Showing posts with label GwynethDunsford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GwynethDunsford. Show all posts

Friday, 8 April 2016

Reflecting on NMN: Module 11

While I try to be introspective, reflecting on this class is difficult: it all happened so quickly!

Due to our projects on the topic, I have a larger appreciation of the selfie and its importance in identity formation. Instead of instantly decrying selfies as narcissism, I can now appreciate them as passing representations of selfhood. While I don't totally agree, I do see merit in Brian Droitcour's argument: "the real narcissists are the ones who never take selfies. They imagine their self as autonomous, hermetic—too precious to be shared" (2013).

I'm reassured that communication on micro-blogs can hold intrinsic social value. As people become increasing separated by technology, geography etc. some parts of our lizard brain still crave human connection. In the study Major Memory for Microblogs, the researchers found that "Facebook posts naturally producing deep social encoding" (Mickes, L. et al, 2013, p. 488). While Facebook and its competitors can't replace in-person social interaction, social media sites can be an adequate --albeit awkward-- substitute.

Also, from this study, it was gleaned that Facebook users were more likely to retain information that was "written casually by lay people, without professional [sic], or perhaps any, editing" (Mickes, L. et al, 2013, p. 488). Going forward, I think I can employ this knowledge in my journalism practice.

On a personal note, this Twitter conversation with Dr. Laccetti was significant for me. As it relates to our reading from Nathan Jurgenson (2012), I have reconciled myself with the idea of an "authentic" online persona, that rejects "the cultural norm that expects perfection, normalization, and unchanging behavior".


I'm still staunch in my dislike for online petitions. However, it's indisputable that online activism can create some positive outcomes. Many of our NMN readings support this assertion, but Henrik Serup Christensen perhaps puts it most concisely: "the Internet has a positive impact on off-line mobilization... it is a worst harmless fun and can at best help invigorate citizens" (2011).

I have immensely enjoyed the creative nature of this course. Making podcasts, videos and multi-modal blogs have been such a treat. As an open studies student there was a learning curve. Thanks for your patience, fellow students and Dr. Laccetti.

Slainte!
A photo posted by Gwyneth Dunsford (@gwynduns) on

References

Christensen, H.S. (2011). Political Activities on the Internet: Slacktivism or Political Participation by Other Means?. First Monday, http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3336/2767, doi:10.5210/fm.v16i2.3336.

Droitcour, B. (26 April, 2013). Selfies and Selfiehood [blog]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://culturetwo.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/selfies-and-selfiehood/.

Jurgenson, N. (26 November, 2012). “Glad I Didn’t Have Facebook in Highschool,” Cyborgology, http://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2012/11/26/glad-i-didnt-have-facebook-in-high-school.

Mickes, L., Darby, R., Hwe, V., Bajic, D., Warker, J., Harris, C., & Christenfeld, N. (2013). Major memory for microblogs. Memory & Cognition, 41(4), 481-489. doi:10.3758/s13421-012-0281-6.

Thomas, E. F., McGarty, C., Lala, G., Stuart, A., Hall, L. J., & Goddard, A. (2015). Whatever happened to Kony2012? Understanding a global Internet phenomenon as an emergent social identity. European Journal Of Social Psychology, 45(3), 356-367 12p. DOI:10.1002/ejsp.2094.

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Tuesday, 8 March 2016

Reaction to Module 8 readings

It's difficult for me to write a cogent post about social media and activism, because my thoughts on the issue are so strong. For that reason, I will try to keep this post straightforward.

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See more on Know Your Meme

Inside Avaaz - can online activism really change the world?

This article from 2013 details the history and scope of an up-and-coming,  non-profit Avaaz. They capitalize on the virality of social media to promote their causes, like stopping the genocide of Rohingya people in Burma.

The secret to some of their success comes down to harnessing the potential reach  of the internet.

"We're like a laboratory for virality," said then-head of press for Avaaz, Sam Barratt (cited in Cadwalladr, 2013).

 Barratt explains that Avaaz uses principles of Internet marketing to get as much exposure as possible for their causes.

Author Carole Cadwalladr also discusses how online activism campaigns like those from Avaaz may be problematic. Critics of Avaaz say they're capitalizing on groundwork that other non-profits have been laying for years. Avaaz has also been criticized for its support of freelance journalists in Syria.

