DTC 475
Blog 6
In avatar there is no clearly defined dichotomization of gender by the Na’Vi or the humans like there is in traditional American culture. In some ways there is a conventional separation of male and female. For instance the female Na’Vi gives birth and is slightly more welcoming of outsiders than her male counterparts. However the roles or duties of the Na’Vi aren’t delegated by gender, aside from the Male sovereign and female spiritual leader. Neither hunter nor warrior were gender specific, both connected to the flying creatures in the same way, had nearly the same physique, and are all given the chance to speak as equals in public forum.
The people of earth are dichotomized in a more traditional manner but some characters work against the traditional separation of gender. For example Michelle Rodriguez’s character is one of the best pilots, if not the best pilot in the marines yet is female. In addition Sigourney Weaver is playing a strong and high ranking female character.
A few of the multiple and contradictory identities being played out by Jake Sully in Avatar are his multiple identity of a low ranking Marine who is loyal to his commanding officer, the general, his country, and his employers, the corporation. And contradictory to this complex identity is his new found identity of a disabled person, his identity of a researcher united with the scientists in their cause, and his other new identity that of a Na’Vi. His role and duties as a Marine and as an employee challenge his new identities continuously throughout the movie. In the beginning his allegiances are with the corporation and the General but as the movie progresses and the Jake Sully character develops his opposing roles begin to overlap until finally he must choose a permanent identity.
I think that the avatars in the film function like and unlike personal web pages for their users in a number of ways. Both the avatar and the webpage are a space for the reflexive construction of identity. Many people use their web pages for the exploration of their identity and the re-establishing of it after troubling events that disrupt their lives. To help a person better define their sense of self, multiple, contradictory, and stigmatized identities can be explored on a webpage. In the movie Jake Sully uses his avatar in a similar fashion. His life is disrupted by the loss of his brother and the ability to walk. He uses his avatar to explore himself and then to construct a new self-narrative.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Blog # 5
Blog #5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbzJ0L1Zn8&feature=related
The object I have chosen for this week’s blog assignment is the Porsche 911 sports car. The specific advertisement that I have selected, which can be found by following the link, supports what Lupton said in the assigned reading regarding a few of the different ideologies about the computer/ user relationship. The ideologies that can be transposed onto the Porsche commercial are the notions of the disembodied computer user and the humanized computer.
In the reading it is mentioned that a popular subject of debate in the computer world is the potential offered by computers for humans to escape the body, that embodiment is often represented as an unfortunate barrier to interaction and that the demands of the fleshly body compel computer users to distract themselves from their pursuit.
In the commercial a young child sits bored in a classroom. He gazes out the window catches a glimpse of the Porsche and becomes completely enamored by its sleek design. Unable to look away the car absorbs his every being. Only an event in the real world is able to bring him back. It is as if he leaves his body but because of his current embodiment, that of a small child who doesn’t own a car, is unable to interact with it. His pursuit is further hindered by the demands of the fleshly body when he is reprimanded by his teacher for not paying attention in class.
He hustles to the Porsche dealership where he is allowed to sit in the car, momentarily escaping his body. I believe this is depicted in the heavy sigh and again when he asks the car salesman for a business card and suggests he will return in 20 years (when he has a new body).
In my example the car takes the place of the computer (the hard textured object) and is depicted in a warm, pristine, almost unearthly quality. Sports cars are typically anthropomorphized as female and in this commercial it is no different. The Porsche is humanized by the child’s reaction in the commercial. He is portrayed as having an irrepressible passion for the car that leaves him basically empty, or at the least unfulfilled without his ultimate companion, the Porsche. Another viewer of this commercial, metagear89 shares my opinion as evidenced in his humorous but still informative comment of, “The kid became a drug dealer and got a Porsche in 10 years instead of waiting 20 years. Sarcastic, but it acknowledges the overwhelming desire for the car that is captured in the portrayal.
The most significant thing I have learned this semester is about the digital divide. The reading that was most informative was:
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/967/888
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbzJ0L1Zn8&feature=related
The object I have chosen for this week’s blog assignment is the Porsche 911 sports car. The specific advertisement that I have selected, which can be found by following the link, supports what Lupton said in the assigned reading regarding a few of the different ideologies about the computer/ user relationship. The ideologies that can be transposed onto the Porsche commercial are the notions of the disembodied computer user and the humanized computer.
In the reading it is mentioned that a popular subject of debate in the computer world is the potential offered by computers for humans to escape the body, that embodiment is often represented as an unfortunate barrier to interaction and that the demands of the fleshly body compel computer users to distract themselves from their pursuit.
In the commercial a young child sits bored in a classroom. He gazes out the window catches a glimpse of the Porsche and becomes completely enamored by its sleek design. Unable to look away the car absorbs his every being. Only an event in the real world is able to bring him back. It is as if he leaves his body but because of his current embodiment, that of a small child who doesn’t own a car, is unable to interact with it. His pursuit is further hindered by the demands of the fleshly body when he is reprimanded by his teacher for not paying attention in class.
