My Final Entry

To be perfectly honest, this course has been a real challenge. The medium of blogging was initially so foreign to me that I had difficulties writing. At first, I had absolutely no idea what a blog should contain. I thought that blogging was just for journaling thoughts, but now I realize that there is more to it than that. When done correctly, blogs can be as sophisticated as a formal paper. Even writers for The New York Times have blogs. I think once I realized that formal papers could be completely virtual and even contain the word “I”, this class became less stressful, and my writing improved.

When this class began, my attempts at writing a proficient post were dismal. The knowledge that my work would be read and judged by a larger audience had a profound impact on my writing. I found myself punching the backspace key more frequently because I was highly conscious of my word choices. For some reason, knowing that anyone in the world could potentially read my posts was extremely discomforting. Initially, I let this feeling of unease take control, and my posts suffered. They were short and lacked deeper analysis. I was so concerned with how I would be perceived that I refused to give my opinion. Eventually, it was this concern that actually improved my writing. Having an awareness of a larger audience made my thoughts more logical and concise. Additionally, I would have to say that this class has taught me to read critically.

Although this virtual medium improved my writing, I think I still prefer formal papers. My preference is solely due to my familiarity and comfort with the classic style of writing (i.e. type and print). Even though Blogspot offers a text box complete with spell check, I still chose write all of my posts in a Word document. For some reason a Word document has a certain aura about it. It evokes a particular style of writing. For me, that style becomes a formal one. The text window in Blogspot on the other hand, reminds me of instant messaging and therefore seems much less formal. I fell into this trap for my very first post. Instead of writing in Word first, I wrote directly onto the Blogspot page. Needless to say, my post was far below the standard which some of my classmates achieved. Quickly, I learned and my writing improved. I am not trying to say that I did not enjoy writing in a different medium. I only meant that this was a big change and it took some getting used to. Ultimately, I believe that this was a great class and I hope to take something similar in the near future.

Reality

The notion of reality was once a simple and straightforward concept. It is commonly defined as something that is in definite being, not pretend or imagined. However, due to recent technological advances, the idea of reality is becoming more and more complicated. Several theories surround the philosophical sense of the word, thereby confusing its meaning even further. What was once considered science fiction (i.e. computers, high-tech games, and the Internet) is now possible and is effectively shifting the way we think of the separation between what is real and virtual.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines reality as “the quality of being real or having an actual existence.” It is derived from the late Latin realis meaning “relating to things.” In the past, reality was used to refer to a “sincere devotion or loyalty to a person” (The Oxford English Dictionary). Although this particular usage is obsolete, it has direct ties to its Latin derivation. Being loyal to someone is to have a relation with him or her. The shift from the term’s early history to its contemporary denotation, however, is relatively unknown. Although a direct correlation between these uses is unclear, an evolution of this word could be traced. Perhaps sincere devotion became an important ideology and was later recognized as something concrete or real. This then transformed into the definition that is recognized today.

Wikipedia goes on to state the controversy surrounding what is “reality”. Many believe that reality is a subjective term and is solely based on the interpretation of the individual. A consensus reality is formed when a group of people experience a certain event and come to an agreement on what it was real. This however, can lead to inconsistencies. What happens when one group has developed one particular set of realities while another group rejects them? In this subjective theory, reality cannot be considered a universal truth, but only a socially constructed concept. Reality is then considered to be “dependent upon mental and cultural factors such as perceptions, beliefs, and other mental states, as well as cultural artifacts, such as religions and political movements, on up to the vague notion of a common cultural world view” (Wikipedia). A famous historical example of this occurred in the 16th century. In this time everyone accepted that the sun revolved around the Earth. What we now know to be false was the consensus reality of the time. Until the Copernican Theory, this fact was basically undisputed. Alternatively, in the realist sense, reality is synonymous with “fact.” It is objective and therefore independent of human perception. The assertion that the Earth is round is a fact and therefore reality. Phillip K. Dick accurately summarizes the realist view in his statement that “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” This theory, as opposed to the anti-realist beliefs, effectively prevents confusion over what should be declared as reality.


Common colloquialisms, however, support the notion that reality is subjective. Sayings such as “my reality is not your reality,” suggest that everyone has their own perceptions of what they consider to be real. Even though an objectively-based reality makes more logical sense, it seems as though the subjective philosophy is commonly accepted. This is termed as “idealism” and focuses on anti-realist beliefs. Idealism is perhaps popular due to the comfort associated with the idea that reality can be subject to personal interpretation. The knowledge that the individual can essentially create his or her own reality is reassuring. This is how most ideologies are formed. The “subjective reality,” in this sense, is often contrasted with the imagination (or the virtual world that is created by the mind).