This article is written as an editorial, but it seems that Cadwalladr has balanced her arguments well. However, the tone of her closing paragraph suggests she's still skeptical about online activism.
"Maybe slacktivism has its advantages. Maybe Avaaz and its members are less constrained, less scared. Maybe you can save fin whales and Edward Snowden and bring peace to Palestine, too." (Cadwalladr, 2013)

Political activities on the Internet: Slacktivism or political participation by other means?


Henrik Serup Christensen's academic article questions some of the assumptions made in "Inside Avaaz." Though Christensen's paper focuses on political activism online, I think his research can be applied to other online activism campaigns.

He looks at whether online campaigns can create real world political change, and whether participants in online campaigns also participate in activism offline. In other words, he is trying to debunk the idea that online activism is only "slacktivism".

Due to the complexity of the issue, Christensen does not reach a solid conclusion and suggests more research on the topic.

My take aways?

  •  "it is premature to dismiss the impact of the Internet on political activism altogether",
  • "being involved in effortless political activities online does not replace traditional forms of participation, if anything, they reinforce off–line engagement,"
  • and, "[slacktivism]... is at worst harmless fun and can at best help invigorate  citizens" (Christensen, 2011). 

References

 Cadwalladr, C. (2013). “Inside Avaaz – Can Online Activism Really Change the World?” The Guardian. Accessed on 26 February, 2016 from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/17/avaaz-online-activism-can-it-change-the-world.

Christensen, H.S. (2011). “Political Activities on the Internet: Slacktivism or Political Participation by Other Means?” First Monday. Accessed on 26 February, 2016 from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3336/2767, DOI:10.5210/fm.v16i2.3336.


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Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Theories of the Selfie: A Study of 5 Pictures

Paris Hilton and Ai Wei Wei 

This selfie of Ai Wei Wei and Paris Hilton subverts expectation.
The selfie of Ai Wei Wei and Paris Hilton subverts expectations: it’s a juxtaposition of a famed Chinese dissident and artist ("Ai Weiwei", 2012), and a Hollywood socialite. It’s a representation of high and low culture, respectively. Combined, Hilton and Wei Wei have over 5.8 million followers on Instagram.

 The pair are posed in front of a “selfie wall” at Wei Wei’s latest exhibit, "Er Xi, Air de jeux”, at Le Bon Marche in Paris (Hilton & Wei Wei, 2016). However, it should be noted that the Hilton-Wei Wei photo has since been erased from Hilton’s account. I have presented a screenshot for posterity. By deleting the selfie with Wei Wei, I believe Hilton is showing concern for “identity consistency” (Jurgenson, 2012). Nathan Jurgenson postulates:
 “What if more people wore past identities more proudly? We could erode the norm of identity consistency, a norm no one lives up to anyways, and embrace change and growth for its own sake. Perhaps the popularity of social media will force more people to confront the reality that identity isn’t and can’t be flawlessly consistent”. 
As an early reality TV celebrity, Hilton has capitalized on her identity for economic benefit.The heiress has licensed her name to 17 different product lines, which collectively early about $10 million a year (McLaughlin, 2011). Perhaps, this is what Rob Horning (2014) calls "one’s self commoditized to suit the logistics of networks".

  Despite her success in commoditizing her identity, Hilton has long been criticized for perceived narcissism. As Pamela Rutledge (2013) explains, people who post selfies are caught in a conundrum; being perceived as having "either narcissism or low self-esteem". Hilton also seems to be an early adopter of the selfie, if this meme is to be believed.


In this quote from The O.C., Hilton calls the camera phone the “autograph of the 21st century” (Schwartz & Barrett, 2004). According to the Oxford English Dictionary’s blog (2013), this was about two years after the term “selfie” originated. This understanding of selfies echoes Susan Sontag's thoughts about the evolution of identity and photography:
 “Ultimately, having an experience becomes identical with taking a photograph of it, and participating in a public event comes more and more to be equivalent to looking at it in photographed form …Today everything exists to end in photograph” (as cited in Miroiu, 2014, p. 13). 
A photo posted by Ai Weiwei (@aiww) on
 The selfie with Hilton contrasts with other posts on Ai Wei Wei's Instagram account. As I write this, the artist is posting a series of pictures documenting the plight of refugees in the Mediterranean. In general, Wei Wei's body of work has focused on issues of human rights ("Ai Weiwei", 2012). I think his presence in the selfie with Paris Hilton adds gravitas, legitimizing the selfie as a meaningful form of self-expression.

