Final Blog Post

     I am often astounded at just how reliant on technology our world has become. Without it a majority of us wouldn't even know how to get in contact with people, or how to find the answers to our burning questions. I personally have a very love-hate relationship with the internet and social media. On one hand, I see the benefits of having a world of knowledge at your fingertips and the conveniency of messaging people, researching information, and shopping. On the other hand, I think technology has made relationships shallower, caused people's self-esteem and mental health to diminish, and has hindered people from wanting to truly live in the moment. 

    One of my biggest problems with the internet and technology is that everything is tracked and your online footprint can't be erased. The lesson we had in class about how Google and Facebook can track you even when you're not using their services made me very uncomfortable. The lack of privacy seems to go against the freedom and ideals our country seems to fight so hard to maintain. I also dislike the fact that nothing you do on the internet can truly be erased. Yes, you can delete posts or your browser history, but it's never fully gone. I know people who have made mistakes in the past and have posted or looked up things that they are not proud of. Even though they may have changed their character and are no longer the same person who made those mistakes with technology in the past, the internet doesn't see it that way and will always have their past there to haunt them. Unfortunately, the consequences of this could lead to them not getting jobs. I personally have never posted something I would be reluctant about an employer seeing, but that doesn't mean I want random people behind a screen working for big corporations or the government seeing everything I have ever posted or looked up on the internet. I think that that is private information that shouldn't be shared. I think it's especially creepy that search engines seem to know what I'm going to ask before I even type it or that I get ads for things I was just talking about with a friend. 

    Another problem I have witnessed specifically with social media is a sense of false intimacy. Social media has a way of making everyone feel very connected and as if everyone knows what everyone else is up to. This can make people feel like they are good friends when they actually have no idea what the person is actually dealing with. I recently deleted my main Instagram because I was sick of spending so much time looking at images that I knew didn't accurately depict people's lives. I was never one to post a lot so I got really tired of people saying "what's up with you? I feel like I never know what's going on with you because you never post," yet they never actually bothered to reach out or call to see what I was up to. Deleting my main Instagram has actually been one of the best decisions I've made and I feel like I'm able to live so much more in the present and have deeper relationships with my friends. 

    The false images people create on social media also upsets me. So many people I know use photoshop apps and filters to make themselves look like what society idealizes beauty to be and they go to cool locations to take pictures but never actually take the time to explore or be in the moment with the people there with them. A lot of those people I know who do that have a lot of personal struggles and mental health issues, but the way their Instagram feed looks would make you think they were always out there living their best lives. While they are internally struggling, the picture- perfect images they post causes other people to compare themselves and become more depressed. I think it's devastating that this issue with social media has caused so many teens in particular to deal with depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and suicide. 

    Another reason I really don't like a lot of social media is because of the bullying. Especially this summer with all of the Covid-19 and BLM things happening, I saw so many people say that if people didn't think the exact same way as them then they said they didn't want to be friends on social media or in real life anymore. A lot of people were even called evil and horrible people if they didn't support the BLM movement or follow every single Covid guideline without even being willing to hear others out and understand why they might have different views. When someone who disagreed with the movements tried to respectfully state their views, they would be "cancelled" and sometimes even silenced by corporations such as Twitter and Instagram. Not only does that go against people's right to free speech, but it also made a lot of people feel scared to speak up or feel like they had a valid opinion. This really upset me and was one of the reasons I thought social media was getting so ridiculous that I deleted it. 

    While a lot of my thoughts on social media are negative, I think that it can also be used for good. I personally really like Snapchat because it seems more casual and personal. I use the app a lot to communicate with friends while I'm away at school and I also like saving my photos there because it takes up less storage space then just saving it to my camera roll. In high school, I used to make a little show every week on my Snapchat called "Avarazzi" where I would go around interviewing friends on fun and relevant topics. This was a really fun way to use social media that brought people at school together and allowed people to freely express their opinion on whatever topic was being discussed. Other social media like Linkedin can be great for getting jobs and Facebook can be good to see what family and friends are up to. 

