Repost This As Your Status If…

Earlier in the week, we had a speaker to discuss social activism using social media. As she stated, it is no longer possible to engage in social activism without social media, but the format of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. has changed the rules. Through both anonymity and fame, awareness and action, social media empowers individuals and inspires them to make some real changes and contributions to our world.

Empowerment of the group to make real social impacts relies on many aspects of social media that have never been seen before. One benefit that social media gives to activism is that the Internet and texting redefine location. Now, acquaintances from all over the globe can be present at a single event with the click of a button, making organization easier than ever. Easy feedback and suggestions in the form of instant comments and responses also make planning easier, because leaders and organizers can get help from their followers at a moment’s notice.

The anonymity of the Internet also empowers the individual to make bold choices in a nameless, faceless way that avoids judgment or disapproval. On the opposite side of the spectrum, celebrities can help causes by promoting them online to their Twitter followers and Facebook fans. Celebrities have also started coming straight from the Internet itself, often stemming from YouTube and MySpace videos.

Unfortunately, networking media doesn’t have the same format as past social activist organizations. Social activist movements, like in the Civil Rights Movement, involves centralized, organized groups of closely bonded people. Social networking involves democratic, loosely connected people from around the world. How do these groups combine?

The loose but vast bonds of networks can spread awareness faster than a small but close-knit group of people. Reposting Facebook statuses, or starting a trend of making inspirational videos goes along many different paths every day, all with the touch of a mouse. Personal connections to causes make followers all the more sympathetic, and it will become an increasingly smaller world, thanks to social media.

Real activism involves risk, danger, and full commitment to a cause. Liking a Facebook status spreads awareness, but doesn’t directly affect the situation. In order to have a positive impact in activism, that awareness needs to turn into action that directly affects the circumstances. Online awareness is a starting point, but not an end product.

Privacy Settings

Previously this week we had a speaker to discuss privacy and social networking online, especially through a site like Facebook. We discussed the nuances of friending teachers and authority figures, keeping personal and public lives separate, and maintaining privacy with an online presence.

Peer pressure takes a new form online, with pressure to post new statuses with every new thought or activity. “Eating a snack” or “loved ‘Inception!'” are common posts, and as everyone is omnipresent, comments and likes are instantaneous. The amount of feedback for even the smallest statements creates the idea that everyone’s voice is equally important and that every minute piece of information is valuable, when in fact, some posts are unnecessarily obscure or mundane.

With the shadow of college admissions looming overhead and teachers as friends, privacy becomes an even bigger issue. Each post about incomplete homework assignment and photo of underage drinking creates a public image that isn’t very school-friendly. College admission officers may look at profiles of prospective students, provided they are public, and develop a distasteful opinion of his or her personal habits. Teachers may have too much information about their students’ lives outside of school.

Privacy also becomes an issue when private parties, gatherings, or events gets splashed publicly in terms of photos and videos via Facebook and YouTube, leaving many unhappy uninvited friends and one host to deal with the backlash. Now that there are cameras everywhere with ubiquitous cell phones, is it socially unacceptable to be exclusive?

As digital immigrants to a culture pervaded by social media, we can only learn to adapt quickly and learn things as they come. But what about future generations? They will be born into a world of Twitter and Tumblr, taking these social media for granted. They will learn to use these tools from an early age, and it will be interesting to see what ensues.

Photo Philosophy

Previously this week, we had a speaker about ethics, in context with journalism and photography. Our speaker defined ethics as “obedience to the unnoticeable,” i.e. “doing the right thing when no one is watching.” Ethics is not a study of right vs. wrong, but instead, right vs. right, where there are conflicts of interests and priorities. Sometimes the ends justify the means (ends-based reasoning); sometimes overall principles govern behavior (rule-based reasoning); and sometimes the Golden rule and sensitivity guide solutions (care-based reasoning).

We talked about specific photos in newspapers that became regional, national, and international controversies and the pros and cons for or against printing these photos. Many photos come from wartime or crises, and often involve both specific people and their families as well as greater problems in the immediate community and the society as a whole. Many of these photos have become iconic American images and represent more than their subjects.