 Essena O'Neil 


As discussed above, distributing selfies is often associated with narcissism. In Horning's (2014) words, "taking selfies is routinely derided as narcissistic, a procedure of solipsistic self-regard in which one obsesses over one’s own image". Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic (2014) puts this into context: "The big problem with the rise of digital narcissism is that it puts enormous pressure on people to achieve unfeasible goals".

  For many young women, one of these "unfeasible goals" is to be pristinely beautiful (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2014). Take for example, Essena O'Neil. The young Australian was an "Instagram model", who spent increasing time and effort posting flawless pictures to social networking sites. However, in 2015, O'Neil deleted most of her pictures. On her website, O'Neil explains her reasoning:
 "[Social media and modeling] just wasn't for me. Have you ever looked yourself in the mirror and then to your horror can't recognise (sic), let alone even respect, the person staring back? That happened to me. Big time" (“Me?”, n.d.). 
 Now, O'Neil is reposting her old Instagram photos with revelatory insights. A post from November 2015, shows O'Neil looking alluringly into the camera. The caption reads:
 "This is the one photo that I feel people most recognise (sic) me from. But this isn't me at all. I had acne here. This is a lot of makeup. I was smiling because I thought I looked good. Happiness based on aesthetics will suffocate your potential here on Earth" (O’Neil, 2015). 

  By re-contextualizing her photos, O'Neil is working to re-claim her identity online. She calls the series "Behind the Image" and describes what went into creating the flawless pictures. O'Neil's experience with Instagram presents an extreme example of performative identity. Using a stage performance as a metaphor, sociologist Erving Goffman argues that the social self is performative. That is to say "the individual performs, in his everyday life, a role in front of an audience" (as cited in Miroiu, 2014, p. 4). By presenting what happens "behind the image", O'Neil is giving her "audience" a privileged view of her life and is trying to reconcile the disparate selves.

  As summarized in Miroiu's (2014) paper on selfies, "presentation of the self is constructed through interaction with others" (p. 4). Now, O'Neil says she's presenting the more authentic self online. As she rejects her mediated self, in a way O'Neil is subverting the expectations of selfies: that they are polished products to be "commoditized" (Horning, 2014).

Maisie Beech

A photo posted by Maisie Beech (@albinobambino_makeup) on

Maisie Beech is another young woman trying to gain control of her online identity. Beech is aspiring makeup artist and posts many of her looks to Instagram. In early 2016, Beech posted a picture with her makeup half finished. The right side of Beech's face is pale and blemished, while the left is covered in full makeup (Beech, 2016). The Instagram picture generated hundreds of comments and was picked up by the international press. Beech told the Daily Mail (Hodgkin, 2016) why she posted her makeup experiment:
 "I wanted to show that I like make-up and I wear it for myself, but I'll also happily get on the train brow-less if I want to. It's sad that this is how society is now. Make-up can and is a part of fashion and girls like to experiment and be creative, we don't wear make-up to hide our faces or deceive people." 

  Beech is implying that her made-up face is somehow more authentic than her cosmetic-free face. She says she wears makeup for herself, instead of to impress others, therefore she's taking control as the creator of the image and not as its subject. It's implied that Beech is "producing a reflection of your image in Instagram always involves an awareness of the presence of others, the knowledge that your selfie is flaking and refracting in their phones" (Droitcour, 2013). Like O'Neil, Beech is allowing the audience behind the curtain to reveal the private self. Again, this subverts the expectation that only the performative/public self is shared online.

 DJ Khaled 


  DJ Khaled is the latest celebrity to use social media to capitalize on his fame. As the social media site Snapchat becomes increasingly popular, DJ Khaled uses the platform to promote himself (DJ Khaled, 2016).

