Thursday, March 31, 2011
Vector Shapes
My Vector Logo that I will be practicing in Adobe Illustrator with is a piece called Glacien by imrik on DeviantART.com. imrik does work in rallying artists to produce work and raise awareness for climate change on http://www.gaia10.us/. His vector art is beautiful and represents the beauty of the earth that we're trying to save. We'll see if I can emulate him at all.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Whither the Individual
In the last two decades, the internet has had one of the most profound effects on society in history. With it, people find an outlet for their creativity and opinions, as well as a hub for endless information. This didactic relationship of producing and receiving between the user and the net has made it possible for users to meet through their own content. Websites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and DeviantART have been created with this concept in mind – users generating content and uniting through that. Connectivity is the word of the day on the internet. However, while increased connectivity and speed of information flow is seen as a enormous technological leap, negative backlashes to such fast communication are apparent. A big concern is privacy.
With technology on the rise the effects of such creations are beginning to be recognized, but perhaps not fully understood. The Internet is a powerful medium with which modern participants interact with continuously throughout their day; additionally, the economy only feeds into this mass-craving for interaction on the internet and others who use it. In 1992, the first smartphone, IBM’s Simon, was created, capable of sending and receiving email, fax etc. along with all the functionality of a normal cellphone. Presently, the industry for smartphones has exploded with multiple brands and numerous capabilities. Among these capabilities is internet connection to social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, myspace… This functionality of using the internet while mobil has made the user inseparable from the net.
One of Marshall McLuhan’s famous quotes stated “the Medium is the Message.” This means that it is the use of technology and its effect on culture/society that is the real message, not the content of the technology. What is the message of a constantly connected user?
One message is psychological. Imagine the possibility of losing all of your privacy – everything you said could be scrutinized by a stranger. Essentially that is what happens on the internet. Our cyber profile, all our comments and public info, can usually be found by simply plugging in a username into to google. This can be done by our potential employers, our parents, our neighbors, anyone. For instance, should a person type into google “DustedInPastels,” my username, one would find quite a bit about me. There would be my limited view facebook page (if your weren’t my friend), my deviantART page, this blog, my Xmarks account, an old fanfiction.net account, and slew of reviews and comments I’ve written. So simply from google, what could anyone know about me at any given time? My name and picture for one. Beyond that Facebook would go further and present someone my interests, likes, dislikes, books I’ve read, Movies I’ve seen etc. DeviantART would show what I’ve made as well as my favorites of other artists’ work from the site. As a “cyber person,” I have an identity that is viewable to the general public, but how does that effect me?
Some say that when a person joins social groups and displays his/herself online there is a certain loss of ego where one must restrain how much of themselves they express. This is has truth to it. An article written by Sandra Davie on Asiaone.com describes a woman, Cecelia Lei, who was fired from her work at an electrics company for complaining online about her boss. While the name of her supervisor was never used nor was the name of the company, Ms. Lei was dismissed after the company read remarks about her “Hitler” like boss and his “Nazi-style” management. When she was questioned about the remarks, she stated that what she did in her private life was none of the company’s business. This isn’t an isolated incident either. In 2008, backup lineman to the University of Texas Long Horns Buck Burnette was booted from the team after Obama’s election for a racist remark he posted on his facebook status. While he apologized in length afterwards, unfortunately the damage was done.
Occurrences of people being penalized for remarks made online are all too common when so much of our expression is constantly posted online. The message, by McLuhan’s definition, is a more wary user of the internet. I’m sorry but that picture of you passed out with a beer in your hand with permanent marker all over your face probably shouldn’t be posted if you’re applying for a job. It will be seen.
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