Final Reflections

Self-Directed Learning
When it comes to self-directed learning, I really tried to study what was interesting to me. If a subject ever caught my attention, I would usually sit down, research it for a bit, and then post a blog full of curated bits of information. Aftera question on Google+ about cyber bullying, I gave my own two cents in this post about the tragedies of cyber bullying and how hard it is to control. It's been a subject of interest for years--for no personal reason--but I was glad for the excuse to sit down and give a well-researched opinion on a very touchy subject. Another well-curated post was after the class digital fast. I gathered all the final opinions of class mates and matched them with my own research from various sources and finished with my own opinion on the digital age and all its implications. I also posted on how media has changed media--that is, more specifically, how the film world has changed in the digital age. This was a more personal-opinion based post, but I found real examples and made sure to tie it together with a current article on changes. And when I started wondering about the cons of the digital culture as I read Jurassic Park, I found a blogger who had many interesting ideas on culture as it is now. So I wrote about what I thought, both what I agreed and what I didn't agree with.

With all of my blog posts, I have tried to make them relevant to what was being discussed, either trending in the news or in class. Most of them were inspired by something I read or saw outside of class and allowed me to vocalize opinions that didn't always get heard in class. I spent so much time crafting these blogs, not only when it came to writing them, but also with the curating of relevant information and finding valid sources to back up my claims.   

On Google+, I made sure to post things in the same vein--that is, about things relevant to trending topics around the web. More than that, I would force myself to recognize moments of interest for me and then expound on them on Google+. This allowed me to say a little but still get feedback. I would find and share articles, tag and discuss items with classmates, comment and read others posts, etc. I went out of my way to stay involved in the class circle and I went even more out of my way, sometimes, to find things of interest to post. But soon it became natural: I would just be going about my day and just naturally make connections between every day events and thoughts and the digital world. Those are things i would share as well--little epiphanies about things learned or finally understood. I (over)shared about my family and how they made me think about digital culture. I got involved in groups and conversations about various things of interest. So much out-of-class time was spent with Google+, either sharing or reading what was already shared. It was a huge part of my learning this semester, and it was all self-directed. I tried my best to post every day but to not make it feel like an assignment. Thus, I made sure each post had something valid to say--either in context to others or to news around the web. I wanted it to be something useful and so I made it useful to my learning. 

Even beyond the assigned quota of blog and Google+ posts, I studied extensively outside of class. I was reading every day in preparation for the course and in consequence of conversations. Mostly I read articles from around the web, especially NYT online. I tried to use twitter and youtube more, seeking out interesting trends and videos respectively. I curated a diigo page, just gathering information--most especially about my thoughts as I read Jurassic Park. While I didn't tag everything I read to it, you can see that I really was thinking about concepts outside of class. 

Perhaps I should have kept a more strict record of everything done, but the most important thing to me was coming to terms with concepts mentioned in class, exploring them further, and searching out more on what interested me. I learned so much and feel so much more confident about navigating this digital age, and much of that is due to the energy I put forth even outside of class in applying and studying what was discussed.

Collaboration
For my group, I tried to make sure we were always working towards achievable goals. Since we started out with such an illustrious vision, I was often making sure we took the small steps necessary to make it happen. I made myself available as much as possible and contributed a lot in group meetings. I gave the presentation at our info session, wrote a blog post for our official launch (interviewing our first bona fide submitter), and created and managed most aspects of the email account and functions for our submissions. I gave a lot of time at each stage of this project and made sure I was there for nearly every meeting. I wanted to be a part of it and vocalized many ideas, concerns, and suggestions in order to help make it its best. 

With other group projects, I was most interested in the Digital Sweet Home. Since it was a subject I often commented on, I made sure to tag the group members in various Google+ posts and wrote a blog post about my sister's use of media. While I didn't contribute directly to their project, I let them know through plus-ing their Google+ posts and commenting on their questions and concerns. 

For the class, while I am one of those quiet students, I listened attentively. I would then try and contribute posts on Google+ relevant to or inspired by the class discussions. As I read various websites and newspapers, I found myself looking out for things not only of interest to me but that I could imagine various class members appreciating. When appropriate, I would tag people specifically either to let them know I thought they might like it or to ask for an opinion on something. And more than just worrying about meeting my post quota for the day, I spent time reading through other people's posts and commenting on their ideas. Thus, I contributed to the class...outside of the class.

The Others
I've really enjoyed watching the Digital Sweet Home people discuss their project. I think it's such an important subject--digital literacy in the home--and they've done a beautiful job with it. Allie Crafton and Audrey Blake were always so energetic about their project and it always motivated me to give more to mine. Plus, they gave me an excuse to write this post and keep talking about things like cyber bullying and how much I love technology (here and here). 

On the same note, the badges groups were interesting to follow. Ellis Dyck, Jessica Lees, and Joshua McKinney did a great job with their presentation on Mormon badges. They really cared about the project and made a valid argument for why everyone else should too. 

As far as the class itself, I think Tara Pina always had something interesting to say. Am I allowed to pick favorites like that? Cuz I sorta just did.

Digital Literacy
This class has forced me to be more digitally savvy. As far as consumption, I started reading and reading more and more articles online, be it through searches or browsing online newspapers. I found myself inhaling news about the digital world and its effect on the history being made right now. The presidential election was especially interesting; I actually followed it, not out of any real passion for either candidate, but just to see what was being said and how and on what site. While this is not at all extensive, I created a Diigo account and tried to tag articles of interest to what I was reading then, which was Jurassic Park. Since I had to share something every day, I found myself reading so much all the time. Even when I wasn't looking for something to post, I found myself making connections between every day finds and what had been discussed in class. 

When it came to creating, I found myself posting a lot more. And everywhere. With the concept of "Release early, release often," I was less scared of failure and started publishing to my blogs more, especially my book blog. But this inevitably bled into the "connecting" side of things.

Let me tell you, I have never managed so many social media sites ever. I have a twitter account, instagram, facebook, Google+, myspace, blogger, goodreads, pinterest, linkedin, etc. While I had some of them before, through the course of this class, I have made them all public, posted a lot more, actively sought out friends and followers, allowed myself to converse more with other people, and I connected as many things as possible to as many things as possible. It's been fun, following different people--strangers, even--and just keeping in tune to what other people had to say about all sorts of things. I've mastered the art of hashtagging and sharing. I've tried hard to accept more people and allow more conversations. It's made the semester very interesting. And it's made my family roll their eyes more than a few times about how much I had going on. But it's been fun, and it's something I'll continue. I've embraced this digital age more than I ever expected to, and I've only seen benefits from it.  