This comparison has lead to a shift from the common usage of reality, to denote an actual existence, to focus more on the separation between the real and virtual. Recently, the two have been fused to create what is known as virtual reality (VR). This technology “allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment, be it a real or imagined one” (Wikipedia). Virtual reality is often used in gaming, but has more recently been implemented in realistic training simulations for emergency personnel, such as firefighters, police officers, and even medical physicians. VR programmers pride themselves on the creation of a reality-based system. Such a system is defined by The Oxford English Dictionary as something “founded on realistic thinking or the state of things as they actually are.” These technological innovations are so advanced that their ability to portray real life is astounding.

It is this accurate representation of reality that is effectively confusing the distinction between reality and fiction. Hyperreality is the term that “characterize[s] the way consciousness defines what is actually ‘real’ in a world where a multitude of media can radically shape and filter the original event or experience being depicted” (Wikipedia). One famous hyperreality theorist includes Jean Baudrillard. In particular, Baudrillard indicates that the real world is being replaced by a fictitious one. As a society, we are beginning to experience virtual realities as part of our physical reality and are therefore allowing it to become part of our everyday life in the real world. As technologies become more sophisticated in their abilities to emulate the real world, hyperreality becomes more prevalent. This issue can be clearly seen in today’s society when examining Second Life. Second Life is an online game with no true objective. It is essentially a virtual world in which its users can manipulate details such as the places to visit, gestures, clothing, gender, and even the appearance of their avatar (a virtual representation of the user). Users are able to escape reality by turning to a virtual world. Ironically, they are escaping to a very accurate simulation of the real world. Due to this emulation, many people grow to accept this virtual world as their reality, in the strict subjective sense of the word. This rejection of real life is widely disputed and a hierarchy between the real and virtual has developed. Many believe that reality should be in higher regard than a virtual world. However, to many users of Second Life, this hierarchy is not true.

Reality is a very fluid concept. It defines a variety of things and may never be solidified. Even now, all of its previous meanings are being challenged. Society is rejecting the term and replacing it with “actuality.” The creation of reality television has ultimately put a blemish on the face of reality. Because these programs have become an inaccurate representation of real life (due to character scripting), the concept of reality has been questioned and accused of misrepresenting true life. Perhaps “actuality” will become the new reality.

An LG Dare-ing Identity

At 3am Monday night, I realized that I was not going to sleep. I had spent the last four hours lying awake in bed trying to convince myself that sleep was inevitable, but I was wrong. Finally, I decided to give in and get up to read. The closest thing to me in the dark room was an old copy of Allure magazine. As I flipped through the pages absent mindedly, I began to notice an abundance of advertisements for various products: Gucci, OPI, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and Coke-a-cola. Half asleep, yet brutally aware of my consciousness, I stumbled upon this advertisement.

At first glance, it seems completely mundane due to the lack of color. Perhaps, it was my glazed over senses from a profound lack of sleep, but after awhile I became aware of a deeper meaning within this ad. It was not simply promoting a cell phone, but also an identity. At this point it may be confusing how an advertisement for a cell phone can possibly be selling a new identity. In the following post, I intend to clarify how Verizon Wireless can effectively do just this. This purchasable identity is hidden beneath numerous representations.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, identity is a complicated ideology. New Keywords: A Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society defines it as “the autobiographical self…organized around a range of…cultural attributes, such as character, personality, experience, social position, or lifestyle” (172). However, more recently, identity has been extended to encompass what is called a “collective identity”, or “particular ways of imagining …group belonging.” As anyone who has been to high school knows, fitting into a certain group requires a particular representation of oneself. Many character traits are idealized by society and are therefore widely accepted. A sense of adventure and a disregard for danger are among them, and are repeatedly praised in action movies such as Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones, and James Bond thrillers. Well, lucky for us, anyone who does not posses these qualities can purchase them simply by buying the new LG Dare.

In comparison to the LG Dare, the advertisement for iPhone is very different. While the LG Dare is a black faced phone surrounded by darkness, the iPhone is surrounded by whiteness. Both ads have a rather large amount of space encircling the phone itself, yet each fills this space differently. The iPhone, for example, is bordered by a large, open blank space, but the LG ad contains an image of a snake coiled around the phone. Both the snake and the LG phone share the same color scheme and contain a metallic sheen. The color red appears in the LG advertisement, while the iPhone ad keeps things simple and only displays a purely white background. In addition, iPhone has no catch-phrase, no slogan, and no writing.