Arguments for printing these photos are based on attitudes toward the readers, stockholders, and the society as a whole. Newspapers have an obligation to report the truth, and graphic images will draw readers toward an important story that affects the community, whether it be tragic or joyful or informative. Many of these inspiring photos of war heroes, active citizens, and change-makers represent the image of our country as a whole, which may outweigh any individual pain or distress the pictures may cause. To sell papers in order to maintain stockholders, some papers need to print eye-catching photos. In terms of progress, newspapers that publish photos that expose corruptions in society will inspire readers to take actions for positive change.

Arguments against printing these photos are also based on attitudes toward the readers, stockholder and society, but the same attitudes can leave to different solutions. For example, photos that cause serious harm or mental distress to specific subjects, such as the family of people in the photo. Incredibly disturbing or insulting photos can also be seen by children who arguably should not be exposed to violence or destruction or war.

When deciding whether or not we as a class would have published various iconic photos, we were often divided. Each possible outcome, such as disturbing a family, led to both reasoning for and against publication. We discovered that, though newspapers are printed in black and white, the decisions always involve more gray areas in terms of ethics.

Pins and Needles

Previously this week we had a guest speaker talk to us about community. Among the topics of discussions were Adam Smith’s and Karl Marx’s texts, estrangement, alienation, society, and the balance between social activity and labor.

We prefaced the class by reading texts by Adam Smith and Karl Marx, disguised as other authors so as to not bring in preconceptions. (For a brief glimpse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Smith and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx) These texts dealt with the division of labor and labor’s role in society. The division of labor is more prominent in a small business or group, because every task is vital to the whole production. For example, in a pin factory, every worker is crucial to the making of a pin, but in a large corporate office, one out of one thousand secretaries is not crucial to the operation.

We also discussed the alienation between labor and the laborer. After a certain point, the worker’s work is not related to the worker himself. That is to say, the effort that he puts into his job and he himself are not connected. His work is also not related to the end product, or as one of my classmates put it “the ends are separated from the means.” The pins are not in the same set as the process of making pins, and the pin maker is not in the same set as the process which he utilizes.

We then viewed clips from the Disney Pixar film Wall-E (for a brief glimpse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall-e). Warning: spoilers alert. In the film, humans have left the planet Earth, as it has become toxic and overflows with trash. Robots and hover-chairs make exercise and physical exertion unnecessary for human beings, and menial tasks and labor have become obsolete, thanks to technology. Food is served in a cup, and is far from its original concept. This estrangement from the basic human activity, like walking, as well as social behavior, like physical contact and dancing, has sprouted from a world that is a scarily possible future for our society as it is.

New technology, such as email, IMs and text messages eliminate a lot of face-to-face interaction that is vital for human beings. As we increase the time spent “talking” to each other over keyboards and screens, we decrease the time spent actually partaking in social behavior, such as hoedowns. Other pieces of our lives, especially as students, also estrange us from the discovery and innovation that sets humans apart from animals. For example, homework that categorizes as “busy work” removes itself from the actual learning of concepts and materials, and instead spoon feeds tried-and-true answers.

Ironically, this blog is estranging you readers from the actual source, as we are not in personal contact, and I am not spreading messages to you through word-of-mouth, but instead word-of-hand over a keyboard across cyberspace.

txtmelol:)

Today we had a speaker come discuss cell phones and texting with us. We prefaced the class by sending a text survey to all of our contacts within our age range: “Do you prefer text messages or phone calls? Why?” This text survey sparked a number of interesting answers, including many confused or defensive replies, as well as thoughtful and unpredictable answers.

Topics of discussion included: efficiency, anonymity, dependency, and nuances of phone conversations vs. text conversations.

Cell phones have dramatically increased the efficiency of our society. Everyone everywhere is reachable and no minute is wasted losing contact with anyone. Information is passed within seconds, and errors are corrected shortly after. There are no delays in responses that are not deliberate. The responses themselves also take on a new form, especially in text conversations.