With all of this--even though I've expanded--I've definitely come to care more about having something valid to say. Instead of stupid updates or statuses, I tried to utilize social media to work for me. That meant I read about relevant things happening now; I made sure whatever I wrote mattered to someone more than just me because I wanted to be able to learn more from it; I connected with people and made sure that when I liked something, I showed it--commenting, sharing, rating, etc. I wanted to use the digital age as more of a tool. instead of just living in it and taking it for granted, I sought out the best and tried to give my best. I started using twitter and Google+ searches as valid points of research. I would hone in on hashtags and trending topics and follow along. The digital age has given so much--and there are such limitless ways of wasting it, so I tried to really utilize all the benefits. And I definitely reaped the rewards from it. For instance, the LDS General conference feed actually helped me pay attention to the specifics of what was being said; it also allowed me to feel connected to the entire church rather than just sitting alone and listening. So, yes, I've really become more technologically savvy, that's for sure. But I've also just been able to learn more about so much more than I expected. It's been amazing.

Final Exam Questions

OBJECTIVE:

In James Surowiecki’s book “Wisdom of the Crowds,” how does he define a Coordinative type of crowd decision-making? 

1. A market judgment where the crowd is allowed to think through problems, process information, and deliver a solution as a whole
2.  Based in the free market and building networks of trust.
3. Common cultural understandings and social awareness, such as street smarts
4. Traditional decision making based on popular consent.

(See the answer here.)

The social site _____________ allows users to curate various lists about books that they have read or want to read and to connect with people and groups who have the same interests.

(See the answer here) 

Cyber bullying has become a major problem because of the anonymity offered by the internet, leading to a new form of internet harassment known as _________ based on strangers picking on someone online just for the so-called “Lulz.” 
(see the answer here) 

ESSAY:

While the internet has certainly caused issues with managing time and relationships in person, ultimately the advent of social media has allowed for more people to connect in more meaningful ways than previously possible.

(See my blog post here and here and here)

According to Ellis Dyck, a lack in digital literacy is debilitating to someone’s success in this modern age. Yet many people tend to be successful in business, education, and family life without becoming obsessed with new trends and medias proving it is not necessary to stay informed on digital enterprises. 

(See blog post here)

Embittered Entrapment

I really enjoyed Katie Wilkie's blog post here about if her badges motivated students or not. Like she points out, a lot of people in this world tend to be apathetic towards learning. Learning is no longer about discovering the best self; it's tied only to grades and school and class. The idea of self-directed learning is something of a lost art. Laziness has been perpetuated, in my humble opinion, by schools and programs that see students as test scores and results. Gone are the days of classicist education (unless you go to Cambridge) where you'd gather together to LEARN rather than merely pass a class or get a degree.

Like Katie said,

For students who are required to do a certain amount of work for a grade, doing other separate work NOT for a grade probably feels either like an unwise use of time or pointless.

Ah, yes. Learning isn't about knowledge, it's about the letter you get for it. The percentage it matters. The grade it will get you. A teacher can offer an amazing opportunity to go and do something, but the only way the professor gets anyone to show is if there's extra credit in the mix. No longer is experience or learning enough. We want grades, grades, grades.

But I'm a perpetrator too. I am infamously lazy. Well, usually. I coast through classes and have an average GPA and average college experience to prove for it. The sad thing is I wasn't always this way. I used to love learning--I used to be a self-teacher. See, once upon a time...I was homeschooled.

I know, I know. Let's here the jokes now; trust me, it's nothing new. But let's get the stereotypes out of the way, because I promise you it's nothing like the overall-wearing, socially awkward, nerd-in-glasses-sitting-at-a-desk-and-listening-to-her-mom-lecture type. I didn't have overbearing, overzealous parents who didn't let me watch TV or read popular fiction. I wasn't trapped on a farm in the middle of nowhere believing that guns were man's best friend. Then again, I wasn't traipsing around outside, never studying, just playing games in the playgrounds by the school to taunt all the other kids.

My mom pulled me out of school right before I started 6th grade. I had just moved from Texas to Utah the year before and, let me tell you, the school system is different. I was years ahead of my peers in Utah. And so I was bored. And restless. And not learning anything. Hence the homeschooling. But it was based on a program known as TJYE: Thomas Jefferson Youth Education (please don't look it up; it kind of went crazy a few years back).

It was a classical education dependent of self-directed learning mostly based in classic works. Thus began four years spent studying Shakespeare, Elliot, Austen, Tennyson, Homer. But it wasn't just English. I was in the company of Aristotle, Newton, Curie, Rousseau. And it wasn't because someone was lording over me with a textbook telling me what to do and read. It was because I, as a little twelve year old girl, found all of it engaging, and I willfully woke up every morning, got out of bed and dressed, and sat down to study whatever it was I wanted that day.

Looking back, it was an amazing experience. A couple years into it, I joined a co-op of like-minded people (that would be homeschoolers--I know, actually getting together to interact) who took classes together like Economics, Philosophy, History, Politics. I was writing blue book essays, creating powerpoints, organizing projects--all things that made college feel familiar. I'm not joking. It was a really great time, and I owe SO MUCH of who I am to it.

But then things changed. My mom had to go to work and I went to high school.

Throw together a sentence with "high school" and "valuable learning" and, let me tell you, you've got a good joke right there.

Too far? Well, let me tell you that, for me, high school didn't work. It really nearly destroyed me. Not because of anti-sociality or bullying or high stress or anything like that. I just lost all motivation. Somehow, someway, that conveyor belt form of education killed the magic of learning for me. I realized very quickly that what I learned didn't matter as much as how I proved the teacher right. Whether that meant bending to a writing style, filling out endless forms of busywork, or being just as lazy and (might I say it?) dumb as they were, I did it. Since there was nothing challenging to interact with, I gave up on challenging myself. I became a coaster. A really talented, resentful little coaster. I'm pretty good at it. And I carried it to college.

So Katie's post--about motivation and extra miles--really struck a nerve. Because, no, I'm not some super genius who graduated college a decade early, nor am I some anti-social freak cringing every time someone walks by. I'm just average. I fit in, I blend in, I do the work. But I have nothing to show for it...except grades. A good ole GPA I can carry with me.

"See!" I can clamor endlessly. "See! I really am smart. This paper says so!"

Ah, the joys of higher education.

Maybe I sound resentful. But I know it's my fault. I let the man win. I let the system beat me. I gave up caring. I mean, maybe not completely--some subjects still elicit a sense of excitement and hard work from me. But, let me tell you, those GE requirements--all those classes? Already forgotten. Completely. Which is a shame. And I can't really say what could change to make it different. But I was just thinking about it, and thought I'd share. Life is hard for the extra-milers, but maybe the extended view makes it worth it. Maybe Miley Cyrus had it right:

"It's not about how fast you get there, it's not about what's waiting on the other side....it's the climb."

