In the picture to the left,
you can see the progression over the last 40-50 years towards online sharing
with technologies through stereotypes. Creating the new genre of excessive voluntary data entry of user’s lives, in
online communities. Facebook can’t miss a moment of my life mentality. McNeill (2011), argues that simply digitalising a pre-existing genre like the journal or diary, does not equate in an entirely new genre. The rise of the novel discussed in my last post and lecture five; released gushes of information and themes that were not previously possible (Van Luyn, 2013). The rise of technologies and the globalisation of communities through sites like Facebook and technology, has empowered the user. It was not previously possible for anyone to simultaneously notify masses of people of your daily trivia.
It's interesting to look at Facebook pages like March Against Monsanto (MAM) and techniques administrators use to draw users to their posts. I have found generalisations, similes of sweeping statements and even though posts may be true, there's no academically credible sites readily available to support the post (one needs to research to verify posts). Again the Foucault power nexus, knowledge is power theme seems to be written all over MAM (Petray, 2013). The users of MAM voice opinions without reluctance. Users vent thoughts, emotions and discourse evoked by the MAM administrators (Van Luyn, 2013). It's like users are empowered by releasing, commenting, sharing posts about the Monsanto control agenda theme. Are the users really this vocal, or do they think they can vent what they like online? I think users are passionate against the Monsanto agenda. I think that as this place is for users of like minds, they are justified in saying what they truly think, something they might otherwise withhold in polite conversation. This freedom I feel empowers users through communication. MAM is a perfect simile of discourse as explained in lecture six (Van Luyn, 2013). At least MAM is a little more interesting and relevant than the over share of some people in my regular Facebook identity.
Reference List
McNeill, L. (2011). Diary 2.0?: A genre moves from page to screen. In Rowe, C. & Wyss, E. (Eds.), Language and New Media Linguistic, Cultural and Technological Evolutions. (pp. 313- 325). Cresskill: Hampton Press Inc.
Hi Jazmine,
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your statement, "the rise of technologies and the globalisation of communities through sites like Facebook and technology has empowered the user". It not only empowers through a sharing of thoughts and comments but also through the extension of ones knowledge and ultimately self. As Ariella (2013) said in the lecture, genre is a dialogue, it enables this empowerment through its conventions and influences our interpretations of texts.
DiYanni (2005) also used the example of essays to show that genre recognition and division has changed considerably throughout history and has enabled new genre to form, however McNeill (2011) combats this stating transferring from print to online text doesn't divide and create new genre by is simply a means or tool for the original to progress through.
Reference List:
DiYanni, R. (2005). Introduction: Reading and writing essays, in Twenty-five great essays (pp3-15). New York, NY: Penguin Academics. Retrieved from: http://www.learnjcu.jcu.edu.au
McNeill, L. (2011). Diary 2.0?: A genre moves from page to screen, in Rowe, C. & Wyss, E.L. (Eds.) Language and new media: Linguistic, cultural and technological evolutions (pp. 318-323). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton. Retrieved from: http://www.learnjcu.jcu.edu.au
Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place, Week 6 notes. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from: http://www.learnjcu.jcu.edu.au
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ReplyDeleteHi Jazmine,
ReplyDeleteYour picture has captivated the progression of online stereotypes well, it caught my eye and made me want to read further.
You have found that many generalised, similes and sweeping statements are made on the MAM page. I do agree that one needs to research to verify posts, but it is amazing how many times we have all come up with a good idea without putting too much thought into it at some time.
This weeks Youtube clip has provided the Socratic Method of Thinking.
This method consists of 5 steps:
1) The statement
2) Find an exception to this statement
3) If an exception for this is found it must mean that either the statement is false of not totally correct.
4) You could advise the statement author to take the exception into account so that they may open their mind up to realising that they may not be entirely correct.
5) Keep finding exceptions to the statement.
Socrates once said "The truth lies in the statements that seems impossible to disprove"
Botton, A.D. (2012, September 28). What is the Socratic Method? This is the Socratic Method. [Video File]. Retreived from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1VcFggcLTY