    Just like with every new technology, there are good ways to use it and there are bad ways to use it. I think that it's important to find a balance and realize when it's good to use and when time is better spent doing other things. I really hope that my generation can be the one to come together and make the good aspects of the internet and social media even better while also working to put an end to the negative aspects. God willing in the future we will see a resurgence of people valuing personal human relationships and caring less about how people who don't truly care about them view their lives on the internet. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/mental-health/social-media-linked-rise-mental-health-disorders-teens-survey-finds-n982526

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=192&v=5DU1B_XkyIk&feature=emb_title

https://www.insider.com/how-social-media-affects-relationships

Post 10: Mainstream Media EOTO

 Mass communication has been around since ancient times and can be traced back as far as 3300 B.C., when Egyptians created hieroglyphics and produced murals, statues, and carvings. This form of communication continued evolving throughout ancient times with kings patronizing writers to write books and dramas. The creation of the alphabet with consonants by the Semites in 1500 B.C followed by the creation of the alphabet with vowels by the Greeks in 800 B.C was a catalyst for news, thoughts, stories, and ideas to be spread. 

Mass communication really took off in 1400 A.D when Johannes Gutenberg, who was a German goldsmith, invented the printing press. This invention allowed books to be printed in large quantities and shared with the masses for reasonable prices. In 1600 A.D the newspaper was developed, but it took a century for this form of mass communication to become an influential form of communication to the masses. 

While forms of mass communication have been around since ancient time periods and developed over time, the term mainstream media didn't enter the scene until the term was "strategically promoted" by Richard Nixon when he was President of the United States in 1969. 

Nowadays mainstream media consists of television, print, radio, and internet sources that provide news and information to large groups of people. Most mainstream media in the United States are owned and operated by a few conglomerates such as CBS, News Corps, Time Warner, and Disney. Since a majority of Americans own televisions and electronic devices like computers and smartphones it is easier now than ever before for mainstream media to reach large audiences. What makes mainstream media different than other media is that it is traditional broadcasting and or a print model of disseminating information and entertainment typically catered towards mass markets that has developed overtime into being leftward leaning in its political stance rather than sources that people self-select to cater to and curate their sources based on their interests and political views. With mainstream media there are select gatekeepers who decide what news and information you need to know whereas other media typically offer more transparency. These days mainstream media is commonly referred to as legacy media, and many people predict that the current media formats used today is on a decline and will be replaced with new media formats within the next decade. 

 A positive impact of mainstream media is that with the click of a button, people can become informed on local, national, and international current affairs. Mainstream media can also provide entertainment and be a relaxing pastime for viewers. Mainstream media can also share heartfelt and inspiring stories and information that can be very motivating and encouraging to viewers. Lastly, mainstream media can be a very good platform for advertising agencies promote products on. Since mainstream media has a large audience, advertising on these platforms can bring in a lot of revenue which helps individual workers and the economy.

A negative impact of mainstream media is that most media has a very biased political stance, so information and news can be manipulated and portrayed in an unfair way. For this reason, it is hard to know if mainstream media sources are being completely transparent and honest with the information and news they share. Mainstream media can also cause division between political parties and pin one party against the other. It is also hard for conservatives to consume content from mainstream media without hearing it from a liberal standpoint since even the media that claims to be conservative such as Fox tends to lean left. Lastly, the mainstream media can have a negative effect on elections by presenting opinions and predictions as if they were facts. For instance, mainstream media has announced that Joe Biden has been declared the next President of the United States when the electoral college hasn't actually announced that he is officially the winner. This causes misinformation to be spread to the masses and soon people take the media's opinions and make them truths. 

Mass communication has evolved so much overtime, and I think it is interesting to see how this evolution has lead to what the mainstream media is today. While the system has many flaws, it is amazing that people can be informed about the news and find entertainment at the touch of a button. 

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/the-end-of-legacy-media-newspapers-magazines-books-tv-networks/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1461670022000019209

https://myessaypoint.com/positive-negative-impact-media

https://simpleask.net/mainstream-media-manipulation-and-its-effects/

https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-mainstream-media.htm

https://entertainism.com/history-of-mass-media

https://www.cjr.org/special_report/the-fall-rise-and-fall-of-media-trust.php

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/mainstream-vs-alternative-media-21113.html

https://nightguysnetwork.com/mainstream-media/

Post 9: Privacy in the Digital Age

     I've always been aware of the government and search engines storing some information about people's online footprint but I didn't know the extreme to which they go to have surveillance and information on people until this past class. 