Just Gettin' Started

My little sister posted this on my wall today:

Disregarding the casual jargon (and the obvious favoritism towards me), it's referencing Shannon Green's submission that recently made it onto our official new website, menagerie.byu.edu. In class today, us on the Menagerie team were wondering whose friend she was or which of us she was related to. See, here at Menagerie, we're not used to people just randomly finding us and submitting. We've been bullying those acquaintances and buddies into sending stuff our way. Cuz they love us and all. And because they're talented, of course. But, somehow, this single (and rather clever) new post marks a new page! A new dawning! A new day!

Someone found us.

My sister did some investigating for me since she knows Shannon and it makes it less awkward that way. So I decided to email her to get her side of the story--seeing as she's sort of our favorite person right about now. And this is what I got.

Thank you so much for submitting my piece -- I was overjoyed to be accepted! 

That's called enthusiasm, people. And we love it.

What followed after that was a brief little Q&A...

How did you hear about Menagerie? 
I found Menagerie when you came to Margaret's creative writing class and introduced it to us.

What was your impression of our original website?
I first saw the site when it was still on wordpress. I liked the site and the ideas behind it, although it was a little bare! But I completely understood that it was a fairly new launch, and I absolutely loved the idea of having a cycled theme every few months.

Is this your first published piece?
Yes! This is my first published piece! I have posted work online before, but I have never been published in a real magazine.

Are you excited about this new website? 
I am extremely excited about Menagerie Magazine! I think it's a spectacular idea to give aspiring writers a chance to showcase their work!

How do you feel about the idea of only the highest rated pieces being archived on the website? Is it motivation to stay involved?
Your idea to only archive the most popular pieces is an interesting one. It certainly puts more pressure (not bad, just pressure) on the authors to market their work so they can continue to be read on the site. I just hope that my work is read enough to stay!

How are you going to market your piece?
I've already told my friends on Facebook that I have been published in the Menagerie, although I think I might need to bug them about it again if they haven't already read and commented on it! Other than that, I don't have a particularly potent way of marketing my writing.


So there you have it. Our first bona fide submitter with a palpable bit of excitement. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to start our official launch day. Menagerie is up and running and eagerly accepting any and all submissions. This is your chance to be heard and to get involved with some friendly competition to stay on top. Staying true to our name, we're accepting any and all sorts: creative writing, creative non-fiction, poetry, film, music, art, photography, etc. Please see our submissions page and follow the instructions there. If you want to see more on what we're about and how we started, visit this page or our blog, Making Menagerie. Be sure to follow us on twitter (@menagerieonline) and look out for our upcoming Facebook page. And be as excited as Shannon Green, because she is right: this is a spectacular place, and we want it to be a place where...well, a place for art to gather.

Menagerie

I wrote a post for our Menagerie group on our blog: http://makingmenagerie.wordpress.com/

Read our story from beginning to end. And be sure to visit our new site: menagerie.byu.edu

Let us know what you think and, as always, be sure to submit and tell your friends to submit.

My name is Shelby Boyer...and I Have a Problem

Turns out I'm a substance abuser. I am addicted to the internet. Cuz it's a real thing (read here about the brain damage teenagers are getting from over-internet exposure). I know I didn't really do the fast last time, but I was accidentally screwed this weekend when the power went out and I couldn't charge my phone. Suddenly, minutes passed like days until I was beating my head against the wall wondering what on earth I was supposed to do. I wanted my phone--I needed the internet--I was desperate for a fix! But the ironic thing was...I had been cut off in the middle of watching an episode of Revolution.
This is a television show about society after a major inexplicable black-out wipes out all electronic activity. In this world, after that, nothing works. And people are crazy, and everything goes to pot, yadayadayada. Watch it...if you like melodrama + guns and guts.

In any case, there I was, facing my own meltdown over not having the technology to watch a show about not having technology.

The irony wasn't lost on me.

In fact, it gave me reason to pause. That, and my sister pulled out our old Harry Potter Clue game, so I was quickly distracted. And I realized that maybe possibly life without the internet--at least overnight--aint so bad. Sure, it's freezing and dark. But you have the excuse to chow down on ice cream that's starting to melt. And you get to have real face time with people you might sometimes possibly forget are actually in the same room. And while I may or may not have, pathetically, had instagram captions runnning through my head as I itched for the chance to snap a photo, I eventually handled it with grace. The main point: I survived.

Let's just not mention the fact that  as soon as those lights came back on, I was plugged in and getting a major fix. I just think it's good, once in a while, to take a step back and consider--consider the good and bad of this over-connected age and all that jazz.

Over and out.

The Five Stages

I've known pretty much my four years here that I was working towards a career in a dying field. English has always been a running joke when it comes to majors its easy to take swings at. But I topped it off with an editing minor, envisioning years spent working in NYC, busting about in white and black and Louboutin heels I could afford because I just perfected the next best seller. There'd be a toast I couldn't drink to as my eager assistant rushed about to prove himself until that inevitable day I asked him to marry me to avoid deportation.

Just kidding about that last part.

But, seriously, I knew deep down things were changing. There was a change in the air, a shift in the wind. Life was different, dreams would be deferred: print publishing...was dying.

I read an article in the New York Times that reminded me of all this. It awoke a plethora of feelings as it discussed the merger between two major publishing houses, Penguin and Random House (side note: their new name? Penguin Random House. Which just doesn't have quite the same ring to it). It got me thinking about my destiny (you know, the champagne toasting one) and my past, which I neatly categorized into five original stages* (*these aren't original at all.)

Denial: I came to college with a self-assured faith in books' awesomeness. They're not going anywhere, I thought. Nothing is changing. As long as I believe, they'll last. Just like Santa. So I bought up books by the dozen (silently and secretly resenting the cost of them, but that's beside the point). I stuffed books all throughout my room, ignoring the fire hazard and already plotting out an escape route to save them all in case disaster struck. I hummed and sang as I alphabetized and organized, so impressed by my blossoming library. I thought how, one day, my house would have a room like this:

It was my goal. I thought nothing would stand in my way.

Anger: Then I started really looking into the publishing field. This was a complicated stage, layered like a bitter parfait. I was a starry-eyed sophomore who thought I'd get a book published and make millions with with to travel the world and buy houses. But I found out the dark side of the publishing industry: the sheer cost, the tiny cut an author gets. 7%--if you're lucky? You've got to be kidding me. I considered going to the dark side (e-publishing), but no one takes you seriously after that. It's a field for the rejected, or so the large houses told me. I felt my dreams being crushed, flayed, and laid to wither and die. My print world betrayed me. And yet they in turn ignored the e-world? Who could win in such a horrific world? And so it began: the bargaining.  

