Lecture 3 - Creating ourselves - 21.1.13

CREATING OURSELVES

Creating a facebook account - Social networking. 

Creating an Identity?

IDENTITY:

• The way in which the self is viewed in the community. 
• May have tangible/intangible qualiities.

@ KINDS OF DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY:

• Disrupts the basic forms of technology - for ex , thumb drive replaced the floppy disk
• Technology that changes the status quo - cell phone (disrupts our daily routine by creating more demand)
• Technology creates a market, a necessity that does not exist, and fulfills it itself.

HOW IS IDENTITY SHAPED BY TECHNOLOGY?

1. Disintegration of communal activity:

Enjoyment of music and games - gadgets are improved to do this. But we do not wonder about the change in community.

1950's - Music was a communal activity - concerts, occasion. Digital technology has completely changed this concept now. Same with the function of games. Earlier people has the culture of sitting down with family and play board games - commitment of time. In the digital world, games are played using applications on technology. This can isolate someone even in a crowd. This requires minimal thought and fills small spaces of time. 

2. Image as Identity:

Valerie Lukyanova - She went through a couple of surgeries to make herself look like Barbie.

3. Issues of Anonymity:

Being identity-less

One can freely express views/opinions on social networking sites

4. Alternate modes of communication:

Language is a part of person's identity

Acronyms reflect internet culture - wtf, omg, lol and so on..

Value placed on efficiency rather than quality.

Nothing is really private on the internet.

We don't have the ability to communicate with strangers face to face but we can do it via the internet.

5. Mediated perception of space and time:

The way in which we work and play, we use our time has all been altered.

6. Human as cyborg:

Pop culture

Cyborg is someone who interacts with technology.

Mechanical Technology - is a physical extension of us that helps us the move faster between two destinations.

Digital Technology - cyber / mental extension of technology.

Its a part of our routine and we don't realise it.

6. Technology as status symbol:

Society has created its own demands for cell phones.

Technology has the ability to become makers of class, gender, age and culture.