I find it fascinating how online/virtual cultures have been created. World of Warcraft, for example, is most certainly its own world, full of spaces, vegetation, races, living creatures, food and liquid for sustenance, conflicts, and communication. The only difference, pragmatically speaking, between WoW and the physical/actual world is the monthly membership cost. Aside from that, WoW is a legitimate community and culture. Ever since I have begun taking Anthro 128C, I have opened my eyes to the virtual realms that, I now see, are real and somewhat tangible, but tangible no less. In WoW, people of different races, classes, and hybrids of race and class, as well as different skillsets, form guilds together that utilize the diverse array of skillsets in WoW to raid a giant enemy creature. Some slay, some curse, others heal, and they may even take turns using the different abilities. The point is, those people, miles apart in the physical world, share an intimate space within the virtual world of Warcraft and form bonds and achievements as one unit. Physical space and intimacy are no longer required to stay together. The non-physical world is existent and real.
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This is my first post on the blog for the year, and I decided to post a freewriting exercise I did to ease my writer's block that has paralyzed me from posting on the blog. I have only played WoW for a sum of 25 minutes, so this post may not be accurate of the world. However, I wanted to share my freewrite as proof of my growth from the class and my growth as a writer. Thanks for reading!
-Geraldo
Sunday, March 8, 2009
.eco
In a recent BBC article environmentalist Al Gore is backing the creation of a new internet domain, .eco. Dot eco would host websites sites encouraging and supporting environmental causes. Dot eco plans to apply to ICANN, the regulating group who oversees domain names, later in 2009. Further porceeds made for the registration of dot eco would be used to benefit environmental project and research.
I personally feel like this is a great idea. As Al Gore mentioned in the article it will change the interenet greatly. Further it will be interesting to see if a social networking site will be created under the dot eco domain to promote environmental ideas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7927812.stm
I personally feel like this is a great idea. As Al Gore mentioned in the article it will change the interenet greatly. Further it will be interesting to see if a social networking site will be created under the dot eco domain to promote environmental ideas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7927812.stm
Friday, March 6, 2009
Make Love, Not Warcraft
Basically, the kids must defeat a griefer who plays WoW "for every hour of every day and absolutely has no life". In the process, many stereotypes about MMORPG players are brought up.
Social Networking Sites Linked to Brain Damage
Dr. Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist from Oxford University, has claimed that continued use of social networking sites among children shortens attention spans, encourages instant gratification, and makes young people more self-centred. She likens the increasing ease of social interaction via the internet to the personalities of autistic individuals.
Although I can see how sites like Facebook with its constant stream of updates, new pictures, notes, and wall posts can shorten one's attention span, I would not think that permitted use of Facebook in moderation would lead to any kind of significant biological deficit. Additionally, one psychologist mentions that children should not be permitted to use computer games until about age 7. Personally, I don't find a problem with this as long as it is kept in moderation. Video games have been out for decades now, and I can remember playing my first video game around age 6 or so. Although these scientists are emphasizing the potential negative consequences of a society that increasingly relies on digital and computer-based system, that does not mean that there are other strategies being thought up to counter these "harmful effects."
For instance, although an increasing rate of people are playing video games, there are also companies out there creating educational video games. Increased use of such technology (video games, social networking sites) does not necessarily mean that future generations would be all be self-centered or socially inept. Like everything else, doing something in excess will mostly likely lead to negative consequences. However, I believe it is inevitable that society will continue to be hard-wired to think differently than older generations as new uses of technology come up. It's how we learn to adapt to survive and create the culture we live in.
Although I can see how sites like Facebook with its constant stream of updates, new pictures, notes, and wall posts can shorten one's attention span, I would not think that permitted use of Facebook in moderation would lead to any kind of significant biological deficit. Additionally, one psychologist mentions that children should not be permitted to use computer games until about age 7. Personally, I don't find a problem with this as long as it is kept in moderation. Video games have been out for decades now, and I can remember playing my first video game around age 6 or so. Although these scientists are emphasizing the potential negative consequences of a society that increasingly relies on digital and computer-based system, that does not mean that there are other strategies being thought up to counter these "harmful effects."
For instance, although an increasing rate of people are playing video games, there are also companies out there creating educational video games. Increased use of such technology (video games, social networking sites) does not necessarily mean that future generations would be all be self-centered or socially inept. Like everything else, doing something in excess will mostly likely lead to negative consequences. However, I believe it is inevitable that society will continue to be hard-wired to think differently than older generations as new uses of technology come up. It's how we learn to adapt to survive and create the culture we live in.
Single Awareness on Twitter
Reboundfinder searches twitter for twits that have anounced that they have been dumped (sudden unilateral separation, to be more precise) by their significant other. Then followers of this bot can discover the newly broken-hearted.
From the name of the bot, it seems that its target audience is singles looking for new singles to date. For its followers, it might be advantageous of them to prey on someone on the "rebound"; to experience the benefits of a romantic relationship and dodge the negative parts. It somewhat quickens the life-course of post-breakup, as the time to reflect on past relationships disappears since the person will be offered many blind dates after such an announcement.
Another use for this could be finding others and forming a synchronic community to cope with breakup.
From the name of the bot, it seems that its target audience is singles looking for new singles to date. For its followers, it might be advantageous of them to prey on someone on the "rebound"; to experience the benefits of a romantic relationship and dodge the negative parts. It somewhat quickens the life-course of post-breakup, as the time to reflect on past relationships disappears since the person will be offered many blind dates after such an announcement.
Another use for this could be finding others and forming a synchronic community to cope with breakup.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Personality and the use of facebook
While i was doing research for my group paper I came across this article that briefly discusses the influence of ones personality on the way they use facebook. I found this extremely interesting that research has actually been done on this. I know there are a few groups doing their papers on facebook so i thought it would be useful to post it. But just to briefly summarize it, extroverted people self disclose and communicate more frequently on facebook. In addition, introverted people use facebook to compensate for their lack of social skills which resulted in more online based friendships.
For Seals On Facebook, 'It's Complicated'
Just heard this on NPR:
A group of marine biologists created Facebook accounts for elephant seal they are tracking. Interestingly, they have a tough time translating the seals' mating relationships to their human facebook friends.
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