    Since discussing Facebook and Google's invasion of privacy in particular, I have begun to feel very uncomfortable using these platforms. In fact, as soon as the class was over, I added a more private search engine called DuckDuckGo on my laptop so that Google can't track all of my searches. I am very uncomfortable with the idea that my whole online footprint can be stored and surveyed. Not only do I think that it's a horrible invasion of privacy, but I also think that it's easy for people to make assumptions about you based on your online footprint that might not be an accurate representation of who you really are. 

I was especially shocked when I watched a Ted talk about how phones have been created for surveillance, so it is easy for governments, hackers, and other people who have no business listening to your calls and reading your texts to intercept your communication and calls with others. This makes me feel like I have to be extremely cautious about what I type and say because it could so easily be taken out of context and used against me. Overall, this situation makes me feel very violated and vulnerable. I'm mad that so many people and organizations think it's acceptable to listen in on people's conversations and keep tabs on everything they do on the internet.

    I am especially upset by the fact that this happens so much in America where freedom and privacy are seemingly promoted. The whole concept seems very hypocritical and goes against what we are supposed to stand for as a country. After learning about the lack of privacy online and from using technology, I am going to take as many precautions as possible to limit the amount of information that can be stored about me. In this day and age it is impossible to try to get along without using a phone or laptop, but I am going to stop these organizations from taking as much privacy away from me as possible.

https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_soghoian_how_to_avoid_surveillance_with_the_phone_in_your_pocket#t-6440

https://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_your_online_life_permanent_as_a_tattoo

Post 8: Roger's Diffusion of Innovations Theory Applied to Netflix

     

       

    Roger's Diffusion of Innovations theory can track innovations from their earliest stages of adoption to it's height of popularity and then their decline. This theory can be applied to the adoption and rise of Netflix throughout the years. In 1997, Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings pioneered Netflix as a solution to the high late rental fees at Blockbuster. Early adopters patronized Netflix in 1998 when it was a website selling and renting DVDs. Between 1999 and 2002 the early majority started using Netflix because there was a monthly subscription service and a recommendations system which used ratings to introduce new shows and movies to people based on their preferences. In addition, the company went public during this time which helped them to steadily gain followers. By 2013 late adopters began using Netflix when the streaming service began producing their own original content. Since these shows and movies could only be watched on Netflix, late adopters joined so that they could watch the exclusive content. By 2018 Netflix began its maturation stage with a slight decline due to the popularity of other streaming services such as Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime. The slight decline can also be attributed to the loss of many fan favorite shows and movies in order to make room for more of Netflix's original content. While the popularity of Netflix has decreased a bit, the company is yet to reach a state of saturation. An estimated 28% of American adults have a Netflix account which means that in the US alone there are still 60 million subscribers. While Netflix hasn't penetrated to 85% of the US population as Roger's Diffusion of Innovations theory suggests, there is still a significant amount of people championing the streaming service. I think it will take at least another decade before Netflix might see a saturation period. As a result of Covid-19 and months of quarantining inside the house, there has been an resurgence in using streaming services such as Netflix. It is very interesting to see how the company has changed from its early beginnings and how many people have bought subscriptions to it over the years. Over the years, Netflix has changed the way people access entertainment and consume content. 

http://www.edinboronow.com/article/netflix-the-good-the-bad-the-addictive

https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=12&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=11&docId=GALE%7CA461002064&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZEAI-MOD1&prodId=GPS&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CA461002064&searchId=R2&userGroupName=hpu_main&inPS=true

https://www.thestreet.com/technology/history-of-netflix-15091518

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/553418/summary

https://search.proquest.com/central/docview/2290497056/257EFEFA66064A6FPQ/3?accountid=11411

https://medium.com/@10805833/netflix-and-its-impact-on-society-8357bcb96a22

https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/02/19/what-is-the-netflix-effect/#27e6da315640

https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2019/07/netflix-atttributes-declining-subscriptions-to-its-content-slate

https://marketrealist.com/2019/09/an-overview-of-the-streaming-services-industry/

https://www.investors.com/news/technology/click/netflix-batting-average-for-quality-original-shows-declining/

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/netflix-statistics-facts-figures/

Post 7: Learning About the Printing Press

    I learned interesting facts about many different technologies from listening to presentations, but I was most fascinated by what I learned about the printing press. The first interesting fact I learned is that Johannes Gutenberg created a specific metal that was durable enough to not be crushed when pressed down in the printing press. I've always attributed Gutenberg with inventing the printing press, but I was not aware that he actually created a specific metal for his invention. I think that it was so innovative for his time to work with metal to make a product that would be more durable and long-lasting. 