While these differences are seemingly mundane, they are, in fact, very important. IPhone was LG Dare’s wildly successful predecessor. In an attempt to compete with the new technology, LG not only needed to offer equivalent features, but also attract its audience more effectively. As opposed to iPhone, LG created an advertising campaign that makes an effort to sell an adventurous identity along with a phone.

Advertising is a language in itself where every detail is calculated and deliberate. Almost everything that you encounter in this particular advertisement is a representation that must be deciphered to uncover its intended meaning. A representation is “partially synonymous with sign” and “understood as ‘speaking for’” something else (New Keywords, 306). The semiotic analysis of this ad begins with the breakdown of color and objects because they represent the new identity being sold.

Colors function in American society as specific representations. Even though the meaning behind colors is overlooked by many, advertisers use them to their advantage. Each object and color combines to construct a dangerous environment. The lack of color, which initially causes this ad to appear dull, is actually a conscious decision. In fact, it is likely that the color black was explicitly selected due to its ties to morbidity, emptiness, and death. This color is very prevalent throughout the advertisement, and therefore elicits an emotional response from the audience. They are left with a sense of foreboding and coldness all from a simple glance at this ad. The snake that is pictured also adds to these thoughts. Snakes often represent evil and instill fear within many. The reflection of similar characteristics in the phone and the snake implies that they are the same not only in appearance, but also in what they represent: fear. The audience is lead to believe that the phone, by itself, is also dangerous. These two representations effectively set up an atmosphere of trepidation and danger. In a stark contrast, the iPhone is neatly settled in the center of the page surrounded by only white space. White is representative of tranquility and cleanliness. There is no sense of fear or danger as in the LG advertisement. Since Apple was the first company to produce such an advanced phone, their advertising objective is to simply promote the technology. The blank, white background ensures that the audience will not be distracted and can focus on the wonders of the phone itself. LG, on the other hand, is simply emulating this technology. To be successful, they must additionally promote a lifestyle; one that promises to make the individual feel accepted. Another color used by LG Dare is red. This color appears in the phrase: “Dare you to touch one.” Red is often associated with traffic signs and used to alert a driver of potential hazards. Not only does the red word “dare” bring attention to the name of the phone, it also reinforces the presence of danger.

Additionally, the slogan itself (“Dare you to touch one.”) provides a kind of incentive. Once the danger had been established, the advertisement dares its audience to become active. The word “you” hails the audience and asks them to participate. “Dare you to touch one” provokes, and almost demands, that you face the present danger (the snake). The entirety of this ad functions to appeal to the desire to be adventurous. It is making the statement that the LG Dare phone is, in itself, dangerous and that by purchasing one (i.e. “touching one”) you can become fearless.

This new identity, full of action and danger, can be yours for only $199.99!

Second Life, Second World

Imagine a game that is limitless. With no true objective, as compared to most online games, I was quickly swept away in the vastness that is Second Life. Anything from night clubs hosting “naked hour” to virtual employment centers are readily available. As a new-comer, I was overwhelmed with the infinite number of possibilities. Do I join a group, meet new people, buy a house, change my appearance, attend a concert, build an island…? As I let all of these options wash over me, I realized that there is an undeniable appeal to this world. With approximately 13 million users (which prefer to be called “residents”), Second Life provides a space of perfection. Everything, from the tone of your skin to the people you associate with, is a product of personal selection. The existing complexities of the game allow for a detailed manipulation of a virtual world. The medium is therefore inseparable from its audience. In essence, the audience becomes the creator of his or her own virtual world.

The medium of Second Life offers many features which allow residents to create a new virtual identity of their own choosing. But why would someone want to create another identity? Identity, in itself, is a complicated concept. New Keywords: A Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society attempts to define the word as “the autobiographical self [that] has tended to become organized around a range of other more cultural attributes, such as character, personality, experience, social position, or lifestyle” (172). More recently, however, identity is emphasized as the personal assignment of ourselves into groups using the cultural qualities listed above. When the attempt to locate one’s place in the world fails, the result is a diasporic experience. This occurrence “is often described negatively in terms of exile, isolation, and loss” (New Keywords, 82). Perhaps the desire to create a “second life” is the result of dissatisfaction with one’s real world identity. In other words, when someone feels as though they are some how secluded, they turn to the world of Second Life to create another persona to feel accepted. The creative power is not only held by the audience, but permitted by the media thereby effectively combining the two. Because this medium offers a multitude of features which allow residents to manipulate their virtual life, Second Life becomes a place to revise real life inadequacies.

