Hw 30

Emptiness is an infinitely deep hole shaped like a mystery (whatever you may interpret that as). The hole is covered up with a door of our personal image. The door is sealed with about 20 different locks, that are each opened with different keys. When one comes close to opening the lock by finally finding the right key, the keyhole changes shape. They begin to look for another key that will now fit the new keyhole. When they do, it changes shape. No matter how fast they find that key, they will never be able to open the door, which covers the emptiness.

In this description of the emptiness we feel, I express that the hole is covered with a door of our personal image and by personal image I mean how people see us. Our friends, our family, our teachers… We are constantly trying to prove to others that we don’t feel the emptiness by following our given roles. Since we are constantly craving to fill the emptiness with coolness, the lock represents “cool”. This is because it’s always changing. For example. In order to be cool, one requirement may be fashion. In the 1960’s/1970’s, tie dye and being a hippie was cool but now, although some of the aspects of cool remain the same, being a hippie and wearing tie dye may be looked down upon a little more.

The door can never be opened be cause we are not authentic. We are not one person. We all follow multiple roles and that is the door which blocks us from filling the emptiness. Both us (the door) and the cool that we wish to use as a filling (the key) are constantly changing and developing in different ways making it so that the emptiness is forever there. We might as well accept it.

Hw # 12- Feed A

In Feed by M. T. Anderson, the world has developed into an exaggerated replica of our world today. The book portrays life with the feed (an advanced computer implanted in your head). I actually came to realized that no matter how demented and over the top it sounds to have something that controls you in certain ways implanted and with you at all times that, that is something we are approaching.

Feeds in the book are like our digital world today. The feed includes texting (chat), information (internet), as well as advertisements (everywhere). The feeds allow people to become lazy and incompetent. If a person had to go a week without any digital exposure, they would most likely feel lost and not know what to do with themselves. M.T Anderson expresses this when Violet’s feed becomes hacked. “She just lay there. She still had the discs all over her. Someone had laid her arms outside of the sheets.” This just shows how in Feed, the characters were unable to function without their feeds.

I feel as though we are currently addicted in certain ways although we know that there are negative affects. We all know that computers act as a barrier and block our true feelings/emotions from being easily determined. We know that we may be talking to a person we dislike so we use aim or texting a s an excuse to write I hate you; but as long as you add “lol” to the end, it makes everything okay. We do it to others so we know that others are doing t to us but we ignore the fact. Without computers or phones, we would have control our facial expressions while talking and I don’t believe we have that control. We may also use a form of chat (texting or aim) to tell secrets. One thing we may not realize or attempt to ignore is that everything over the internet is saved and completely public if you know how to access it. In Feed, the feeds were able to provide them with answers and information; even when one came to a loss of words, they were able to acquire ideas from the feed. This has to mean that the feed was paying attention to their outside conversations in order to assist


I guess what I’m trying to say is that the world is ignorant; and although Feed may seem exaggerated, we have to judge ourselves before judging the book because judging the book is judging ourselves.

Hw # 11- Self Experiment

For my self experiment I went through the day with as little interaction with the digital world as possible. In all I believe I had about a half an hour of digital interaction. 15 minutes of watching the news in the morning and about 15 minutes relaxing in the the living room with my mom before I went to bed.
I actually felt this experiment was challenging but also informed me a lot about my daily living habits. At certain points of the day after I finished my homework, I found myself to be lost and not really knowing what to do so I always went to read a book but I eventually got bored. I soon figured that there were other non-digital things I could do so I went outside with my friend (from my building so that I didn’t have to use the phone) and we walked around and talked about life and school and everything. Now this wasn’t really new because we did go outside together a lot but one thing that was a little different was that when our conversation slowed down we would normally take out our phones, start texting other people and then talk about things they’d say. That was something I couldn’t do so we actually had to find more stuff to talk about and were more observant of what was around us.
One thing that I really noticed that it’s hard to separate yourself from the digital world when no one else does. Its like you are alone in this world that rarely includes the people you know. I don’t really know how to explain it but its like a group of people have to be together in the “real” world for the “real” world to be affective.

Informal Research Hw # 10

If you ask people whether or not kids are spending too much time on videogames, the typical answer is controversial. The list of websites below may prove points that argue both sides.

http://www.gameinnovator.com/health.php

On this website, they gave examples of both good and bad health effects that videogames cause. I found this interesting because it stated that there were not as many bad effects reported as good. "People (especially youngsters) who are undergoing painful treatment for ailments like cancer can use video games to distract themselves from the pain for extended periods." I find this to be interesting because it uses what people believe as "bad" and makes it a positive.
In class we discussed how the digital world may be separated from the "real world" and this actually proves this to be true. People are able to use videogames to escape from their problems for periods of time. This can be a stress relief but just as anything else, too much is a problem.
This website also proves that it’s not really what you do, it’s the way you do it. For example: playing a Family Guy game isn’t the best choice but playing a game that stimulates hand eye coordination or problem solving can benefit a person: “Studies have also shown that playing video games can improve mental faculties, such as hand-eye coordination. More intelligent games such as strategy and puzzle games can also improve problem solving, and provide intellectual stimulation as well.”

http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/mobj/mobj.579.parents_vid-effects.pdf

“Both Singapore and the US army modified available video games to hone the strategic and decision-making skills of officers.” This is just a quote I found in this website that I found extremely interesting. So many people look down on videogames mean while its being used in the system that is used to fight for our country. This could be another controversial fact. This is being used to train people who are basically “killers” and is also being introduced to children. I’m sure that the videogames are not as intense but some of the videogames out now are extremely gory.
(As I finished skimming this website, I realized that they actually spelled practicing incorrectly meanwhile this seems to be some what of a government website so I’m unsure of how reliable this may be.)

http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_effect.shtml

Cool facts I found on this website:

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  83% of kids, eight to eighteen, have at least one video game player in their home, 31% have 3 or more video game players, and 49% have video game systems in their bedrooms (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005).


