The Internet has done it again. Another program has been created that will better my quality of life, allow me to use social media in ways I never dreamed possible. I recently was invited to try RockMelt and I am totally hooked.
Powers talks about how our hyperconnectivity is ultimately detrimental. But what if hyper connectivity is leading to a streamlining of my Internet experience that ultimately gives me more free time? RockMelt is a browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer but the twist is that it is built for social media. You cannot open it without logging in to Facebook and when it open it displays feeds for whatever social media or websites you check daily. If a site has an RSS feed, it will show a number that stands for the number of posts you haven't read yet. In essenence, my entire Internet experience can be over beore it begins if there is nothing for me to read.
Maybe this is a way to deal with the overload of information that the Internet presents us. We would be in chrge of what we decide to read or not read so it would be up to the user to decide to find worthy content but by cutting down on the time it takes to visit many different websites, mayybe we could be gaining valuable free time to actually exist. Now this is no solution for those of us who are glued to our smartphones checking in on Foursquare or updating Twitter but it does streamline one end of the experience and I think that at the very least that is a beneficial start.
Here's a video of RockMelt in action:
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Duke Fake Sex Thesis
I was late replying to the blog but the story intrigued me because I think it's interesting to think about how something can go viral within hours these days.
There is no surefire way that anyone can really know if something with break into the larger Internet consciousness. It's even something that I experience at my internship. Videos are posted pretty regularly and have been for a few years as they have stepped up their web presence but it is always a surprise when something get more hits than normal and a source is always sought after.
The girl that wrote this fake thesis could probably have a reality show if she played her cards right. I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer. She's the sexy co-ed that a house full of guys are after (pretty much like every dtaing-reality show on VH1) and the hook is that she she never dangles sex in front of them but instead eliminates them based on a "scientific" evaluation of their sexual performance. Call it "Hot Scientist" and watch the money roll in.
The Internet is a very public place but when something goes viral it is usually very easy to capitalize on. Look at the Bed Intruder video guy. He was a pretty poor guy and now he's selling T-shirts with his sayings on them because a news video went viral.
I guess my point is that the Internet is crazy and Keen is very wise to be skeptical of it.
Last weekend, I didn't use my computer, check my e-mail or any of my social media from Friday afternoon around 5pm until the same time on Sunday. When I finally checked my e-mail, I had 35 junk e-mails. Just knowing I could ignore that aspect of technology and not "miss" anything was a relief. I always hate when I'm constantly checking my phone or a computer because I have nothing better to do. But knowing that I did something better for two days (despite the fact that I probably watched TV or played video games during that time) made me feel a lot better.
There is no surefire way that anyone can really know if something with break into the larger Internet consciousness. It's even something that I experience at my internship. Videos are posted pretty regularly and have been for a few years as they have stepped up their web presence but it is always a surprise when something get more hits than normal and a source is always sought after.
The girl that wrote this fake thesis could probably have a reality show if she played her cards right. I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer. She's the sexy co-ed that a house full of guys are after (pretty much like every dtaing-reality show on VH1) and the hook is that she she never dangles sex in front of them but instead eliminates them based on a "scientific" evaluation of their sexual performance. Call it "Hot Scientist" and watch the money roll in.
The Internet is a very public place but when something goes viral it is usually very easy to capitalize on. Look at the Bed Intruder video guy. He was a pretty poor guy and now he's selling T-shirts with his sayings on them because a news video went viral.
I guess my point is that the Internet is crazy and Keen is very wise to be skeptical of it.
Last weekend, I didn't use my computer, check my e-mail or any of my social media from Friday afternoon around 5pm until the same time on Sunday. When I finally checked my e-mail, I had 35 junk e-mails. Just knowing I could ignore that aspect of technology and not "miss" anything was a relief. I always hate when I'm constantly checking my phone or a computer because I have nothing better to do. But knowing that I did something better for two days (despite the fact that I probably watched TV or played video games during that time) made me feel a lot better.
Why I Use Twitter (And Why I'll Probably Delete My Facebook Soon)
In the world of Web 2.0, social networking reigns supreme and it's kind of interesting to look at the different platforms that people use to interact with each other.
For some, a more business-minded presence is required and so they use LinkedIn, a site for professionals to join each other's networks, recommend former and current co-workers and maintain relationships on a solely business level.
For most, the casual nature of platforms such as MySpace and Facebook (but at this point, really just Facebook) are more suited to the kinds of everyday interactions that are almost required by the technology we use.
