eds.), Oxford: Oxford UP, pp. 44-54

Leander Kahney, 2004, The Cult of Mac, San Francisco: No Starch Press, pp. 150- 171

At first when the biography of the author was read, the excitement to see such a bright person who is interested in technology and has excel in the area gave quite a challenge to me to follow her footsteps. Although I maybe a few years late in establishing myself but as long as I get there, time difference is not an obstacle.

In the report, Plant has taken a very interesting way of writing to attract readers to read her report. The comparison of situation in different countries that were involved in the study made us realize that the mobile phone gives both similar and different impacts in different cultures.

Plant has introduced us to the different terms or names that are given to the mobile phone itself which carry the meanings such as extension of the hand, carrying, air telephone, hand machine and even ‘big brother’. The technology alters the way individuals conduct their lives as it changes the nature of communication which affects identities and relationship.

In some parts of the world where the use of mobile phone has spread across the respective countries, we can even see kids and teenagers using the mobile phone. It is no longer a luxury item but it has changed to be a need in daily life. In others, mobile phone remains as the symbol of status that only entrepreneurs, party officials, politicians, and others can hold. This has changed rapidly for the past three years where more and more people are using the mobile phones.

Today, some phrases that have never been used before the existence of the mobile phone have been introduced in daily life vocabulary. The society is now rich with new sounds from monotone to polyphonic and now even real tones. In some cases, these tones are irritating when used in certain occasion for example in class, ceremonies, restaurant, etc.

The demand of response by the sound of the mobile phones spread tensions to those who listen to it since they are unable to answer the call. Social skill is needed to balance the answering of a call and maintaining the flow of face-to-face conversation. It is either move to absent themselves (flight), stay put but cut themselves from the environment (suspension) or stay engaged with both parties (persistence). Those who felt abandoned by the mobile users may ignore the conversation, displace attention, criticise or just find something else to do.

Since the mobile phone users have been inconsiderate towards others, there are restrictions in using the mobile in some spaces such as the hospital and the court. Thus, there is actually an unconscious awareness among users where they will restrict themselves in using the mobile in certain exclusive places although there is no restriction of use.

Plant also highlighted the significant gender difference in the use and the display of mobile phones. Women are said to be much quieter and considerate than men. I do not totally agree with this because it depends on the way a person communicate and not the gender that determines the loudness of the conversation. Whereas, in the display of hand phones, men tends to use them as a symbol of status to attract women and also to compete with their peers. Logically, women do not display them because they put it in their handbags rather than men who placed their phones in the pocket. It is comfortable to take them out when seated.

The public display of mobile phones also reflects the symbol of fashion, style and social message that is sent to others. The use of mobile as an accessory differs from country to country. Users are competing to give personal touches where they acquire the latest, coolest models and to customise them in the latest and coolest ways.

Mobile phones are also being used negatively to bully by teenagers. Those without one can be excluded from social networks. Eavesdropping seems to be happening everywhere and speculations are made to fill the gaps of missing sides. Contradict messages are being passed by third parties. The presences of third parties are also exploited by stage-phoning especially to impress girls. Some users have display confusion when a private call is taken in public.

Users are learning to manage their emotional responses. They are now bi-psyche and able to do other things at the same time their on the mobile. New gestures and voice tones are practiced to control their communication through the mobile. Mobile has help in sustaining and managing relationships especially long distance. Besides a call, texting are also used widely to express feelings. Through this, communication without knowing real identities is introduced.

Mobile has induced the sense of speed and connectivity in social life and facilitates the emergence of a new private world. No more lost arrangement and women feel more secure with the ability to communicate wherever they are. Mobile is also a medium to manage privacy for some and a centre of management for others. It has taken the place of other time killing medium. It is a need and no longer a symbol of status.

Refference
Sadie Plant, 2002. On the Mobile: The Effects of Mobile Telephones on Social and Individual Life [Report for Motorola], pp. 19-87. Accessed at http://www.motorola.com/mot/doc/0/234_MotDoc.pdf on 08 Mar, 2005

Both readings by Marvin and Milne discussed the history and development of media communication in the nineteenth century. The discussion in Marvin’s article has a broad perspective of media compared to Milne’s article which mainly focuses on the use of visiting cards.

Marvin describes that the invention of telegraph was the starting point of diverting the focus of media used from print to electrical. Thus, computer was developed from the original idea of a telegraph. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century lies an important part of modern media history where five main media in the twentieth century were invented. His study attempts to place the beginning of Anglo-American electronic media history from the twentieth century to the late nineteenth century.

In his article, Marvin highlighted that the process of media development started long before it is introduced. It is not only the act of buying the media such as television and radio that introduces electronic media communication but also the early debates the electronic media itself. Marvin tries to include the technical development of the devices and also the debates on social change as an important part of the history of electronic media communication.