Not only does technology make communication easier, it breaks it easier as well. Offering the cold shoulder now includes leaving text messages unanswered, and delaying email responses. Venting to a keyboard is easier on the vocal cords than venting in person, and the response can be perfectly crafted. Going to the extreme is deleting a friend on Facebook or blocking them on Skype. Text conversations, like IMs and emails, are faceless, and many people who have issues with confrontations prefer to deal with social predicaments via technology, as it is less intimidating.

This new mode of dealing with fights is just one example of the new social etiquette associated with texting. Texting in class is acceptable in some classes and unacceptable in others, but the line is very fine. In response to the text survey, many said that they like text messages for the convenience of texting in class, whereas phone calls are harder to hide. Texting is a boredom is a great motivator in texting, and because everyone has their phones on them constantly, quick responses are expected, even when in class. This also creates a sort of obligation to check and respond to every text message, and many people feel anxiety when they leave a ring unanswered or delay a response.

With phone calls, there are also different rules. The newest change in technology is caller identification, and it poses a new way of answering a phone. Is it odd to greet someone, before they acknowledge who they are, because caller ID can tell? And is it impolite to let a phone call go, especially if the caller ID acknowledges the caller, in the interest of time constraints? In response to the text survey, many people either shared that they like make phone calls for long personal conversations, or that they use phone calls for immediate, specific answers.

Smartphones like the iPhone or Blackberry also have the power to connect to email, Facebook, Twitter, and other networking applications. This links people even more to their phone and to their dependency on technology to function normally, because they can update a status, tag a friend, and share  a link all from their pocket.

With so much reliance on cell phones and media, there is reason to be concerned. Are we replacing healthy face-to-face contact with pseudo-frienships based on screens and keyboards? There needs to be a balance between the convenience of reaching out to others via technology and solid physical contact in person to keep our society in check.

Form and Flowers

Yesterday we had a speaker talk to us about the visual elements of composition. We discussed the basics of form, such as lines and shape, as well as design, such as color and harmony. We also viewed many examples of art, by artists ranging from O’Keefe to Hopper to Van Gogh, studying the focal points and the compositions of each painting.

We also talked about framing each subject with variance, by using rectangular, triangular, and circular frames to study the same subject of a sunflower. The same sunflower made various different images based on the framing, lighting and position of reference (e.g. in a vase, lying on a table, etc). Our homework assignment was to compose an image of a sunflower, using mixed media (watercolors, pencils, and watercolor paper).

In terms of media, the visual layout of a logo, blog, or website must also have these aesthetic elements. Focal points in a logo or on a banner help draw the user to the central message of a site, and the color scheme also enhances user satisfaction.

In television or films, the visual composition of each frame is important for the exposition of the plot. Bird’s-eye view, panning, and montage sequences are all perspectives that videographers use as tools in telling their stories.

Special Effects

We had another speaker to discuss the medium of film, both its history and impact on the American culture. Since its creation, the art of cinema has been integral in entertaining and education the American public.

Film began as an experiment with projections and images, and has grown into a highly influential media that opens up discussion about social, political, and cultural issues, all while being accessible to a range of viewers. Film studios previously had production codes that dictated the studios to be politically correct. Now, movies and TV shows cross many borders and be politically incorrect, to expose problems in society. Criticisms of cultures and social customs come in the form of a feature-length motion picture, and somehow viewers can neutralize their strong opinions, because the films that make people think don’t focus on philosophical verbiage but instead, on the human condition, regardless of political viewpoints.

Most notably, war films have played an important role in the course of American history. These exemplify the ability of cinema to make statements about controversies, as war always has its fair share of supporters and condemners. Instead of focusing on the principles or the reasons for the war, war films, or anti-war films, tend to instead focus on the ambiguity of the causes, and the certainty of experiences. Every soldier, no matter what side he is fighting on, is trapped in a terrifying and trying situation. Audiences, whether or not they approve of the war, feels compassion and sympathy for the harsh reality of war life.

The Digital Divide

Today we had a speaker talk to us about the digital divide that is sweeping the globe. We are still divided between the haves and the have-nots, but the chasm is no longer created by the stock market, but instead technology. This problem is not only prevalent in our own country, but across the world.