Bargaining: I began asking for some give and take, even expecting it. there had to be some middle ground, some happy medium where print publishing didn't sabotage and kill itself while e-books won. I mean, why kill print?  A Kindle doesn't smell good. It doesn't laugh or cry or sigh with you with each crinkling turn of the page. It won't ever start falling apart, a sign of your devotion. And you definitely can't prove your intellectualism with a kindle--people need to be able to walk into your house, see a room bursting with books, and simply "ooh" and "ahh" over your elitism. But that seems like a world that will never be. Books are expensive, electronic-everything is cheap--it's a match made in heaven. So maybe if the publishing houses would be more open-minded--maybe if I was more open-minded I could accept a truce, a tie, a white flag of salvation. But selling out makes me sad.

Depression: Last year, I thought my world was over. Woe was me. I lost my faith in humanity, asking why--oh, heavens, why--must people always sell out? For three days and three nights, I curled up upon and with my hundreds of books and wept a thousand tears. Just kidding. But it was a dark time. I felt sure the only thing left for me to do was take on the banner and die defending print. I would not let a modern version of Fahrenheit 451 go down. In fact, my future looked to be one of collecting and treasuring printed books, guarding them against the internet locos who wanted them destroyed, sending me trojan horses in the form of Kindles and Nooks. I was ready to die in a pile of tear-drenched pages. It was my destiny.

And then I thought about it.   

Acceptance: The inevitable conclusion fell into place. That is, life is changed and I have to deal. It was a settling of fate, a shaking of hands with the devil (that would be e-books, here). Though sometimes I still cringe at the idea of e-books and only e-books, I can't help but agree that they're useful, beautiful, cheaper things that benefit a lot more than just the publisher. The writer gets a larger cut, the books reach more people. And...it saves trees. Not that I really care about that (only joking).

But, in all honesty, I am settled. I know I am walking a path that will not be walked so much anymore. Print publishing is dying. When two of the largest companies consolidate to save themselves and the rest clamber to do the same, it's kind of a sign of changing times. But maybe not so much a sign of the end of the world. As one of the interviewee's point out,

“Regulators generally understand that these companies aren’t just competing with each other, they’re competing with a very changed marketplace.”

Ah, yes. A changed marketplace. So I don't have to sacrifice my dreams of being an editor per se. I don't have to give up on fiction and writing and creation. It's just a changed landscape. So maybe I'll still get that champagne-ridden affair.

Just...probably via Skype.

A Little Thank You

My oldest sister has Aspergers. She's incredibly smart and totally amazing and, honestly, perfectly normal--high functioning and all that. But she was bullied all through school, even got stress-induced alopecia through junior high and high school (kids can be real jerks). But she wasn't diagnosed till far later in life--and, even then, only after doing some research on her own and then seeking out a doctor. Everyone just thought she was odd, she was being difficult, she was shy, she was aggressive, she was reactive, etc., etc., etc. So life was hard for her. And no one really knew why she couldn't 'make friends and influence people.'

Luckily for her, this digital age was booming.

People often make fun of video gamers, fan-fiction writers, even bloggers. People who need relationships online obviously can't make friends in real life and that's bad.  Wrong. My sister has been able to connect with so many people and grow in so many ways because of the Internet.

1. A little thing called WoW. Now, I'm never been into the gaming scene, wait my sister became obsessed, excitedly introducing me to her avatar and explaining everything she has to do to do whatever. I dunno, but she loved it. She made friends from it. Friends she has gotten to know outside the video game. When she found out some of her coworkers played too, she suddenly had something to talk about with them. And her interactions online, no matter how foreign to me, helped her figure out sociality outside of the game too.

Is this WOW? I'm not exactly sure. It may be another game, but this is her avatar.

2. Blogging. Yeah, my shy, supposedly socially awkward sister was the first in our family to have a blog. It started as a place to vent feelings and rant about all sorts of stuff, but eventually it blossomed into an opportunity for her to become aware of her personality. There was something freeing about being diagnosed--as she says it, she's different, not defective. And she used her website as a chance to challenge herself to try harder. She'd share goals and then explain how they went: talking to her boss, saying good morning to people she didn't like, looking people in the eye when she was talking to them.

3. Fan fiction. She is a huge writer. It's something she can organize and control, and she loves it. So she started this little HP fan fiction piece where Harry Potter has Aspergers. It has amassed a huge following and people are really behind the idea, commenting on how real it is, how it hoped so and so understand their cousin or neighbor who has Aspergers. It's all been a great boon in her life, not only to have that community but to have people react to her in such positive ways.

The "Cover Art" for her fan fiction

No longer is it bad news to have a "disability"--it can't even be called that. People have communities available to them everywhere and I think that's amazing. It's not taboo to talk about these things anymore. One of my favorite TV shows, Parenthood, features a young boy with Aspergers and his family's struggle to appreciate it. Things are getting exposure. They're being talked about. You don't have to be alone, you don't have to feel constantly misunderstood. My sister has been able to seek out safe havens for her to be herself--all thanks to the internet.

And, yes, some people spend too much time online. She had to give up WoW after coming out of a day long session realizing she'd forgotten to take her dog out and they'd done their business...everywhere. So moderation in all things. But at least allow for the possibility of what a positive and powerful influence technology can be. It connects people first and foremost--to information, to others. This age is a beautiful one and I think it's time parents stop fighting it and start exploring it both with an open mind and a positive outlook with their kids. You never know the good that can come from it--in all sorts of ways.

My sister is the funniest, sunniest person you could hope to meet. She's dry and sarcastic and, yeah, sometimes a little affronting. But she has this bright, loud guffaw that just gets you right in the heart: she knows how to love life. It's such a turn around from the angry, confused teenager who thought she was wrong, she was broken, she was worthless. It was only when she found her footing on the digital landscape that she realized how great she is. Yes, she has an online presence--a huge one compared to mine--but it is that online interactivity that has allowed her to enjoy more of life in person. She's one of my heroes, and I'm so grateful that technology has proven that to even more people.

Social Proof

For our magazine, we had a little info session last night. I dragged some roommates and siblings to it just for some extra bodies. But I was pleased to see that we had two totally random walk-ins who had just heard about it somewhere and were excited enough to come check it out. Awesome. But it turned out to be a great little party with some great advice. I think our group definitely had a clearer understanding of what was needed to make the website more accessible and even approachable to get the kind of response we want.

What a relief.

But, really, there's something solid now, and a better idea of what can happen and why. A lot of problems were addressed and simultaneously solved, so yay for outside advice. We can get so close-minded in our little groups. We know what we want and expect and so we see it already there even if it's not. This "social proof" experiment allowed for us to take a step back and truly examine what our audience--those that know nothing about us to begin with--truly thought.

So, yeah, I'm a big fan of social proof now. I can be a little hoighty-toighty when it comes to my work, maybe a little prideful and self-confident. But this reminded me that there's something to be gained from listening to the crowd.

Even if it is only six people deep.

Menagerie-ing

As hopefully all of you know, I'm part of a team creating an online magazine called Menagerie. It's been quite the process and it's gone through quite a few drafts. Though it's still "in Beta," it's starting to come together in what I think are really amazing ways. If you haven't seen it yet, take a look:

http://menagerielitmagazine.wordpress.com/

We're actively pursuing critiques, good and bad, and we'd love any response you may have. But perhaps some context would help.