  All of DJ Khaled selfies have similar composition, likely because "the individual has limited options upon the choosing of the angel of view and depth of field" (Miroiu, 2014, p. 12). However, by appending his selfies with quotes and emojis, DJ Khaled is further individualizing his pictures. As a creator, he's taking as much control as possible in the dissemination of his digital self.

 Truly, Snapchat is an ideal medium for the selfie, when you view a selfie "the documentation of a passing moment, not a larger expression" (Rutledge, 2013). Using Snapchat suggests that DJ Khaled does not want his selfies kept for eternity. After viewing a selfie for ten seconds, his audience then proceeds to the next. Due to the ephemeral nature of Snapchat, I have decided not to evaluate a single selfie but rather DJ Khaled's Snapchat account as a whole.

 A common theme in DJ Khaled’s “Snaps” is the promotion of his DJ appearances, radio show and branded merchandise. DJ Khaled's self-promotional use of social media isn't unique. As Horning (2014) explains:
 "Posting selfies is often seen as part of an effort to build social capital, an effort to deploy the self in a social network to gain attention, reputation, influence, and so on. It instrumentalizes self-representation; selfies are a way to explicitly conflate ourselves with objects to be manipulated. " 

  DJ Khaled seems comfortable with his "commoditized self" (Horning, 2014). It recalls Droitcour's view of the selfie as "the residue of personhood’s digital and physical molting—images shed in square, flat flakes like bits of a snake’s skin, recording a body’s change" (2013). Indeed, DJ Khaled chronicles the minutiae of his life —from getting a pedicure to eating breakfast— in exhausting detail.

  (Further reading on DJ Khaled's influence online and on Snapchat's popularity with Millenials)


My Nieces

A photo posted by Gwyneth Dunsford (@gwynduns) on


I am reticent about sharing this selfie, because of the personal subject is portrays. Here are my nieces, aged five and 7, on a recent visit to Florida. It's an intimate pose, with the camera only a few inches away from their faces. As Rutledge (2013) explains:
 "Selfies are intimate because they represent a personal experience that is also social, taken for the express purpose of sharing. This gives selfies a level of self-conscious authenticity that is different from even a candid photograph—they are more raw and less perfect." 
 Indeed, this picture of my nieces is technically flawed. On the right, one girl's face is cut off. Both girls appear quite blurry. Their expressions suggest their curiosity about taking a selfie. To me, taking these pictures seems like a rite of passage. This is consistent with Rutledge's (2013) thoughts on selfies and development. In her words:
 "[Selfies are] ripe for exploration and identity experimentation, particularly among ages where identity formation and emancipation are key developmental tasks as well as for those who are still interested in looking at themselves. Both of these may contribute to why user demographics skew young." 
 Aside from the joy of taking a selfie, I don't think my nieces are acting self-consciously. They are more focused on the act of photography, than on the act of distributing the picture on Instagram. However, the act of distribution is critical to the selfie. According to Horning (2014), "the term selfie not only labels an image’s content... but it also describes a distribution process." By this definition, this photo of my nieces may not be considered a selfie. They created the picture, but did not distribute it. Due to their ages, the girls to not have their own social media accounts, so they haven't yet "commoditized [themselves] to suit the logistics of networks" (Horning).

  I think a more appropriate definition for this selfie comes from Droitcour (2013). To him, '"Selfie' is a diminutive of 'self.' Diminished, debased, made cute, it leaves room to acknowledge the flux of personhood" (Droitcour). Indeed, I believe this picture provides a quick insight to the lives of my nieces. Their smiles -- in this moment -- are preserved in a tranche de vie for all my 324 Instagram followers.
 References 

 "Ai Weiwei: China's dissident artist." BBC News. (2012, July 20). Retrieved March 02, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12997324.

  Beech, M. [albinobambino_makeup]. “Just a pale girl with no eyebrows giving you the 411 on how to slay on a budget” [Instagram account]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://www.instagram.com/albinobambino_makeup.

  Beech, M. [albinobambino_makeup]. (16 January, 2016). “Mad ting” [Photograph]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvA5XcHInD/?taken-by=albinobambino_makeup.

  Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2014, March 13). Sharing the (self) love: The rise of the selfie and digital narcissism. The Guardian. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/mar/13/selfie-social-media-love-digital-narcassism.