He hustles to the Porsche dealership where he is allowed to sit in the car, momentarily escaping his body. I believe this is depicted in the heavy sigh and again when he asks the car salesman for a business card and suggests he will return in 20 years (when he has a new body).
In my example the car takes the place of the computer (the hard textured object) and is depicted in a warm, pristine, almost unearthly quality. Sports cars are typically anthropomorphized as female and in this commercial it is no different. The Porsche is humanized by the child’s reaction in the commercial. He is portrayed as having an irrepressible passion for the car that leaves him basically empty, or at the least unfulfilled without his ultimate companion, the Porsche. Another viewer of this commercial, metagear89 shares my opinion as evidenced in his humorous but still informative comment of, “The kid became a drug dealer and got a Porsche in 10 years instead of waiting 20 years. Sarcastic, but it acknowledges the overwhelming desire for the car that is captured in the portrayal.
The most significant thing I have learned this semester is about the digital divide. The reading that was most informative was:
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/967/888
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Blog # 4 "Peg Communities"
If using the virtual communities that I am a part of for evidence, I would have to agree with Bell and Bauman’s notions of virtual communities being like peg communities. In the reading peg communities are described as, “Coat pegs on which we choose to temporarily hang parts of our identities.” I believe this is true of most online communities. Most of the communities that I am a part of involve discussions of a specific nature. Things like celebrity gossip sites, or movie review sites, comic book or weight lifting forums are all centered on a specific topic of interest. I believe my full identity is linked to all of my interests, not just one that I share with a random grouping of other people, and to my actual physical self. Most of the online groups I am a part of are for these types of specific hobbies or interests. In these communities myself and other users come together and share information on certain subjects, our personalities are integrated into communication and enough communicating is done so that there is a basic understanding of one another, but not one that is very personal or in depth. Not many intimate details are shared either and the personal things that are shared generally relate back to the topic of the group.
Even though in communities like Facebook or Myspace most users communicate with others they know in the real world these sites are peg communities. I believe these types of sites are peg communities because of the ability a user has to design a page however they choose and report on only the best parts of their lives. Essentially controlling their identity online or creating an alternate exaggerated identity.
For part two I have tentatively chosen three community orientated sites that I am a part of. These are sites that I would not mind examining in more detail, but there are a lot of other sites that might be better, so I may want to choose something else, but for now they are fine. The sites that I have chosen are the online communities of mmashare.com, a site for the sharing of mixed martial arts videos and the discussion of their outcomes. Second is the effectslab.com, which is a special make-up effects forum that I have previously mentioned in my blog. Last but certainly not least is the site helium.com. It is a site where members contribute articles with the hopes of earning money from the site or praise from other members.
Even though in communities like Facebook or Myspace most users communicate with others they know in the real world these sites are peg communities. I believe these types of sites are peg communities because of the ability a user has to design a page however they choose and report on only the best parts of their lives. Essentially controlling their identity online or creating an alternate exaggerated identity.
For part two I have tentatively chosen three community orientated sites that I am a part of. These are sites that I would not mind examining in more detail, but there are a lot of other sites that might be better, so I may want to choose something else, but for now they are fine. The sites that I have chosen are the online communities of mmashare.com, a site for the sharing of mixed martial arts videos and the discussion of their outcomes. Second is the effectslab.com, which is a special make-up effects forum that I have previously mentioned in my blog. Last but certainly not least is the site helium.com. It is a site where members contribute articles with the hopes of earning money from the site or praise from other members.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Blog 3
A lot of what is said in the reading holds true today but one big difference that I noticed in what Burnett and Marshall wrote and what I currently see is that the authors talk about links taking a user to different websites, and how Yahoo was initially set up to take the user on a cyclical journey that would eventually led them back to the Yahoo homepage. It is still true that yahoo wants you to start on their site and go on a journey but Yahoo doesn’t want a user to ever leave the site. I think a teacher once called it bleeding traffic off your site. This teacher said that when making a website it is important to make sure that the website uses pop up windows so users don’t leave your site. Yahoo doesn’t bleed any traffic from their site. It has become a type of one stop shop for a person's internet activities, or to put it in terms used in Burnett and Marshall's, "The Look of the Web", it has become an elaborate hub for new collective identities. For example when on the Yahoo homepage a new window will pop up to display the links, usually ads that are clicked and the homepage stays open.
When selecting news articles or video off the site the homepage remains on Yahoo but the content is changed.
When the browser is taken off of Yahoo by a click users are taken to Yahoo like sites that seem like obvious business partners.
In the reading the Yahoo homepage is described as having content that changes based on a click. This is very true because clicking content on Yahoo doesn’t take you anywhere it modifies the Yahoo page to display what you want, essentially personalizing itself to a single click. I use Yahoo for email and so I frequently view their homepage. I can see the transformation that Burnett and Marshall talk about take effect when I log in to my account, or start selecting content. The Yahoo page changes, it becomes personalized to my tastes, or at least there is usually something that will be displayed that interests me. When I go on to Yahoo to analyze it I am immediately drawn into a news story that was advertised on their homepage. It wasn’t the only article I clicked on and read. I even had to check out some really unimportant videos and use the search engine. Of course all of this was done without leaving the yahoo home page. The description of Yahoo has also changed quite a bit. In the reading it is described as not having many photos and having lots of text but no sentences. The page has a different color now but I think the same Ideology that speed is better is still in effect. There are a ton of photos and videos but video content is on a separate page so that it won’t slow down the homepage.