Natasha Watts is heading this up. She's proven herself a very passionate leader with solid ideas on what will make this work. Her enthusiasm has definitely impacted my own interest and involvement in the project. But I think as a group, together, we have managed to sort of transcend our original ideaof merely an online lit magazine. Now, we crave interactivty and connectedness. And we're getting there.

It's a slow process.

Right now, we're still working on management and organization, trying to figure out how to solicit submissions and best manage those referrals. It's a working progress, but the main point is...it's working. Behind the scenes can be a little messy--as with any "show," especially in its first run--but I think it's pulling together. I'm excited to see it blossom so to speak, and I'm even more thrilled to be a part of it. So stay tuned and keep following. I'm sure it will be something special.

In Medias Res

Though I recently wrote a post gushing about my change of heart, I find myself happy to write again at this, the middle of things.

First, I look back at reading Wisdom of the Crowds, a book about group work being more than group work. It was an interesting book but, when I first started, I wasn't really anticipating it changing anything about what I thought. After all, I've been in college for four years and I've had my share of group projects--hated every one. "Wisdom of the Crowds" was practically an oxymoron. After reading it, though, I suddenly understood that people really can be helpful; I don't always have to go it alone. It's something we already practice: Google searches, Wikipedia, online communities; Q&A's like Yahoo Answers and Answers.com. We love aggregated knowledge, and this is a book explaining why it works. It was a great way to start my involvement in this class--something built upon and practiced through crowds and groups and interaction, both physical and digital.

Then, there was the literature. A class where I got to choose my book? After years studying Frankenstein too many times, reading and rereading Wordsworth and Poe, analyzing the likes of Shakespeare and Austen to death, this self-guided learning was a breath of fresh air. I excitedly chose Jurassic Park, a favorite book--probably considered too mainstream to study at university--and immediately began gushing about it here, here, and here. It's been great exploring media's impact through a literary lens. Jurassic Park is pretty much far and away from the digital sphere (it is about dinosaurs, after all), but I've loved analyzing the text in relation to our digital landscape. Whenever I find myself lost online, I suddenly wonder if I'm feeding a monster I can't quite understand. Is it good? Is it bad? Are we all screwed from this reliance on technology? I've found myself bringing it up to family and friends; I'm constantly thinking about it: dinosaurs and media.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Because, the truth is, this class has inspired more out-of-class work than I've ever allowed myself to dedicate to another class. I am obsessed with what's being discussed not only in class but in the world. I have found myself connecting to the digital world more than I ever have, getting and actually using a twitter account, diigo, flickr, linkedin, tumblr. I try to use pinterest and blogger better, connecting and talking things over with strangers on the web. I even signed up for a myspace account--all because Justin Timberlake promised it would be cool. I am so much more aware of how much media means to me, posting about it here and here. Having to post every day on Google+ means I'm constantly looking out for news and information pertaining to our digital age. It's so interesting, making little connections between current events and what is happening on a digital level. I find myself so much more involved in politics, especially with the upcoming election, where I'm reading about the impact of social media even as I participate in it. Facebook groups, twitter trends, media commentary: I inhale it. Plus, my group project means I'm doing a lot outside of class. I'm participating with peers to create something meaningful, and I'm excited about it (as you can see here).

And that's another thing that is so great about this class. I get to learn not only from a professor but from a bunch of like-minded students just as excited and enthused as I am. I've never been in such a lively class where people share their varying opinions not with impatience or pride but with passion and interest. We're all curious to figure it out together. I'm obsessed with reading their blogs and following their Google+ feeds. There's so much to be said and I'm glad I don't have to be the one to say it all. I've always been one interested in knowing what people are thinking, even when I disagree. The fact that this class is mostly played out on Google+ makes it so easy to read these differing ideas and get involved with what most interests me.

That being said, I have rather eclectic taste when it comes to digital culture and its various facets, subjects, concerns and creations. Mostly, though, I find myself drawn to media's impact on culture, from popular to political. People often turn their noses down at the "laymen" who overrun the web, but I find the community aspect of the digital world so interesting, both the good and the bad. So I write about bullying, I comment on transmedia and remix, I obsess over what's happening now. Because of all that, I'm excited about my participation with the online magazine. The idea of blending medias to highlight a common idea is exciting. It's a website allowing for final drafts to still receive a sort of community. We're all excited about it and I'm ready to see it come together. As things continue, I'm eager to remain involved in the pop culture aspect of everyday affairs and I'm ready to help craft a magazine as part of the acquisitions team for my group.

It's been an interesting semester thus far and I'm excited to see everything play out. Digital culture is so vast, it's exciting to watch everyone branch out into their various passions and pursuits. But, as one of the great benefits of a digital world, we can all remain connected during it. You don't have to have singular tastes now. And that is an exhilarating thought. 

Now for the Surprise Twist

Just finished Jurassic Park and it got me thinking. I started it knowing it would be easy to relate to the dangers of a consequence-free, uncontrollable digital world. And that's still very true. Regardless of happy posts and/or rants, I know there's a lot of danger from the internet and/or relying on it too much. But as I wrapped up another exciting read, I was wondering why I love such a horrific book. One, I love dinosaurs (who doesn't?) Two, I love the movie (as everyone should). Three, I really like the ideas behind it. I like the questions it brings up. How far is too far? When is enough enough? Should one person control those sort of fates? Can they? And then I'm wondering...would it have been better for it to never have happened?

Probably. But, seeing as I love dinosaurs, I love the movies, and I love pretty much everything about this book, I'm suddenly a big fan for dinosaur win.


After all, in the book (and the sequel, The Lost World), dinosaurs aren't exactly vilified. It's the men who created them thinking they could control them--they were the villains. The dinosaurs were actually inspiring and interesting. Characters went on and on about them and how awesome they were and how crazy it was to have them there in the flesh (Except raptors which are, let's be honest here, terrifying creatures possessed by demons). So it's not so much a horror story about dinosaurs wreaking havoc; rather, that is merely the consequence of the real horror: those of men banking on  controlling something that shouldn't belong to just one man.

It makes for an interesting twist in my digital culture debate. Is the technology to blame or those trying to manipulate it for their control, gain, protection, whatever? After all, this is the most amazing age to live in. I don't think anyone's really aching to go some-hundred years (no matter the popularity of Downton Abbey. Or Game of Thrones.) This isn't the most idyllic time period and there are definite problems (almost as horrific as raptors ripping you apart...or compys chewing on you bit by bit). But I think, overall, we should be glad for the opportunity to live in this digital age. Probably more glad than those stuck in a weekend of horror, trapped on an island with voracious man-eaters. This is a great time filled with great technologies. Though the risks might be just as great and the threats just as horrifying, we've got it pretty good. Just remember: we're in beta. It's a working progress.