  DJ Khaled [DJKhaled]. (2016). Snapchat for Android (Version 9.25.0.0) [Mobile application]. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snapchat.android&hl=en.

  Droitcour, B. (26 April, 2013). Selfies and Selfiehood [blog]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://culturetwo.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/selfies-and-selfiehood/.

  Hilton, P., & Wei Wei, A. [parishilton]. (n.d.). #SelfieTime in #Paris with my friend @AiWW at his #SelfieWall at @LeBonMarcheRiveGauche [screenshot of Instagram]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/paris-hilton-posts-selfies-with-new-pal-ai-weiwei.

  Hodgkin, E. (2016, January 25). Teenager who posted selfie with make-up on just half her face to show the power of cosmetics is shocked as trolls call her natural look 'ugly' and ‘disgusting’. The Daily Mail. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3416030/Teen-posted-selfie-make-half-face-called-ugly-disgusting-trolls.html#ixzz40uc0yoPg.

 Horning, R. (2014, November 23). Selfies without the self. The New Inquiry. Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://thenewinquiry.com/blogs/marginal-utility/selfies-without-the-self/.

  Jurgenson, N. (2012, November 26).“Glad I Didn’t Have Facebook In High School!” - Cyborgology. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2012/11/26/glad-i-didnt-have-facebook-in-high-school.

 McLaughlin, K. (2011, June 01). Paris Hilton on sex tape: 'I'll never be able to erase it’. CNN. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/05/31/piers.morgan.paris.hilton/index.html.

 Miroiu, C. (2014.) #Selfies: Social Identities in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Australi and New Zealand Communication Association Annual Conference, Swinburne University, Victoria 9-11 July, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://www.anzca.net/documents/2014-conf-papers/796-the-selfies-social-identities-in-the-digital-age.html.

 O'Neill, E. [essenaoneil]. (21 November, 2015). "This is the one photo that I feel people most recognise me from. But this isn't me at all. I had acne here. This is a lot of makeup. I was smiling because I thought I looked good. Happiness based on aesthetics will suffocate your potential here on Earth" [Photograph]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://www.instagram.com/p/-WC6_GDLxu/.

  O'Neill, E. (n.d.). “Me?” [blog]. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://essenaoneill.com/hello/. O'Neill, E. [essenaoneil]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram page]. Retrieved February 25, 2016, from https://www.instagram.com/essenaoneill/?hl=en.

 Rutledge, P.M. (6 July, 2013). Making Sense of Selfies. Psychology Today. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/positively-media/201307/making-sense-selfies.

  Schwartz, J. (writer) & Barrett, D.M. (director). (24 March 2004.) “The L.A.” [Television series episode]. The O.C. Los Angeles, CA: Warner Brothers Television. “The L.A.” (n.d.). Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0663888/?ref_=ttep_ep22

 "The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2013". Oxford words blog. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/press-releases/oxford-dictionaries-word-of-the-year-2013.

  Wei Wei, A. [aiww]. (n.d.) Posts [Instagram account]. Retrieved March 2, 2016 from https://www.instagram.com/aiww/?hl=en.
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Thursday, 11 February 2016

Meta-Pinterest


For this week's project, I embraced the medium of Pinterest. Therefore, all my thoughts and comments are embedded in my Pinterest board itself.

References

Duggan, M. [2015.] "Mobile Messaging and Social Media 2015," Pew Research Center.Retrieved February 09, 2016, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/19/methods-35/.

Erickson, C. (June 2012). “Pinterest Rolls Out Curated Newsletter for Users,” Mashable. Retrieved on February 9, 2016, fromhttp://mashable.com/2012/06/02/pinterest-curated-newsletter.

Morin, P. (May 2012). “An Open Letter to Everyone Using the Word ‘Curate’ Incorrectly on the Internet,” Hermitage Museum. Retrieved on February 9, 2016, from http://aboriginalcuratorinresidence.blogspot.ca/2012/05/httphermitagemuseumwordpresscom20111004.html.

Perez, S. (Sept. 2013). “Pinterest Appeals To Publishers With New Article Pins, Pushes To Become A Bookmarking & “Read It Later” Service." TechCrunch. Retrieved on February 9, 2016, from http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/24/pinterest-article-pins.