    Another fact I learned about the printing press that was interesting is how it made an impact on the spread of education. As a result of the printing press being invented, knowledge became much more affordable, because books and information could be typed using the machine. This makes me wonder if we would be as educated and advanced in our knowledge today if the printing press had taken longer to be invented. 

The fact I found most interesting about the printing press is the impact it had on the progression of the Renaissance, the Reformation of the Catholic church, and the Scientific Revolution. So many important events, discoveries, doctrines, and changes came from these three movements, so I think it's fascinating to consider what type of impact these movements could've made without the printing press and whether or not the impact would have been as widespread. 

Lastly, I thought it was really cool to learn that Albert Einstein said that if the printing press wasn't created then the reformed church wouldn't have split and prompted the pilgrims to come to America. It's crazy for me to think that if it weren't for the printing press then I might not be here in the United States right now. 

I am so glad I learned such interesting facts about the printing press from the class presentations. It's amazing to see how big of an impact this invention has made throughout history. If it weren't for the printing press the world may be very different than how we experience it today. 

 

https://www.history.com/news/printing-press-renaissance

Post 6: The History of Netflix and It's Positive and Negative Impact on Society

                                                                            History:

Today the word Netflix is synonymous with the words “entertainment” and “television;” However, it took a long time for Netflix to become what it is known as today. In 1997 Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph were in Santa Cruz, California trying to invent “the next big thing” that could be their own “Amazon.com.” Hasting claims that the idea for Netflix was inspired by his “frustration over the $40 late fee charged by Blockbuster for his return of ‘Apollo 13.” Determined to come up with a solution, Hastings and Randolph got to work and eventually developed the idea the run a business where people could buy and rent DVDs online and have them delivered by mail. In 1998 Netflix was up and running as a website to sell and rent DVDs and in 1999 the company added a subscription service which allowed customers to rent unlimited amounts of DVDs at a monthly rate. Then, in 2000, Netflix also added a recommendations system which used ratings to predict other shows and movies that customers would enjoy watching. In 2002 Netflix went public and steadily grew in followers. It wasn’t until 2007 that Netflix really changed the game when they introduced their streaming service which let members watch content instantly without commercials. In 2009, Netflix started partnering with electronic companies to get their platform on gaming consoles and smart TVs and by 2012 they had obtained access to Europe. By 2013 Netflix completely changed the game again when they released their own content with programs such as "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." By 2016 Netflix was available worldwide and they continued creating successful original content. 

                                                                       Positive Effects:

Netflix has positively impacted the entertainment industry by changing the way consumers view content. Before Netflix, consumers had to go to the movie theaters, rent VHS or DVDs, or watch whatever was playing on live TV. Once Netflix came along, consumers were able to watch whatever they wanted without having to sit through commercials or go out to see or rent whatever they wanted to watch. Netflix also helped consumers to save money by getting rid of expensive cable plans and only using streaming services. The company has also helped consumers to discover new content they love using their recommendations system which uses an AI-powered algorithm to create personal recommendations based off of what people enjoy watching. In addition, Netflix impacted the entertainment industry by influencing the creation of other video streaming Platforms such as Disney Plus and Hulu which creates jobs and helps the economy. Lastly, watching Netflix has become a great way for hard working students and adults to relax and take a mental break.

                                                                       Negative Effects:

Unfortunately, there are many negative effects that go along with the positive effects of Netflix. The ability to stream entire seasons of shows at once has led to the “Netflix Effect” which causes people to lose track of time and spend all day in front of the television binge watching shows. As a result, student’s grades are dropping, they are showing up late to class and work, and they are gaining weight by not going outside and performing enough physical activity. Watching too much Netflix can also cause people to procrastinate on important projects and leave assignments until the last minute. Another problem is that the electronic blue light from screens is messing up people’s sleep patterns when watching Netflix, because the light stimulates the brain to be alert, so people stay up watching Netflix much longer than they should. Lastly, watching excessive amounts of Netflix is causing the brain to get bored. Overtime this can lead to the brain not functioning as well and an increase in complacency. 