Works Cited
Burnett, Robert, and P D. Marshall. The Look of the Web. New York: Routledge, 2003. 81-97. Print.
When selecting news articles or video off the site the homepage remains on Yahoo but the content is changed.
When the browser is taken off of Yahoo by a click users are taken to Yahoo like sites that seem like obvious business partners.
In the reading the Yahoo homepage is described as having content that changes based on a click. This is very true because clicking content on Yahoo doesn’t take you anywhere it modifies the Yahoo page to display what you want, essentially personalizing itself to a single click. I use Yahoo for email and so I frequently view their homepage. I can see the transformation that Burnett and Marshall talk about take effect when I log in to my account, or start selecting content. The Yahoo page changes, it becomes personalized to my tastes, or at least there is usually something that will be displayed that interests me. When I go on to Yahoo to analyze it I am immediately drawn into a news story that was advertised on their homepage. It wasn’t the only article I clicked on and read. I even had to check out some really unimportant videos and use the search engine. Of course all of this was done without leaving the yahoo home page. The description of Yahoo has also changed quite a bit. In the reading it is described as not having many photos and having lots of text but no sentences. The page has a different color now but I think the same Ideology that speed is better is still in effect. There are a ton of photos and videos but video content is on a separate page so that it won’t slow down the homepage.
Works Cited
Burnett, Robert, and P D. Marshall. The Look of the Web. New York: Routledge, 2003. 81-97. Print.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Blog 2
The digital divide is the gap between people with access to digital information technology, and those with very limited or no access at all. The divide includes the limits in physical access to technology and the resources and skills needed to participate as a digital citizen. The digital divide is simply the troubling gap between those who use computers and the Internet and those who do not.
The term can mean not only unequal access to computer hardware, but also inequalities in the ability of different groups of people to use information technologies. Because of the wavering factors used to assess the inconsistencies between groups some aspects of the digital divide are debatable
As Warschauer explains in the reading, “A digital divide is marked not only by physical access to computers and connectivity, but also by access to the additional resources that allow people to use technology well (par. 21).”
There is not a clear separation between people with access to information technologies and those without, but a hazy division that is based on a lot of different factors including the privilege of having access to technology.
A computer interface is similar to a television with a remote control. The mouse and keyboard work together to act as a standard remote control. The monitor is the same thing as a television screen. The different programs that can be bought and installed are like the different components and extras that can be displayed through a television. Extras not limited to but including video game systems, DVD players, Tivos, cable and satellite television, and stereos for surround sound. Folders containing stored information that can be accessed through the computers “remote” and the internet are similar to television stations. Downloading something is like recording it from a televised broadcast.
I can’t think of any other metaphors or any that are better than the office metaphor. Maybe a different office furnishing would be better, like a filing cabinet. It might be a little better for windows just because of the use of folders for storing and accessing information, but the desk metaphor is lot more comprehensive when you think about the calendar and the clock. If your desk is really nice then it probably has a small drawer that can be used as a filing cabinet anyway. So I think the office metaphor is a good one, or at least better than any other ones.
Works Cited:
Warschauer, Mark. Reconceptualizing the Digital Divide. First Monday, Vol. 7, Issue 7, 1 July 2002. Web. 1 Sept 2010.
The term can mean not only unequal access to computer hardware, but also inequalities in the ability of different groups of people to use information technologies. Because of the wavering factors used to assess the inconsistencies between groups some aspects of the digital divide are debatable
As Warschauer explains in the reading, “A digital divide is marked not only by physical access to computers and connectivity, but also by access to the additional resources that allow people to use technology well (par. 21).”
There is not a clear separation between people with access to information technologies and those without, but a hazy division that is based on a lot of different factors including the privilege of having access to technology.
A computer interface is similar to a television with a remote control. The mouse and keyboard work together to act as a standard remote control. The monitor is the same thing as a television screen. The different programs that can be bought and installed are like the different components and extras that can be displayed through a television. Extras not limited to but including video game systems, DVD players, Tivos, cable and satellite television, and stereos for surround sound. Folders containing stored information that can be accessed through the computers “remote” and the internet are similar to television stations. Downloading something is like recording it from a televised broadcast.
I can’t think of any other metaphors or any that are better than the office metaphor. Maybe a different office furnishing would be better, like a filing cabinet. It might be a little better for windows just because of the use of folders for storing and accessing information, but the desk metaphor is lot more comprehensive when you think about the calendar and the clock. If your desk is really nice then it probably has a small drawer that can be used as a filing cabinet anyway. So I think the office metaphor is a good one, or at least better than any other ones.
Works Cited:
Warschauer, Mark. Reconceptualizing the Digital Divide. First Monday, Vol. 7, Issue 7, 1 July 2002. Web. 1 Sept 2010.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)