Wuebben, J. (2012). “Introduction,” Content Is Currency. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.  Retrieved on February 9, 2016, from http://www.amazon.com/Content-Currency-Developing-Powerful-Mobile/dp/1857885732.


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Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Studying Facebook

A screenshot from Instagram (personal communication, February 2, 2016). 

I will emulate Jenn's format, because she did it oh-so-cleverly. As I started studying my Facebook timeline, it was difficult to find statuses that weren't shared links. That’s likely because I often unfollow "friends" who post effusive, highly personal status updates. 

Most of my timeline posts are content from institutions or personalities I follow ie. The New York Times, 
George Takei, Jezebel. Clearly, they’re looking to promote their own content or causes, so I’ve decided not to examine their narratives. 

A sample post on my Facebook timeline.

I decided that I would only examine Facebook posts that were original content, native to Facebook. Like Jenn, out of concern for my friends’ privacy, I won't be sharing identifying information about my friends. 

1) G. is a former work colleague of mine, who changed his profile picture to an image of himself and his wife looking pensive or skeptical. They're outside sitting on steps of a large public library. I think G. intended all of his friends to see this photo. Indeed, the profile photo is used as an avatar across the site and can come up in Google searches. From this, I’m guessing G. wants to show the importance of his relationship with his wife. 

2) K. is a former high school classmate who I haven't spoken to in years. She writes that she thinks she's lost her wedding ring in a garbage bag filled with dirty diapers. It's accompanied by many anguished emojis. 

The message is brief and powerful. I think the post is made to garner sympathy and words of encouragement. From this message, I'm imagining that she's a busy mom and wife with many responsibilities. 

3. N. 's photo shows herself and young niece at a birthday party. The accompanying text says how  N. loves and cherishes the niece, S. This "friend" often posts pictures of her family and friends. I'm a former colleague of N.'s and yet I can see this personal picture, so this photo is very public.

N. is quite pretty, and most of her FB posts are selfies with family and friends. This portrays  that she has strong relationships with others and values her family and friends.

A screenshot of B.'s Facebook post.

4. The next post is a lengthy, esoteric post promoting a yoga retreat in Southeast Asia. It was posted by the organizer of the retreat, a high school acquaintance named B. 

B. posted a picture alongside the text, showing her posing under a gorgeous, bougainvillea tree. The picture is washed in warm light, and B. is smiling invitingly while wearing a tummy-baring yoga outfit. The photo captions suggests B. is having "a midday frolic through Eden" (personal communication, February 2, 2016).

I think her post is to evoke emotion in the reader. Because B. is promoting her event, she's intending the post to be widely read and shared. The appealing image is meant to attract the reader and get them intrigued by the yoga retreat. Most of our mutual network would be in rural Alberta, suffering through the winter. The post is enticing and says "come join me in the sun in Southeast Asia". 

5. S. is a high school friend who posted regarding the broken pilot light on her furnace. Three commenters gave S. advice, after which she responded that the furnace was fixed. 

From this post, I’m gleaning that S. is a homeowner with responsibilities. She's trying to be pro-active and solution-oriented. Also, she’s living in Calgary and she’s still suffering through the brutal Alberta winter. 

S. is quite prolific with Facebook postings, so I think she intends them for a wide audience. I don’t know her very well anymore, but I can still glean lots of information about her job, recreation activities and marriage. 

References

Jezebel. (2016, February 2).  Sarah Palin, February 1, 2016: "You ready for peace through strength and that Reagan-ous posture that would tell any enemy, 'Uh uh, we’re America, so we win, you lose!'" [Facebook status]. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/Jezebel/posts/10153166141642434. 



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Wednesday, 27 January 2016

The role of aggregation in Twitter storytelling

The transitory nature of Twitter makes it difficult to tell stories, whether fictional or otherwise. While there are tools (ScribbleLive, CoverItLive, Storify) to collect tweets, an editor is required to aggregate the work. 

 In the example of Elliot Holt’s #TwitterFiction [sic] project, the story is narrated by three characters, each with their own Twitter handle. Indeed, the permalinks to Holt's tweets are not active anymore, so the story only exists in its aggregated form. 
A screenshot of Holt's story on Penguin Press' Storify.

