We’re witnessing a shift in paradigm from television to tell-a-vision.
People are taking an active part in world events.
Instead of watching TV, people are talking to more and more people, making more and more connections, and sharing more and more information.
People are taking full advantage of the opportunity they have to be more connected to the world.
Personally, I know without Facebook and cell phones, more than half of my friends would be completely out of touch. Within the same second, I can communicate with people in South Korea, Florida, California, Hawaii, and right here in Boston. It’s as though time zones no longer exist.
Left unchecked, this can be devastating. People can use these devices will ill intent; and bad information can travel as fast as good.
But, there is a lot we can understand about social media & with the right balance of expertise and collaboration we can create more and more positive outcomes…
Amy,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with your point that if these social media tools are left unchecked, the effect can be a very bad one. As professor kane has taught me, technology is a double edged sword and it should be understood that way. It is just as easy to do good as it is to do bad using these tools that are pervasive throughout society. i think this is often overlooked because of all attention that social media gets--the popularity and hype overpowers the cons and downsides to these tools, so it is not talked about or considered as much.
i like the point you started your blog with about shifting from television to tell-a-vision. i thought that was an interesting way to put it because the article did talk so much about the increased likelihood with which people are present to witness events and use popular tools such as cameras, facebook ,twitter, etc. to report on it from the site. I especially liked the way Shirky put it when he said that we are increasingly learning about the world through strangers' random choices about what to share
Great play on words to start out your post. I definitely feel like it's much easier to stay connected with the help of social media. I wouldn't be able to (or have the will to) stay in touch with half as many people without it.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about the double edged nature of social networks. Sometimes used to great effect to rally around causes and in other cases horribly abused where kids are tormented and bullied by others hiding behind their computer screens. As these tools become more ingrained into society (already have a big impact, but haven't been around for that long compared to TV) hopefully people evolve better judgment in regards to how they are used.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea of the fact that we now consciously make efforts to get away from the television and do more social interaction. Before, people used to watch television simply to enjoy it themselves, but lately I feel that there is also an added incentive to watch television for the purpose of being able to discuss what they watched with others, hence "tell-a-vision" as you cleverly put it.
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