The idea of analysing the history of electronic media in the late nineteenth century is to see some issues in social history that may be overlooked. Before the existing of any media, the negotiation of power, authority, representation and knowledge will take place especially by old groups. Therefore, old practices are revised and group habits are reformed. The resolutions of conflicts are very important to reduce social risk.

Some other social issues were also discussed in the development of electronic media involving the expanding culture variety, geographic perimeters and the changes in social structure. There were cultural and class assumptions on the form of communication among particular groups which highlighted the hopes and fears that new media will loosen or tighten existing social bonds. Among their fears are how new media is carried out in public areas, how the world could be known and how other groups than one’s own imagined it to be.

Marvin included that technicians also played a big part in cultural productions besides technical production. It started with their dreams and their efforts that today’s societies are able to benefit from the technologies that we have now.

Milne focuses on the use of visiting card which was introduced in the early eighteenth century where the caller’s name is inscribed on a playing card. The idea is to notify those with whom one wished to make contact. In the development, the card has evolved from simple plain ones into those customized with photos, logos and designs according to taste, interest, hobbies and others. The visiting cards represent a technology of telepresence. It is used to stand in for the corporeal presence of their author. It also functioned as avatars of presence and identity to mediate social relations according to the varying degrees of intimacy.
Nevertheless, wrong interpretations of signs may cause communication break down. The conflict of wether to call or to answer with a card can also occur. Visiting cards also produced division of class for only middle and upper class participate in the use of it.

As a conclusion, technologies are not only digital, computer or mobile phones like what we may define today but it is any form of invention hat will assist in a process which in this context is the communication process. In the development history of media, the social issues plays an important part to determine the future pathways of each media and human practice are change in the development and with the use of media.

Refference
Extract from Marvin, Carolyn, 1989. When Old Technologies Were New: Thinking About Electric Communication in the Late Nineteeth Century, Oxford UP: Oxford, pp. 3-8

Esther Milne, 2004 .” Magic Bits of Paste-board”: Texting in the Nineteenth Century’, M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 7(1): 1-6. Accessed at http://www.media-culture.org.au/0401/02-milne.html on 16 Feb 2004

In the article entitled Forces for change: Communications as catalyst, Barr highlighted that the ability to communicate cross society has given human the power to evolve from an industrial society to an information society based on knowledge and information networks. The article examines the reasons of growing dependence of human on information systems and process, the forces that direct the attention towards world’s communication industries rather than others, and the cause of change.

Among major forces discussed by Barr in this article that has contributed to the development of the information society are technological changes in communication that includes convergence of media, the alliance that has been created from that media convergence, digitalisation, the increase of delivery capability and the availability of different network intelligence and interactivity; the ability to communicate in the global market place and globalisation that involves the changes in the role of nation state and privatisation.

The convergence of media, information technology and telecommunication has elevated the communication process therefore giving the ability for societies to get hold of information that was not accessible to them before. At present, information from databases can be retrieved to help us in our research though there is a huge geographical distance from the source by incorporating a computer, a telecommunication line and the database itself.

With the convergence of those three sectors, different communication institutions that owns them automatically develops an alliance of different backgrounds and different new ideas. A change of structure and policy arise thus creating a shift from public to private ownership of the institutions. Tensions occur mainly at the beginning of the process yet later will be much clear in the future where one device may cater all applications rather than interconnecting the devices at present. The convergence of institutions may improve the diversity of services yet also face a lot of internal problems in the process of understanding among them.

Digitalisation has also uplifted the quality and efficiency of communication by enabling different type of information to be compressed and shared. It has also improved the distribution of information in the world. Delivery capability has been increase by the reduction of space (hardware) and cost. Network intelligence and interactivity has also given us the extra capability from what we have before. Phones are not only used to make a call but also to text, emails, fax and others. Technological forces provides us more variety of communication forms and creating global interconnections yet it is not a neutral force where human will less communicate face to face, have less effort in executing their task, have higher expectations on others and in a way creating a bigger gap with those without it.

Communication is no longer local. Technology has assisted the communication process to create a global society that shares the same economic rules. There will be more opportunities for countries to share their abilities with others in developing industries yet if it is not controlled, some countries may dominate others. Globalisation may change the role of nation state thus giving the society the ability to understand the situation their countries’ is facing compared to others. The respective government will learn to be more accountable of their actions and try to position themselves within the global economy.

Barr,Trevor, 2000. ‘Forces for Change: Communication as Catalyst,’ Newmedia.com.au: The Changing Face of Australia’s Media and Communications, Allen an Unwin: St. Leonards, NSW, ch.2