Holt’s story was part of the Twitter Fiction Festival and hosted by Penguin Press. In the finished project, an editor from Penguin has aggregated the content into a Storify page. Should the editor be getting credit for their role in the story’s creation?


 I agree with Slate’s David Pierce that:
"In most ways, the Story Time Twitter reading experience is awful. You’re waiting for tweets, as the author painstakingly tries to contort a long story into some indeterminate number of 140-character chunks. Tweets get lost in your timeline unless you’re vigilantly paying attention.”
Though I'm a transliterate reader, I find it difficult to follow a narrative without an aggregated story. Therefore, Twitter fiction presents a problem of accessibility: not all readers have the time/means to enjoy the story live. Typically, I tune into the Twitter story well after it has unfolded. Take for example, the tale of Aziah King (NSFW). I would venture that this aggregation is counter to Twitter’s nature as a place for brief texts written quickly in a casual manner. 

 As Rita King puts it, "Twitter story experiments aren’t shackled by the linear requirements of paper”. Though I applaud the progressive nature of Twitter stories, I still cling to narratives in print. This recalls our reading of How the Page Matters by Bonnie Mak. To me, the stories still ends at “the edges of the cognitive space” of the page (p. 13).

 In Andrew Fitzgerald’s TED talk "Adventures in Twitter fiction", he provides an intriguing graphic of Twitter interactions. This web is so wide, it is impossible to extricate any one user or story.




I think this graphic is an apt metaphor for the multimodality of Twitter. In contrast, print fiction is distinctly one dimensional. That said, print media is innovating and expanding its boundaries.

It makes me think of the early 2000s, when newspapers tried to garner more web traffic by starting printing QR codes alongside stories. Little coded boxes would appear next to the text, encouraging readers to scan the code and connect with further information online. This technology was cumbersome at best: you had to download a separate app to read the codes. Of course, now QR codes are somewhat redundant thanks to advances in near field technology (NFC).

 References

 Holt, E. (n.d.). @ElliottHolt's #TwitterFiction Story (with image, tweets). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from https://storify.com/penguinpress/elliotholt-s-twitterfiction-story

 King, R. (2013, May 22). How Twitter Is Reshaping The Future Of Storytelling. Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://www.fastcoexist.com/1682122/how-twitter-is-reshaping-the-future-of-storytelling

 Mak, B. (2011). How the page matters. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

 Pierce, D. (2016, January 22). Gather Around, Folks, for the Brilliance of Story Time Twitter. Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://www.wired.com/2016/01/gather-around-folks-for-the-brilliance-of-story-time-twitter

 Fitzgerald, A. [TED]. (2013, October 11). Andrew Fitzgerald: Adventures in Twitter fiction [video file]. Retrieved January 27, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ZzmqDMhi0
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Wednesday, 13 January 2016

The History of Book: Module Two reaction



As Eisenstein so eloquently writes, the literati always seem eager to predict the demise of the book. In the 19th century, when newspapers were gaining dominance in England, they engaged in a certain amount of hubris. Eisenstein quotes an editorial from the London Times from 1852, which states:
"Daily appealing to the enlightened force of public opinion; antici-
pating when possible the march of events, standing upon the breach
between past and future, extending its survey to the horizon of the
world, journalism was now truly an estate of the realm more powerful
than any other estate" (p. 555).
Given the economics pressures suffered by newspapers now, I find this quite humorous.

I'm also realizing how my understanding of the book are thoroughly Western. While the texts from Module Two give examples from Ancient Egypt, 18th century France and 20th century America, I wonder how understandings of the book differ in other cultures.

Indeed, many modern scripts are read right-to-left or top-to-bottom; Hebrew, Chinese, and Arabic to name a few. While Bonnie Mak explains the origin of "paginae" in Egypt, she omits any mention of other literary traditions (p. 11). I'm assuming then that her thesis on the page pertains solely to the English language. I'm sure there's endless scholarship in these areas and I wish I had more time to explore the topics.