Kinda like a dinosaur park.... Also, kinda not.

A Revelation

I think this class has changed me. Not in some metaphysical, life-altering way. Well, maybe life-altering. But it's definitely changed the way I look at things.

I used to be a purist. I used to believe nothing is as good as the original, that anyone championing an interpretation or remake was ignorant and shallow-minded.

I used to be afraid of the internet. Or callous towards the idea of tweeting every thought or instagramming every meal. Social media was for the self-absorbed and it had no real value. I used it only in was I thought above the norm--such as reaching my brothers across seas.

I used to think the internet was damning good writing, well-crafted thought, and all originality. It was the place where cat videos ruled and comments were made up of "UR" and "LOL."

I used to think digital culture was a sign of the end of the world, where we would end up so plugged in, all those cheesy movies like Surrogates would be right.  

Also, I used to hate google plus. A lot.

I used to be pretty close-minded about the whole thing. As did family, friends, most acquaintances. Then I was in this class and I found myself first playing the devils advocate just for kicks. Whenever my dad went off about how stupid twitter was, I would smugly say, "Actually, in my digital culture class..." And when my mom would complain that posting everything to FB would come back to haunt you, I would laugh and say "This is just the age we live in, mom."

I had a long conversation with my little sister this weekend. We were coming home from conference (where my experience had definitely been heightened by my tuning in to the twitter feed) and I asked her what she thought of remixes and transmedia. She was getting mad at people who liked She's the Man without knowing it was based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

It was interesting...uh, arguing with her about the different value the modern age has given things. I found myself standing up for this digital culture in ways I hadn't really anticipated me ever caring about.  Sarah Talley, in my class, got me addicted to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on youtube. My professor has made me more aware of twitter and google plus--where, before, I was just uselessly browsing celebrity fodder, now I can find important information and interesting discussions. People are active on the web, not because they're stupid or antisocial, but because it allows for instant and valid conversations--between complete strangers. Sure, some people are really stupid online and it can definitely be manipulated in dangerous ways. But I am so grateful for it.

And it was arguing with my little sister about how she couldn't hate on something retelling a story she loved for a different audience (and isn't Twelfth Night just a remix, too?) that I realized something.


I have changed. Halle-freakin-lujah. 

Gotta Feeling

As you may be able to tell from this blog, I'm a big fan of technology, the social interweb, and all that good stuff. I just got involved with a group hoping to make an online literary magazine. While some lit mags have made their way to the internet, offering e-versions of their printed materials, these sites are often uninviting and not at all interactive. On the other side, there are hundreds of writing communities online where people submit and review each others' pieces, but this takes on a review-and-edit-like stance where the shared materials are not the final drafts; rather they are just being prepared for publication and catered to an audience. While both of these sorts are grand testaments to the power, popularity, and connectivity of literature, we hope to combine the best of both and make an e-based literary magazine where the texts are final products that go through a vetting process but where the site allows for social interaction through commenting, sharing, liking, and voting on favorite submissions. We hope to make the literary magazine accessible and personable while keeping it structured and allowing for new voices to be heard, shared, and appreciated. It's something I'm excited about mostly because I feel like the internet can often be a place of extremes.

On one hand, we have the hoity-toity highbrows who feel the internet is destroying culture and thus cling to the printed form. On the other, there's a sort of publish-anything mentality where everything is put out there and the author expects a pat on the back. But I like the middle ground, somewhere where the respectable culture of the printed can meet the liveliness and vitality of the digital crowd. For me, then, this is an opportunity to blend sides, break boundaries...and perhaps stick it to the man on both accounts.

I think this can be a huge success--where people serious about writing can interact with those serious about reading. They can interact, they can receive feedback, but they can also be celebrated for their hard work in writing something worth publishing. 

So hoorah for literature! And hoorah for a new age and new medium! This is gonna be good.

A Digital Landscape

My class participated in a 24-hour media fast (or tried to) and I was interested to see the conclusions. It got me wondering about if a line can be drawn on media use, or if it’s just a part of life now. Jessica Lees remarked on the fact that, though she appreciated the excuse for more physical sociality, she said, “I now see clearer how deeply technology has become embedded in my life, and I don’t think it is necessarily in a bad or harmful way.” Curtis Jenkins remarked on the power of machines in his life: 

“What I discovered is that the two are intertwined.  Not just with work, or school, but socially, emotionally, everything.  Machines are not our masters, nor are we their slaves.  They’re part of us, just like we are part of them.  Take away my cell phone and you’ve taken away a social element that’s infused with everything else I do socially.”

Likewise, Ellis Dyck said, “I expected the media fast to alert me to the ways the “machines” were controlling me.  Instead it reminded me what a tremendous blessing most media technology is, reminded me especially of the ways it keeps me connected and even makes it easier for me to be with the people I love.  We are so lucky to live in the Digital Age.”

But it’s not all positive. Rebecca Ricks admitted that she spends “far too much time online goofing off.” Nicole Black says she is “dependent” on her gadgets, a word that has become dirty. But is it really so bad to be dependent?

One blogger complained of a time she was with friends and they were all texting or checking emails. In her article "Technology Addict," she wrote, 

"We are all over wired. . .. Smart phones have made us dumb to the world around us. . . . Now, don't get me wrong. I love my smart phone. I love the Internet. I love technology. That's how we all live and work. But when people use technology to replace real human connections, then it's a real problem. Everyone needs to connect and to feel connected; this is fulfilling and is a deep, essential human need. But now, people are meeting those needs virtually rather than personally. People are relying more and more (and some solely) on technology and the virtual world to feel connected. And that's a problem." 

People like to blame the internet for all social problems. Yes, there is oversharing and overobsessing. I hate being at a group activity and having everyone be on their phones. But that’s just an issue of etiquette—an internal affair I don’t think we can blame on technology in general. People complain about a lack of social skills—maybe social mores are simply changing. We talk about being plugged in like it's a crime, like we've lost something. But aren't we just evolving?

It’s interesting how paranoid people can be about digital culture. “It’s changing us,” they clamor. Everyone is talking about “We lived without it before.” Yes, we also lived without cars and medical care—do we always want to go back? This is an integral part of our society. This is our now, so why not live it? Maybe instead of always fighting it and living this tug of war between past and future, maybe we should learn to evolve—to naturally learn to be efficient with the internet and digital media. Since when has life or culture been about stagnation? We have been growing, developing, evolving. That’s not to say we’re always improving, but we are always proving it’s impossible to go back. No matter how the Renaissance tried, they didn’t make it back to Greece; no matter how depressing, WWI wiped the Victorian era completely away; and no matter who pounds their fist and cries against change, the technological age—this world of Web 2.0—is here. So why fight it? Learn to control it, and not it you, yes. Learn to manage your existence in it and the impact it makes, sure. But don’t let it be a separate entity from “life”: this is becoming one and the same.