 

                                                                           Conclusion:

It is very interesting to watch the evolution of Netflix from an online DVD delivery platform to the corporate steaming service monster it is today. Netflix is used by so many millions of people around the world that it seems as though everyone is choosing to watch Netflix as their favorite pastime. While many good things have come from Netflix such as saving people money by getting rid of cable and acting as a way to relax and escape stress in life for a little bit, it has also led to a lot of negative effects, especially on people’s health. Just like with most technology, I think it’s important to find a healthy balance when using the addictive but entertaining streaming platform. I always try to remember to use all good things in proportion so that I don’t turn something good into something that will have greater negative consequences. 

References: 

http://www.edinboronow.com/article/netflix-the-good-the-bad-the-addictive

https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&hitCount=12&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=11&docId=GALE%7CA461002064&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZEAI-MOD1&prodId=GPS&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CA461002064&searchId=R2&userGroupName=hpu_main&inPS=true

https://www.thestreet.com/technology/history-of-netflix-15091518

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/553418/summary

https://search.proquest.com/central/docview/2290497056/257EFEFA66064A6FPQ/3?accountid=11411

https://medium.com/@10805833/netflix-and-its-impact-on-society-8357bcb96a22

https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/02/19/what-is-the-netflix-effect/#27e6da315640

Post 5: The Eight Values of Free Expression

     Each of the eight speech theories which promote freedom of expression hold great significance to American citizens. Every one of the theories guarantees American's the right to speak and express their point of view without fear of being punished. These free speech promoting theories are part of what make America different than many other countries where citizens are forced to say what government rulers force them to. 

    Among the eight theories, I would personally say that the fourth theory, which is the Individual Self-Fulfillment theory, is currently the most important. The Individual Self-Fulfillment theory, "enables individuals to express themselves and thereby create their own identity-and, in the process perhaps, find kindred spirits. Freedom of speech thus becomes an aspect of human dignity, human agency and autonomy. This theory is important, because it allows people to freely express their point of views and beliefs even if they are not the popular ways of thinking in society. Doing this allows people to fully be themselves in their expression and thinking and to find other people they can share their opinions with. Even if the majority of people thinking someone is insane for thinking differently than them, this theory assures citizens that their human dignity will not be seen as less than or inferior to others whose beliefs are contradictory. 

 Right now, in America, we are living in a world of cancel culture where if someone says one thing that the media doesn't agree with they are maliciously shamed on Twitter and other platforms for their unpopular views. While the government doesn't punish people for saying something that could be seen as offensive or against what the media promotes, private companies such as Twitter will block users and delete their public tweets if they don't like what they're saying. This is a tough situation because Twitter is a private company, but tweeting and sending messages on other social media platforms is the most convenient way to express opinions to the public. When Twitter blocks users and deletes their posts, they are essentially silencing the person and not granting them the same right to freely express their opinions as other users are granted to. Cancel culture has started a movement where it is perfectly acceptable to mute people you don't agree with and attack their human dignity as if it depended on their opinion on certain issues. 

        The reason the Individual Self-Fulfillment theory is especially important right now is because we are living in a time where it is becoming acceptable to condemn and "cancel" people who are exercising their right to speak freely about their opinions. With so many controversial issues currently transpiring in the United States it is particularly important during this time to allow people with all different views to voice their opinions so that healthy conversation can occur and people can better understand what to think about these issues. If the Individual Self-Fulfillment theory was taken away then I think a lot of discrimination would happen among people with opposing viewpoints. I believe it's very important to continue allowing every citizen to express their views freely so that that can unashamedly convey who they are in their entirety and easily find other people who think similarly and will support them. If people aren't able to truly express how they feel and what they think, then a piece of their individuality and humanity is taken away and valuable dialogue among people of various viewpoints is lost.     

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/07/17/has-twitters-cancel-culture-gone-too-far/5445804002/

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54374824