I appreciate Mak's thoughts about "the edges of the cognitive spaces of the page" (p. 13). While she writes specifically about wax tablets used in Egypt, it's no different than smartphone and tablets used today.

Mak also notes a graphic design principle that is still used today: the use of blank space (p. 17). The ability to add extra space with margins and gutters is well integrated into modern desktop publishing software.

To me, this is analogous to the use of pauses in radio stories. As a producer, pauses are used to give the audience a space to breathe. It allows them time to digest one concept, before hearing another. Perhaps an example of a transliteracy in action?

I can't predict the future of the book, but only observe how I engage with texts. I read this week's texts on my phone, skipping between various apps to annotate and research. Despite my avowed status as a technophile, I want to print out these readings so that I can physically interact with them. So far, I have been able to resist this urge, but we will see how I do as this course progresses.

Elizabeth, E. (1995). The End of the Book? Some Perspectives on Media Change. American Scholar, 64541-555.

Mak, B. (2011). “How the Page Matters,” https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzsIVysTrCWkT1FaN0lpMmVkY28/view?usp=sharing
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Monday, 11 January 2016

Nostalgia is powerful: a reaction to Eisenstein



Nostalgia is a power feeling.

The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon is overwhelmed with the nostalgic appeal of text-based games.  Humans are sentimental creatures, so as long as we can remember a world before iPods and Instagram, we will yearn for it.

The idea that new developments will always supersede older technology is an oversimplification. While technology companies like Apple work in planned obsolescence, they can not totally control the whims of the consumer.

The willingness of companies to pander to this nostalgia is evident in pop culture trends. Look no further than Netflix's revival of Full House, The Magic School Bus and Gilmore Girls. It's not just TV production companies that are cashing in. Check out how one company is resurrecting Hydrox cookies.

In Eisenstein's words, "long-enduring habits of mind" keep us in this loop of re-invention. It's not hard to find evidence of this. Indeed, in these first weeks of 2016, people across North America are pledging to shed their old skins, totally forgetting how they failed those same resolutions a year ago.

As Elizabeth Eisenstein alludes, since the invention of the Kindle, futurists have been heralding the end of print books. However, statistics from December 2015 show that sales of the e-book are leveling out while sales of print books are trending upwards.

References:

Kestenbaum, D. [producer]. (2015, September 18). Episode 652: The Hydrox Resurrection. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/09/18/441546748/episode-652-the-hydrox-resurrection.

Regan, M.D. (2015, December 15).Why print book sales are rising, and books are getting longer. Retrieved January 11, 2016, from http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2015/1221/Why-print-book-sales-are-rising-and-books-are-getting-longer.

TheDeepEnd666. (2011, April 1). Big bang theory - Sheldon playing text adventures (video file). Retrieved January 11, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCpr_QHAqks.

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Digital Literacy & Gwyneth Dunsford

One of my recent Instagram photos.

This podcast was a challenging project. With journalism's focus on brevity, it has been tricky to create a three minute narrative about myself.

I value my privacy, so I have mixed feelings about sharing this content with the class. That said, it is clear how much of my identity is already online.

I am also realizing how easy it is to manipulate my identity with social media tools. I can portray myself however I like, by carefully selecting what I am sharing. 



References:

Dunsford, G [Gwyneth Dunsford]. (2011, June 23). How to tell the story of the Oslo terrorist attacks, July 22, 2011 (video file). Retrieved January 10, 2016, from https://vimeo.com/26819033. 

Dunsford, G [gwynduns]. (2014, November 24). Rick Scott campaign stop in Tampa met with protests [audio file]. Retrieved January 10, 2016, from https://goo.gl/0LrmeJ.  

Gibbs, W. & Ringstrom, A. (2011, July 23). At least 91 dead in Norway shooting, bomb attack.  Retrieved January 10, 2016, from http://goo.gl/ru6E7v.  
  
Paramount Pictures. (2013, April 29). Catch Me If You Can - Trailer [video file]. Retrieved January 10, 2016, from https://youtu.be/71rDQ7z4eFg.  


M, Kevin [Kevin M]. (2014, June 4). Belle & Sebastian - Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto (James Brown cover) [video file]. Retrieved January 10, 2016, from https://youtu.be/OpxZv5KAiuo.  
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