For me, I like Twitter. There is really no reason that a platform so limited in it's use (140 character life blurbs) should be so popular on a logical level. But when we look at Keen's idea of the "flattening of culture" the ever-expanding popularity of Twitter makes perfect sense. On most social networks, you must be accepted as someone's friend. Twitter makes the jump to stalker like proportions. An intimate relationship is not necessary. You just click "Follow."
One click and you can follow celebrities, fake celebrities, animals, abstract ideas, stores, businesses and a myriad of other people and things. The best part is that no matter what you are experiencing direct connection with anyone you mention in a Tweet. no other social network boasts that.
In this sense, I almost feel that the flattening of our culture is a good thing. I've been able to interact with favorite bands and writers of mine that I wouldn't have previously thought possible. Plus Twitter allows you to build yourself as a brand more than any other platform, something that has become increasingly more important as the "you" that you portray on the Internet is the one that you can be judged by in real life.
Twitter allows me to get information directly to the people I think would be interested in it the most and that's why I don't see it as such a bad thing. Plus, it's led to making connections with people I could see myself working with in some capacity in the future.
Yes, there is a lot of dumb shit on Twitter but you are in control of your flow of information. It is not that hard to be discerning.
For some, a more business-minded presence is required and so they use LinkedIn, a site for professionals to join each other's networks, recommend former and current co-workers and maintain relationships on a solely business level.
For most, the casual nature of platforms such as MySpace and Facebook (but at this point, really just Facebook) are more suited to the kinds of everyday interactions that are almost required by the technology we use.
For me, I like Twitter. There is really no reason that a platform so limited in it's use (140 character life blurbs) should be so popular on a logical level. But when we look at Keen's idea of the "flattening of culture" the ever-expanding popularity of Twitter makes perfect sense. On most social networks, you must be accepted as someone's friend. Twitter makes the jump to stalker like proportions. An intimate relationship is not necessary. You just click "Follow."
One click and you can follow celebrities, fake celebrities, animals, abstract ideas, stores, businesses and a myriad of other people and things. The best part is that no matter what you are experiencing direct connection with anyone you mention in a Tweet. no other social network boasts that.
In this sense, I almost feel that the flattening of our culture is a good thing. I've been able to interact with favorite bands and writers of mine that I wouldn't have previously thought possible. Plus Twitter allows you to build yourself as a brand more than any other platform, something that has become increasingly more important as the "you" that you portray on the Internet is the one that you can be judged by in real life.
Twitter allows me to get information directly to the people I think would be interested in it the most and that's why I don't see it as such a bad thing. Plus, it's led to making connections with people I could see myself working with in some capacity in the future.
Yes, there is a lot of dumb shit on Twitter but you are in control of your flow of information. It is not that hard to be discerning.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Eating A Dinosaur
We exist in a culture of overindulgence and self-loathing. Even people as intelligent as Klosterman are not free from it. He himself makes note that his relationship with technology makes no sense and that he loves the Internet.
You know what speaks volumes to me? We capitalize the word "Internet." AP style is to capitalize that word. Doesn't that scare you? The Internet has developed past all other technology and actually grown it's own identity. And it's fitting. Our relationship with the Internet and technology (or rather, Technology) has developed to a point that is similar to the relationships we share with actual people. That's terrifying.
I thought about deleting my Facebook after seeing The Social Network. I wasn't disgusted by the story behind Facebook or angry at Mark Zuckerberg. I just felt figured out. One man had figured out a way to exert a massive amount of influence upon an incredible amount of people. In some way, I think everyone wants to believe that they are a little different, that they can't be corralled. I didn't delete my Facebook. Like someone in class said today, we keep our social media close and our devices closer because we want to be in the loop. We don't want to miss anything when in reality being so wired in is causing us to miss everything.
We are constantly told that we do things too much. We eat too much. We drink too much. We use the Internet too much. We work to much. We sleep too much. We fuck too much. The list goes on and on. Where does it end? How are we supposed to tell what is actually being a detriment to our lives and what isn't? And once we're told that whatever we're doing is bad for us, we stop for a day or two and then go right back to it. We feel bad about it and then buy whatever someone says will fix it. It is a vicious, blood thirsty cycle.
You know what speaks volumes to me? We capitalize the word "Internet." AP style is to capitalize that word. Doesn't that scare you? The Internet has developed past all other technology and actually grown it's own identity. And it's fitting. Our relationship with the Internet and technology (or rather, Technology) has developed to a point that is similar to the relationships we share with actual people. That's terrifying.