At one point this summer, my family was spread across the world. I was in London, my brothers were in Afghanistan, my sister was in Africa, my dad was in Wyoming, and my mom wound up in Paris. But we were able to text and facetime and hangout on google. One of the best moments of my recent life was when my brother facetimed me on my iphone while I was at my sister-in-laws house, and so we had my other brother skype his wife and we were able to hold the phones up so the brothers could see each other—for the first time in a year. So suffice it to say, technology has wooed me.  

That’s not to say our world should be one based entirely on web or influenced completely by digital mediums, but I can’t help but think we should stop fighting it per se, stop always looking back at the “good ole days,” and just learn to embrace it, appreciate it, and evolve with it.

I'd be interested to see what the naysayers have to say. I especially enjoyed this NYT article about major internet leaders worried about too much of a good thing. They bring up valid points about the threat of being "swept away by our technologies." So, yeah, yeah, yeah, there are definitely two sides to the argument--and it's a big argument--but I can't help but feel that...this is life. Deal?

It's the Thought That Counts?

My Digital Culture class initiated a "Media Fast" this weekend where we were all participants. Or were supposed to be. Unfortunately, it didn't go so well for me. I suppose part of it was I was highly unmotivated to stick to it. Life, for me, is very digital. I don't feel like some addict, but I am dependent on many a technological advance. But I don't feel ashamed about that dependency; this world is digital, so why fight it? After all, this is a whole class dedicated to better expressing ourselves on a digital playing field. But, to justify my complete failure, a few points:

Number 1: Communication.
My family is spread all over doing all sorts of crazy things all day long. I thought it was selfish to just turn all communications off. Especially since my brothers are both in Afghanistan and I never know when they're going to call or text, or--sorry to be morbid here--if they will be able to later. Every time I get a text, email, call from them, I drop everything else. It's that important to me. And I didn't want to say, "Sorry, I'm pretending the internet doesn't exist this weekend."

*Good thing, too, because I found out my brother has a romantic pen pal which, if a little strange, makes for a great story.

Number Two: Work.
I work online. I feel like everyone does. I'm a secretary in the library which means I spend four hours a day on the computer doing various things for various projects. There's no way to avoid that. But even after those four hours, I go to my internship--another job based on a computer.

Number Three: Social.
It's not my fault that this weekend my friends were setting me up on various dates to various activities. There's no way to plan that sort of stuff without a phone. I was texting my address, changing times, making plans. And, I mean, I had to take pictures of it all. On my phone. Plus, please note that if I hadn't had my phone to catch some of these calls and make some of these plans...I would have sat in my apartment all weekend doing absolutely nothing because 1) my friends would think I dropped off the face of the earth and 2) I wouldn't have even known some of the ward activities, birthday parties, sunday dinners were going on had I not had my phone. Is this pathetic? No, I really don't think so.

Number Four: School.
There is no way I can do my homework without the internet, and there is no reason I feel I should. It is a glorious and wonderful thing and I'm so glad I can type documents up, research online, find peer reviewed texts and online books--all in one place. But even besides writing papers, I'm writing papers about movies (Lit & Film), doing French homework (web-based), working on a group project (a lot of InDesign and emailing back and forth), and reading various articles (learningsuite, lib.byu, etc). There's just no way to avoid the internet--for any of my classes.

So, yeah, I pretty much failed this media fast completely and utterly. But is that such a bad thing? I feel comfortable in how I use the internet and I enjoy being connected. Even if I could curb some of my time clicking through websites, pinning things to pinterest, stalking people on facebook, I don't feel bad about it. This is our culture, so why fight it? I feel so lucky to be a part of this world of instant connectedness, and I won't avoid it.

P.S. I think facebook gets a lot of flack. It's supposedly a soul-sucking black hole of time wasting. But, really, I find it useful. For one thing, that's often how my brothers communicate--from across the world. I'm allowed to keep up with missionary friends and people on study abroads. I get updates from my various groups, like my ward (where important info like, say, when the temple dedication was being broadcasted) and study abroad group (where, this weekend, we were all working on planning a reunion together). Sure, I also spent an hour clicking through an album of unbelievable facts (did you know some ants explode when attacked?), but that was a social moment too: my roommate and I have never laughed so hard. So...moderation in all things, but complete absence? No thank you.

We Didn't Start the Fire

As I've been reading Jurassic Park, I've been wondering about the benefits of such a fast-paced, instant-gratification kind of world. It's not all "monster munch time"; there are definitely things to be gained. After all, even after being chased by T-Rex, and raptors, and compies (oh my!), Dr. Allen Grant, a renowned paleontologist first mesmerized by the park but quickly wary of its flaws, demands the dinosaurs be left alone. He is protective of the environment and allowing it to play out even though he is aware of the danger involved. 

I was reading many a posts from The Blog of Innocence where the author talks a lot about our digital world. In one, entitled "Is the Internet Killing Culture," she admits her voracious reading habits have died down because she is too busy on the internet. But I was especially interested in her point that, through her work (based via the internet), she has "[developed] a social network...fostering relationships with people who share the same interests." Then she says this: 

This, I would say, is not an act of "killing culture"; but an act of embracing it, an act of helping it flourish and grow. 

A commenter, piercival, in response to this neverending debate, wrote,

Whenever culture undergoes transformation there are cries of alarm. Are we losing our way, forsaking tradition? Perhaps...perhaps not. New paths are being discovered--some will have the curiosity to blaze them while others stand aside and curse the moon. 

Dramatic, yes. Probably true, too. There was actually a wide range of comments made from varying standpoints, something reminding me of the arguments on ethics involved in Jurassic Park. Like Allen Grant, I think a lot of people are aware of the changes, especially in cultural di/progression. We are eager to pick a side and scream at the other, but perhaps the digital divide isn't so obvious.
Another commenter, omnipotentseal, said the following:

The net is not a homogeneous culture, but instead a patchwork of subcultures each adding their own bit to the dialogue. 

Most interesting, carlomarx comments about the effects the internet has already had on culture, going over the good and the bad, mentioning musicians, newshouses, publishers, and local cultures, each suffering in some ways but thriving in others--most normally with the new availability of content. In the end, he concludes

There is a seismic shift occurring in the way that print is distributed and monetized. But I don't think we are going to suffer for it culturally. I think it will have quite the opposite effect. 

