Bruises fade, Internet history doesn't.

Gone are the days when journalists and editors were the gatekeepers of information. We now have the power to create our own media world. We have the ability to create, design and share the online information we want. Empowerment allows us to gain control over our lives. However, personal empowerment can sometimes make it possible for some to commit immoral acts so fast that one hardly notices (Hamelink, 2006, p. 118).

As seen in Rosie's blog, Cyber bulling has been prevalent amongst internet users for years. However, more recently, with the creation of SNS it has become easier for torment and harassment to occur from the privacy of a computer. Online torment can be far worse than traditional forms of bullying due to the fact that torment via a computer creates a moral distance (Hamelink, 2006, p. 118) between the perpetrator and the victim, and from that distance comes more frequent occurrences of attacks. Cyber bulling is detrimental to everyone. The advancement of social media platforms now allows the gutless to attack behind a screen.Having a moral distance from a victim deceives people into thinking it is okay. A punch in the face, a punch on a keyboard- bruises fade, internet history doesn’t.
CHOSEN POST.

Reference List

Hamelink, C. (2006). The Ethics of the Internet: Can we cope with Lies and Deceit on the Net? In Ideologies of the Internet, K. Sarikakis & Daya Thussu, pp. 115-130. New Jersey: Hampton Press. Available on CMD.

WiredKids, Inc. “Stop cyber bullying.” Accessed March 26, 2010. http://stopcyberbullying.org/

Playlist Privacy- The naked truth.

Why are people so apprehensive to show others their playlist’s? The world is filled with closeted ‘playlistesbians’ whom hide in the dark shadows of buses, trains and libraries, so ashamed of their musical predicament they shy away from prying eyes. To some, exposing one’s playlist is likened to exposing one’s body, which to me, is a bit extreme. I freely admit to the music I have in my playlists, from Beyoncé to the Beatles I enjoy them all. Our iTunes libraries are supposedly an incriminating reflection of a person’s psychological state (Levy, 2006). So if this is this case, what type of music would evoke a normal psychological state? One aspect of being normal is to conform (Merriam-Webster, 2011) so if we are listening to the music everyone else is listening to we must be normal?

However, if I listen to mainstream music as well as non-mainstream, does this mean I should start taking lithium to combat my playlist bipolar? Playlistesbians should not be afraid of society’s judgment! Due to the fact that playlists are a rich, personal narrative (Levy, 2006, p. 27) someone with a diverse range of music in the their playlist’s could be seen as well rounded citizens.




Reference List

Gaga, Lady. 2011. “Lady Gaga up for naked interview”. Image. Accessed March 19, 2011. http://www.i-naked.info/files/2057.html

Levy, S. (2006). The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture and Coolness, New York: Simon & Schuster, pp. 21-41. Available on Course Materials Database (CMD) via QUT Library website.

“Normal.” 2011. In The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. Accessed March 19, 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/normal

Privacy policy. 2011. “Privacy”. Image. Accessed March 19, 2011. http://powerbockingportal.com/about/privacy-policy/

Social reconstruction- Is it worth it?

Constructions of identity and conformity can be found on many platforms. Whether it’s online or in social groups, some of us have reconstructed ourselves to conform or seem more appealing. Pearson explains a particular theory known as identity- performance and compares the process of self-presentation to an actor superficially constructing the personality of a character (Pearson, 2009). The glass bedroom is fast becoming a popular habitat to many people. SNS enable us to construct ourselves into anyone.

However, is online social conformity that different to ‘keeping up with the Joneses’? Before SNS, social conformity was rampant. Take certain suburbs for instance, in Ascot BMW X5’s, Mercedes ML’s and Range Rover’s are abundant...coincidence? I think not! Most Ascotians drive particular cars, wear particular brands and eat particular foods to be accepted into a particular group they desire to be in. - And if you are moving there, Botox that brow, burst that blister and bronze that baby!

Due to the fact that SNS can trivialize friendship (Leong, 2011) is social reconstruction needed? If you have thousands of friends on SNS, how many would help you move house? Real friends would help, most Facebook friends wouldn’t. Yet, at some point online, we have changed or reconstructed something about ourselves only to add another number to the list.




Text Reference

Leong, Dr. Susan. (2011). Week 2: Performing me: Maintaining visibility on the Social stage. Available online at: http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_74007_1%26url%3D.

Pearson, E. (2009). All the World Wide Web’s a stage: the Performance of Identity in Online Social Networks. First Monday, volume 14, Number 3. Available online at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2162/2127

Image Reference

privatefleet.com.au. 2011. http://www.privatefleet.com.au/newcars/rangerover/rangerovervogue/ (accessed March 13, 2011).

thecuttingedgenew.com.2011.http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=1041&pageid=28&pagename=Sci-Tech (accessed March 13, 2011).