How many times a day do we log into our WordPresses and Facebooks? Are you constantly refreshing your phone browser for new messages and IMs? Does your phone even have a web browser on it? Do you even have a phone? These little things that seem like daily habits and devices for us are novelties or even unknown to many parts of the world. The truth is, only a small fraction of the population has any access to the Internet at all, and that may not even be cable or broadband access.

We probably don’t think about this, as citizens with access, but some people have to walk to the local library, or Internet café just to check their email. Some families, or even whole communities don’t have cell phones, and they have trouble reaching one another in emergencies or remote locations. Whole countries have sections that are left behind in the wake of this digital revolution, and they don’t have basic capabilities to survive, in terms of water, shelter, health care or education, much less the resources to maintain a proper footing in the stream of digital media.

Even within economically stable communities, physical or mental handicaps hinder the abilities of people to fully access digital media. Digital natives are comfortable with adapting to almost any form of new media that arises, but digital immigrants have difficulties learning new concepts and keeping up with the ever-changing nature of new media phenoms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Also, mental impairments stop some from physically operating technology such as digital cameras, smartphones, webcams, etc.

How do we close this gap? Do we solve other problems of genocide and world hunger before we move onto privileges like blogging and Skype? What does the world look like if everyone had equal access? What would happen then?

Storytelling Speaker

Last Friday we had another guest speaker come to discuss the art of storytelling. Not only did he tell us some of his own personal stories, but in doing so, he revealed to us the elements of any good story.

One element in the story is conflict or tension. Stories are always about something going wrong. There may be different circumstances based on character choices, setting, time period, etc. but stories always have an arc that is centered around a problem. Every good story also has an overarching theme that encompasses the greater community outside the characters in the story. These themes tend to be more abstract, dealing with concepts like curiosity or fear more than concrete elements like mirrors and doors. Of course, using symbolism to link these physical objects to abstract themes is another trick that storytellers use.

After stories are created, they must be told or else they are no longer stories but just memories. There are also pieces involved in the way a story is shared, either orally, as is thought traditional, or some other way. These pieces include sounds, dialects, voices, tone, hand gestures or other visual stimuli, and most of all, suspense. The ways that a story sounds and looks are beneficial to the audience because these elements create a cohesive picture in each audience member’s mind of what the scene looks like and sounds like. Different voices for different characters, music, and sound effects for actions without words are all part of creating that reality. Suspense is, of course, the driving factor of any story. We always want to know what happens next, for if we didn’t, the story would be over.

Though there are many stories that have been created and passed down, they all share in their purposes. As our speaker said, stories are gifts to the audience. Stories serve to teach in an entertaining fashion. Stories pass down ancient wisdom and guide younger generations through new experiences. Stories are invitations to the audience to join the storyteller on a journey, through to a different time and a different place.

Speaker Panel: Website Design

What goes into communications and publications? Businesses like independent schools have a number of groups to keep in contact with: alumni,parents, faculty, students, prospective students, and donors.

Last week we had a panel discussion with the director of communications, the director of technology and the head of the upper school. We discussed the various difficulties that go into creating documents, websites, and logos.

Some obstacles that I had never thought of was matching the school color on every document, or the voice of every article and letter that was sent from the publications office. Each teacher has an inherently different voice and style, but for a professional world, the product must be uniform.

I was surprised to hear how adamant the communications office was with keeping and strengthening alumni connections. The personal account features of the school website were originally designed with former, not current, students in mind. Though alumni generally become benefactors of the school after reaching a reasonable level of success, the business end often overshadows the educational end, with students that strive to learn and gather life skills.

Points that we, as students, brought up were focus groups, and functionality. Previously, students have not been consulted in the design or the testing of the website, and thus, the user-friendly aspect of the website leaves room for improvement. Similarly, because the main pages of the website are geared towards prospective students, low utility sends current students to other sites like Facebook and Twitter to connect with each other, even on school things.

The website is clearly a work in progress, and I look forward to experimenting with the new features that were added this year.