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  Video Games account for one-third of the average monthly core entertainment spending in the U.S. (NDP Group Inc., 2009).


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  Adolescents who play more than one hour of console or Internet video games have more or more intense symptoms of ADHD or inattention than those who do not (Chan, 2006).


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  Video game usage may be linked to a lower GPA and SAT score (Vivek, 2007).


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  Games can confuse reality and fantasy.


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  Many games do not offer action that requires independent thought or creativity.

Comment on Sam R's Blog

Sam,
I just want to let you know that your video was awesome. The music was the best and you are my new favorite person for watching Spongebob. I also thought that you brought up a lot of interesting topics.You stated that you didn't want your children using digital representation devices but you knew that they would anyway. You also stated that we would explain to them our regrets but they wouldn’t care. This made me laugh because it reminded me of my mom when she tells me "oh i was a kid too" Whenever she tells me that, I have the same reaction you said your kids would have. I'm pretty sure that the next generation will out grow the technology stage. Technology is constantly growing and has definitely not reached its limits. if anything, I believe that the next generation will be more in depth with technology and be controlled by it more. Later on, you also stated that you seemed to be bored while looking for something else to do. This made me wonder if our digital life has become more of a requirement than a recreational activity. It seems as if using digital representation devices a been programmed into our lives. Its like we crave to do other things and are getting bored with the same digital activities but we are enslaved by that part of our life.Your first paragraph say that you don’t like how you look in the video. This kind of made me think about my video. Normally, I lose myself in the digital world completely and totally but since i knew that I was being recorded, I sort of blocked that from happening. I think that sort of shows how I'm somewhat ashamed of how lost I can get in the digital world. Do you think that while being recoreded you became fully embodied, or did you compose yourself because you were being recorded?Well, I really enjoyed your video and reflection and you really had me wondering. Hope to hear from you soon. -Amanda :)

Comment on Rachels Blog

Rachel,
I really enjoyed watching your video and reading your reflection. I thought that you brought up some really interesting points. You really made me wonder more about my future and how digital representation devices are affecting how others may see me.
When you stated that you became completely disembodied, I thought that you really captured how everyone sort of feels. Someone may be in a situation where they missed out on an opportunity because they were captured by the digital world. To me, I think that digital representation devices were set up to make it so that you cannot use them without becoming zoned out. If you think about it, it's extremely hard to accomplish something using DRD without becoming disembodied. People may see this as a bad thing but it's not only with DRD, it is the same with reading and any other activities that require focus. This also reminded me of how people become zoned out in the street with that weird blue tooth thing. I know that when I see them in the street it seems to me as if they are crazy people walking down the street and then realize that they are having an actual conversation with someone.
You also stated that you didn't want to sound like a hypocrite because you wouldn’t want your little sister or future child using DRDs for long periods of time; you would rather them outside being active. Since you think that, do you really think that there is a lack of outside activity in your own life? I say this because as a gymnast I train 4 hours everyday but still get as much time in the digital world as others do (of course I have lost some sleep but I'm used to it.) Do you think that I may still be over doing it? I guess what the real question is if your okay with the way your living now and you aren't following your own standards, then why should your child or little sister have to live differently?
Even though I just questioned you on that point, I kind of agree. I rethought that topic of my future kids and actually considered that I would like to keep my children away from the digital world. It's that I wouldn't really mind them becoming a digital person, but I want to give them the chance to choose otherwise. It's like drugs. The digital world is addicting and once you get started with it, it's ten times harder to stop.
Well both your video and reflection were really interesting and really made me think about my life. Can't wait to hear more from you.
-Amanda :)

Homework # 6- Video Questions

• What are some thoughts and feelings you have when watching your own video?                It seemed as if I need more mind stimulation. When I watched the video it seems like I'm hypnotized by the digital representation devices. I was trapped and unable to move from my seat. Trapped in thoughtless conversations with friends, video games that make your eyes water but you continue to stare at the screen, and stupid online games that benefit me in absolutely no way. It seemed as if I was wasting time. Although some may see it as a bad thing, I might have needed the mind stimulation to escape from stress. This is definately not my situation but one may be close to a death caused by stress and that time away with digital representation would allow them to relax and escape for the period of time.
•  When you think about living your physical experience being largely what is shown on the video, how does that seem to you?       It feels like I wasted my time when making this video. Not that I have a problem with digitalization in any way but it feels like I was stuck. Its like what Andy said about Nieztsche's "Myth of the Endless Return." Every time I view my video, it seems as if I am continuously  reliving those meaningless moments.                    
  
• Would you want your little sister (or future son) to spend a lot of time doing this stuff?                       I wouldn't mind them using digital representation devices due to the fact that they can benefit you and they don't need to turn out as robots. Everyone needs some time away from the "real world". I wouldn't like them using it excessively and become completely brain washed by it to a point where they escape so much that they escape from reality.  
• What do you think of the contrast between what's happening ON the digital representation device and what you look like interacting with the DRD?                            At one point while I was talking to my friend we had a pretty interesting conversation while at another point we had a pointless conversation. I noticed that when you watch the video, they look exactly the same. That kind of makes me question... Is it really possible to have an extremely deep conversation that isn't face to face?