Recently MTV aired a special about the internet’s effect on our lives, entitled “I Live Another Life On The Web.” For one young girl named Amy, real life becomes too much to handle. Her dream is to become a famous musician; however, she is stunted by her disabling stage-fright. In order to cope, she turns to Second Life and creates the alternate identity, Keiko. In this virtual world, she says that her fears dissolve, and she is able to play live concerts with ease (inside of the game). In real life Amy is hindered by her stage-fright, but in Second Life she has created a new identity that shines on stage. This situation accurately exemplifies how this game is enabling those who are frustrated with their real life identities to happily live out life in a self-fulfilling, virtual environment.

But what happens when a resident becomes so involved in their Second Life identity that he/she accepts the virtual as reality?

Even though the intention of Second Life is innocent enough, its creation has effectively confused the boundary of what is “real” and what is “virtual.” Something that is real is defined by Wikipedia as “most often refer[ing] to reality, the state of things as they actually exist.” Virtual, on the other hand, is defined by Wiktionary as being “in effect or essence, if not in fact or reality; imitated.” However, for some, these words coincide. The ability to explore, move about, and build a world, in essence, strips the virtual aspect from Second Life and places it within the realm of reality. The very appeal of this game is the simple fact that it is not passive, but rather proactive. Even though this game has a few fantastical features, such as the ability to fly, its reflection of reality is very accurate. Virtual limits are tested with the newfound concept of “virtual property”. Linden Lab allows all of its residents to retain full ownership of their virtual creations: anything from stores to gestures. These property rights have therefore created a thriving economy. Profits in the game are real. Even well-known companies in the real world are attempting to break ground in Second Life by setting up advertisement campaigns. Stealing in the game is punishable by law inside and out of this virtual world. Along with a functioning judicial system, there are rules that are enforced with varying degrees in each virtual land. Because Second Life effectively simulates the real world, it is easy to get lost within it. The following cartoon parodies the allure of Second Life.

The idea behind this cartoon is eerily accurate. A real life example of this was recently on the news. CBS reported that a woman named Kimberly Jernigan, whose relationship recently ended in Second Life, attempted to kidnap her former virtual boyfriend. She was ultimately charged with attempted kidnapping, burglary, and aggravated menacing. Oddly enough, along with this story, a picture of Jernigan is provided. There seems to be a very particular reason that this photo is added. When I first came across this article, I immediately noticed this and a series of additional pictures depicting celebrities below the one of Jernigan. They were under the title “Related Slideshows.” Initially, I did not think anything of them. But, as I read the news article, I became more aware of this women’s attachment to her “second life.” I began thinking: how are the stories of celebrities related to this one at all? I concluded that, the celebrity images serve as a severe juxtaposition between what is commonly accepted (i.e. beauty, fame, ect.), and this women. Jernigan’s appearance helps the reader of this story understand that she may be drawn to the virtual world of Second Life due to her physical detachment from mainstream society. Confusion between one’s first life and second life is not necessarily the problem at hand; it is more that some have begun to accept Second Life as their reality.

On one hand, Second Life provides an escape from experiencing inadequacies in real life. On the other, the game can distort the long standing relationship between real and virtual. When interviewed (inside of the game) many people stated that they enjoy their “second life” more that their real life. Ultimately, this game can either become part of a person’s reality through the creation of a virtual extension, or the only thing they consider to be real. The medium of Second Life presents an unstable balance between the real and virtual, and it is up to the resident to choose between the two.

"Dummer" by the Second

Yesterday in class we discussed an article by Nicholas Carr called “Is Google Making Us Stupid.” The consensus seemed to be that the internet is altering the way we think. In his article, Carr states that computers not only “supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought.” This implies that the internet is altering our cognitive abilities. So, it is making us “stupid” in a sense. The word “stupid” is a colloquial term, and therefore used in many ways to imply many things. Here, I define the word as a weakening of the mind. As the formalities of speech and writing are being forgotten (from the reliance on spelling and grammar check), it is making our thoughts chaotic. Our “stupidity” does not come from a lack of intelligence, but rather the disuse of certain parts of our brain. I am guilty of this just as much as the next person. I admit it freely. I often find myself writing an email (or even a blog) and forgetting to address grammatical and spelling issues. For instance, I forget to capitalize the first letter of a sentence on a regular basis. There are programs out there that automatically do this for me so why should I remember it myself?