This optimistic point of view is pretty normal. But you do have people raising their voices to complain. I posted earlier on bullying and the internet's role in some horrific real-life stories. My dad and mom constantly complain about me giving life updates on twitter or facebook--a social media they don't appreciate or understand. I was also mulling over the digital culture's effect on art, especially film, in this post. Point is, people have lots of complaints. There are definite dangers and risks involved in such a global and uncontrollable culture--artists hate life because copyright infringements while parents hate the ease with which their kids can't get online and chat with some kid in the middle of nowhere (or who they hope is really a kid. and that they hope stay in the middle of nowhere). You have the craigslist killer, epic facebook stalkers, bad IM etiquette, crazy youtube videos, wikileaks, etc., etc., etc.

But there is good there too. A commenter called gingatao wrote in the comments of this post,

I think a great realisation of our complete interdependence is a result of spending time on the web. That interdependence is a fact in the real world, no one can survive in isolation. The internet makes collaboration so much easier, the world is experiencing an explosion of creativity. (emphasis added)

And this is true. We are connected, and that's not bad. I can talk to my brothers in real-time from thousands of miles away; I kept up with friends and family while I was in Europe this summer; I can connect to people all over the world, liking pictures on instagram, trending topics on twitter, getting readers on blogs, finding tips on pinterest. In another post, "Social Technology is Transforming Our World," blogofinnocence references the many changes we've faced economically, claiming the recent economic downturn effected the old world while our new world is far better and more fulfilling than any office, five days a week, 9-5 job. In another post about global collectivism, they write that

Social media and Internet collectivity is changing the order of scoiety. We don't know the extent social media will overturn aspects of the traditional.   

But that's part of the suspense. There is no solution to this digital war. People are playing out the unknown, arguing about if that dark alley of distrust holds the secret to true happiness...or if the past with all its predictability is better. And who's to say, really? I use internet everyday; I can't imagine (or remember) a world without it. Backwards is never better.

So, hey, maybe Allen Grant had the right idea: let it play out, control-free. Step back and let life happen, monsters and all.

...we just won't talk about what happens in The Lost World. No need to be a downer.

Anonymous

On Google+, Audrey Blake mentioned how she didn't see cyberbullying a lot growing up. I think it's such an important subject to remain aware of and keep talking about, because so many just don't take it seriously.

Sure, you have people getting "Jimmered" on facebook or people like Rebecca Black and the Star Wars kid dropping out of school. People laugh at these stories, roll their eyes and move on. It even spreads to celebrities, people we feel ask for public discord. It can be funny if they're willing to laugh at it, as is the case with this Jimmy Kimmel bit:

But how far is too far? When do we get involved? It's hard to say exactly because the internet has no limits, no control, no enforceable rules. But it is just a sign that we've allowed bullying to become everyday farce. LeAnn Rhimes was recently bullied into rehab, a story which even I roll my eyes at, thinking she's such a drama queen. But why is it fair for us to think anyone deserves a public belittlement? Just because we're not saying it to their face?

I think the internet allows for a sort of separation where perpetrators forget the bullied are human too. And once you see the nasty side of bullying--the side pushing young kids to kill themselves, the side where even posthumously their social feeds are inundated with hateful messages--you really just lose a whole lot of faith in humanity.

I think the article Joshua McKinney posted was especially interesting--about the idea of "trolling." Read it. It is both horrifying and amazing, the justifications and motivations behind these self-proclaimed internet trolls. The main perpetrator has no shame in what he does--attacking people on internet sites and communities he feels deserves a little backlash. He does it for the "lulz," the laughs and attention it gets. And he blames the bullied for his success, saying that he'll stop once they stop caring. At one point in the article, he says,

“I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Oh, God, please forgive me!’ so someone can feel better,” Fortuny said, his calm voice momentarily rising. The cat lay purring in his lap. “Am I the bad guy? Am I the big horrible person who shattered someone’s life with some information? No! This is life. Welcome to life. Everyone goes through it. I’ve been through horrible stuff, too.”

People are mean. They're brutal. Take a look at any YouTube comment section. There's no propriety and everyone's a critic. And it's begun to push beyond anonymous youtube comments and social commentary. Now, it's personal attacks and brutal bullying that follows you everywhere you go, anywhere you're connected. People are being bullied to suicide, and it's no longer a joke.

Phoebe Prince: 15 years old, an irish immigrant about to go to a dance with a senior boy, hangs herself after months of belligerent harrassment becomes too much.

Amanda Cummings: 15 years old, high school student who jumps in front of a bus after being bullied. Her memorial page is vandalized by cruel messages even after death. 

Megan Meier: thirteen years old, killed herself when a myspace friend turned on her--turns out, it was a neighbor's mother posing as a young man to find out about her daughter

Hope Witsell: thirteen years old, bullied when nude photos went viral, hung herself.

These are some of the big names in the rising list of teen suicides. The one good thing? It finally has people talking. Something has to change. Someone has to take responsibility. Because cyber bullying is a serious issue masked by the semi-serious interest in trolling and anonymous derision. So when is too far too far? Probably now.

Digital Culture & Dinosaurs

Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park was written to explore the limits of science--or if there were any. Today, there's something more uncontrollable than an island of dinosaurs: a global network, without check and balance, having thrown the world into a new, digital age.  

There's something to be said about dinosaurs coming back to our world, wreaking havoc, causing uproars--all because they are something uncontrollable, inexplicable, unsure. With the digital culture today--a world rampant with constant social commentary, virtual worlds and anonymity, cyber bullying and constant connectedness--people are more than comfortable with the lack of accountability. Fan fiction and fan videos abound, parodies and rewrites and adaptions run amok, silencing copyrightists with every new page view; people text and tweet and facebook stalk and post photos and tag people and organize circles; there are forums and Q&A sites where questions give way to ruthless mockery or less-than-factual responses; news is broken, celebrities are stalked, vendettas are played out, all to a global audience. It's a conglomeration of genius and stupidity, where everyone is a user and no one can tell them how to act. There's no escaping it, this global network, a frenzy of free thought, free speech, free access. But free has become synonymous with without consequence.  The internet and the culture it's created has become a sort of monster without master. So when it comes to picking a book to parallel this idea of a world gone mad--and the consequence of no consequences--the story of a horrifying weekend spent in a genius park that just got out of hand seems perfect. So, yes, Jurassic Park is no 1984. But read it through a modern-day lens, applying digital culture to the fears of various characters lived out, and suddenly there are--excuse the pun--graphic connections to be made.

At the beginning of this fateful weekend, Dr. Ian Malcolm, a naysayer from the start, explains the dangers of such power being unchecked:

" 'What should do with my power?'--which is the very question science says it cannot answer." 

While he is talking about dinosaurs romping around an island, immediate connections can be made to the digital world. It's a great tool--an impressive, useful, life-altering tool that's been created and given out en mass. Someone made it happen and then left it to us, unchecked and unbalanced. But there's danger when there aren't rules, expectations, control. And we're facing them now in our highly-digital, highly out-of-control world. So, yes, this is a story about dinosaurs, but it is also a story questioning how far is too far. And this is vastly applicable to any conversation about today's ultra-digital world.