I thought about deleting my Facebook after seeing The Social Network. I wasn't disgusted by the story behind Facebook or angry at Mark Zuckerberg. I just felt figured out. One man had figured out a way to exert a massive amount of influence upon an incredible amount of people. In some way, I think everyone wants to believe that they are a little different, that they can't be corralled. I didn't delete my Facebook. Like someone in class said today, we keep our social media close and our devices closer because we want to be in the loop. We don't want to miss anything when in reality being so wired in is causing us to miss everything.
We are constantly told that we do things too much. We eat too much. We drink too much. We use the Internet too much. We work to much. We sleep too much. We fuck too much. The list goes on and on. Where does it end? How are we supposed to tell what is actually being a detriment to our lives and what isn't? And once we're told that whatever we're doing is bad for us, we stop for a day or two and then go right back to it. We feel bad about it and then buy whatever someone says will fix it. It is a vicious, blood thirsty cycle.
Monday, October 4, 2010
An Introduction. All Introductions.
Hello Press in Americans.
Welcome to It's Still Murder. The title may seem a bit morbid but it's related mostly just related to a favorite media critic of mine Frederic Wertham . He was something of a crusader against comic books in the 50s and wrote a book entitled Seduction of the Innocent that demonized comic books. The censorship of comics went to the Supreme Court because of Wertham's insistence that Batman and Robin were gay and Wonder Woman was a lesbian (amongst other outlandish claims) and that coupled with comic book violence, funny books were singlehandedly ruining the youth of America. His ideas and the threat of greater censorship led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority that banned violent images and the printing of words like "terror" or "zombies." Luckily comic book creators found a way around the ban on werewolves and created Sauron, a man who can transform into a humanoid pterodactyl.
Wertham has become something of a point of interest for me. He eventually wrote a book about television called The War on Children that was never published. But his ideas about racial segregation were used as evidence in the case of Brown v. the Board of Ed. Despite his attitudes against comics, Wretham always said that he had nothing against them but rather the effects of them and in one of his works he said that they did promote imagination. Although, as a comic book fan, he should be someone that I consider an enemy of the art form, I am kind of intrigued by his ideas. I don't agree with him but it's interesting. Almost the same way Glenn Beck is interesting because you can't help but say "Holy shit, how does someone think like this?"
At the moment, the comic book industry is in trouble. It isn't because of censorship. iPads and illegal downloading (you can laugh but it's true) are killing it. No matter what you think about comics in general, tons of Hollywood projects are based on comics or graphic novels. Of course almost all of the super hero movies owe themselves to comics but here are some movies and TV shows you may not have realized were based on comics: 30 Days of Night, The Walking Dead, Road to Perdition, History of Violence, Constantine, Ghost World, Red, V for Vendetta. There are more. But it's interesting that so many great stories are coming from a medium that many deem only the domain of geeks and children.
Welcome to It's Still Murder. The title may seem a bit morbid but it's related mostly just related to a favorite media critic of mine Frederic Wertham . He was something of a crusader against comic books in the 50s and wrote a book entitled Seduction of the Innocent that demonized comic books. The censorship of comics went to the Supreme Court because of Wertham's insistence that Batman and Robin were gay and Wonder Woman was a lesbian (amongst other outlandish claims) and that coupled with comic book violence, funny books were singlehandedly ruining the youth of America. His ideas and the threat of greater censorship led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority that banned violent images and the printing of words like "terror" or "zombies." Luckily comic book creators found a way around the ban on werewolves and created Sauron, a man who can transform into a humanoid pterodactyl.
Wertham has become something of a point of interest for me. He eventually wrote a book about television called The War on Children that was never published. But his ideas about racial segregation were used as evidence in the case of Brown v. the Board of Ed. Despite his attitudes against comics, Wretham always said that he had nothing against them but rather the effects of them and in one of his works he said that they did promote imagination. Although, as a comic book fan, he should be someone that I consider an enemy of the art form, I am kind of intrigued by his ideas. I don't agree with him but it's interesting. Almost the same way Glenn Beck is interesting because you can't help but say "Holy shit, how does someone think like this?"
At the moment, the comic book industry is in trouble. It isn't because of censorship. iPads and illegal downloading (you can laugh but it's true) are killing it. No matter what you think about comics in general, tons of Hollywood projects are based on comics or graphic novels. Of course almost all of the super hero movies owe themselves to comics but here are some movies and TV shows you may not have realized were based on comics: 30 Days of Night, The Walking Dead, Road to Perdition, History of Violence, Constantine, Ghost World, Red, V for Vendetta. There are more. But it's interesting that so many great stories are coming from a medium that many deem only the domain of geeks and children.
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