While this article was a little difficult for me to understand, I feel that the main point of it was the idea that new media (e.g. writing, technology, etc.) expands human consciousness. Media gives us the capability to not only understand and gain more knowledge, but also to leave that knowledge in places for others to partake of, such as with books, the Internet, and so forth. From my experience, I think this is true. It makes me think of how I can easily pick up on and keep track of the multiple subplots in a new film while my mom struggles to keep up (don't get me started on my grandma).
Even between just one generation, the ability to understand media has grown. The same is true for what we see on the Internet; people's ability to keep up with multiple sources, such as with social media, grows through their exposure to it. That, I would say, is why we see such computer illiteracy among older generations; refusal to take part in new technologies limits their consciousness, and thus their understanding, from expanding into knowledge. It doesn't make sense because they actually won't allow it to.
I agree with you that new media allows us to build upon previous work from other people. Students can easily find scholarly articles to support research. People can also give feedback, instantly, after someone posts information. I'm not sure about people expanding their consciousness more so than other generations, but new media has allowed people convenient access to resources. The problem with new media is organizing and sifting through the mounds of information and deciding what is credible.
ReplyDeleteI agree that refusal to adapt to new media can inhibit older generations from being able to network and stay on top of the influx of new technology. However, my grandpa is more Photoshop savvy than I am. He can navigate new programs and applications because his job led him to use through new media by necessity. I am on board with the idea that exposure to new technology helps.
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ReplyDeleteHi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post. With the myriad of possibilities technology brings along for development, nobody knows where the next digital explosion will lead us. Reid's point about the caveman and his tools indicates much of human cognition, desire to communicate, and so on remain the same. What really changed then and now are the tools that have been used to deliver messages and shape our thinking. How interesting!
Keep up the good work,
Dr. B
All responses recorded. ~Dr. B (sgd)
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