The wonders of Word include autocorrect features and spell/grammar check. Both of these programs allow syntactical errors to go almost unnoticed. Since we are no longer forced to pick up a dictionary and manually discover the correct spelling of a word, the corrected version is forgotten. When a word is flagged as misspelled, a red line appears under it. To correct the error, one simply needs to select the proper word from a list of suggestions. Search engines such as Google also have a spell check feature. When a word is misspelled, corrections are suggested with the phrase “Do you mean: ________.” Due to this convenience, I find myself misspelling the same words over and over again having never learned the proper way. It is no longer necessary to remember how to spell. This autocorrect element creates bad habits that are carried into other writing situations (i.e. papers or emails). The simplicity and ease of spell check features are meant to assist the writing process, but they are in fact impairing it. Such programs are creating the problems with coherent thought processing, but the internet is perpetuating them.

Upon discussing my difficulties with my friends, I soon realized that this is a common problem. Emails and instant messages, in particular, harbor numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Many of these programs lack spell check options so mistakes, which have become habits while using such devices, go unnoticed. This problem is more than just simply misspelling words here and there. It seems that these devices are hindering our ability to think cohesively. With grammar and spelling forgotten, our sentences are becoming fragmented and unclear. These ambiguous sentences reflect our inability to correctly complete a thought. Here is one example of an extreme case. The errors within this “break-up letter” are hard to ignore. Thoughts are incoherent and very difficult to understand. While funny, this example demonstrates how the bad habits that internet has taught us are changing the way we think. Because we are so used to disregarding spelling and grammar, we no longer know how to articulate our thoughts.

One of my professors stated to his class that “you do not need to know how to spell to get a PhD. All you need is a good spell-checker.” This singular statement accurately reveals how our thought process is being changed. Due to advances of the internet, we are no longer concerned with spelling and syntax. Instead of spending time on these details, we allocate them to machines. These technologies are causing us to lose the knowledge associated with spelling and grammar because it is now stored as a program on our computers.

One important factor that we are forgetting is that we are smarter that the machines we trust to correct us. When Word fails, it can entirely change the meaning of the sentence. This actually happened to Kara Thompson. Word changed “under-served” to “undeserved” thereby confusing two completely separate thoughts. Our dependency on spelling and grammar checking leads us to believe that such programs are always correct, when, in fact, they are not. This reliance, in itself, is another symptom of our growing “stupidity.”

Technology

Technology has somehow become an indicator of an advanced culture. Wikipedia defines technology as “a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment.” Yet, this is not the definition that most people would consider. Technology has recently evolved and become synonymous with scientific advancement. Computers, cell phones, and GPS units are what spring to mind when technology is mentioned. For some reason long-standing tradition, the creation of the pen and paper to record the spoken word for instance, is not thought of technology, but rather the new and innovative gadgets like the BlackBerry or touch iPod are.

When a particular culture does not have these technological devices, they are often labeled as “primitive”. This idea is emphasized over and over again in the media today. Disney’s Pocahontas, for example, contains European settlers actually calling the Native American people “primitive savages.” Perhaps it is our own dependence on technology that leads us to believe that all other cultures without it must be diminished in some capacity. But the question then becomes, is this distinction between primitive and advanced so clear cut? As mentioned above, the literal definition of the word technology is simply the use and knowledge of tools. By this definition every human culture contains sort of “technology”. Even though the issue becomes ambiguous based on the definition of technology, it becomes clear that one culture is no more advanced, or more civilized than another.

First Entry

To be completely honest, I have never written a blog before. Actually, I have never even read one. The only experience I have is through casual conversations with friends about their personal blog writings. From what I understand, blogging seems to be a form of public journaling. Since I have very little experience, I have a few reservations about writing my own blogs. My fear is that I will end up completely misunderstanding the point of blogging in this class and incorrectly write all of my blog entries. Blog writing seems to be more casual than the formal papers that are usually required for English classes so I am afraid that my entries will not meet the standards of this course. Also, the idea of writing publicly makes me nervous. I hope that my blogs will not be judged harshly and that my thoughts do not seem ridiculous to my peers.
While this class seems very interesting, it is very different from my writing experience. Since I am a Biological Sciences major, the majority of my writing is in the form of laboratory reports and expository essays. I have, however, taken an English course at UC Davis. This class was pretty straight forward. We were given readings and were required to write and turn in formal papers. I would not go so far as to say that I love writing papers and essays, but I do like to write.