Definition
Modernization
What is the process of relying on nature and producing our own things to creating machines and factories that can do it much faster and becoming reliant on the labour of others, culminating so far in the age of information where the internet and digitalization were both a factor of and enabling mass globalization and acceleration of production and communication.
First, second, third places
What is first place represents the primary, intimate and most private part of social life, typically one’s home or personal living space where individuals feel most comfortable, secure and relaxed. Individuals are able to express their true identities in the first place.
Second place refers to the secondary sphere where individuals spend a significant amount of time outside of their homes. This typically includes the workplace, and schools. Characterized by formalized interactions, structured roles.
Third place represents places where people gather to primarily enjoy each other’s company, communal, social gathering spaces that exist outside of home and work.
Radio amateur’s significant influence on the development of radio broadcasting
What is amateur radio operators advocated for the concept of public airwaves, emphasizing the idea that the airwaves belonged to the public rather than owned by private interests, they championed the freedom of communication and resisted government intervention in regulating radio frequency. This then set the scene for neoliberalism in broadcasting and more diverse and inclusive but ordered channels in radio broadcasting, allowing for a range of voices and perspectives to be represented on the airwaves. As a result, leading to the formation of a key component of the social construction of radio broadcasting as the first electronic entertainment medium that invisibly binds people together through shared experiences and interactions. Also deregulation allowed for corporations to commercialize though and exploit
Tim Jordan on how business letters relate to identity
what is the senders and receivers of those letters couldn’t see each other, they needed to establish co-presence: or a sense of trust in the identity of the person at the other end (like proving “it’s me”), and that the other person is receiving their message. By discussing personal information or matters, they “verify” their identities and keep each other updated on the other’s physical/personal state in a situation where they can’t see each other.
One way that Gloria Steinem thinks that advertising support limited or controlled what could and could not be presented in Ms. Magazine.
What is magazines must tailor their content to attract and satisfy their advertisers. By limiting your content, you maintain those advertisers but by publishing what you want, you lose their support. For example, Gloria describes how Ms. Magazine (and other newspapers) published an informational report on how hair dye chemicals may be carcinogenic. Clairol, a hair company who had ads in Ms. Magazine, was outraged by the published report. Despite Ms. readers being active consumers of Clairol products, Clairol pulled all their ads. By publishing informational content that relates to their readers, Ms. received backlash from their advertisers solely because they didn’t change the content they published to please them.
Fairness Doctrine
What is created in 1948 for the purpose to promote diversified perspectives on important issues, as a way to promote democracy and protect the public interest. The fairness doctrine was established to avoid monopoly control of the audience by a few main networks, with the concern that it may result in misuse in broadcast license and result in biased public propaganda. The elimination of the doctrine in 1987 was seen as a move to enhance the diversity of viewpoints in the media by allowing broadcasters more freedom in how to cover issues. However, it led to biased news reporting and broadcasting as these networks began to cover issues that could yield the most profit (profit driven motives). For example, there was a significant increase in the reporting of crimes and controversial topics as they tend to garner the most public attention, leading to a less diversified and biased media/news coverage.
Rebecca Solnit thinks is happening to the rythmn of life now that we communciate with smartphones and over internet.
What is communication over the internet and with smartphones is quick and convenient. We’re now always on the go, and we lose the patience to sit down and connect meaningfully with each other. We can get the latest news and text our friends at our convenience, from anywhere. We’re never totally isolated, or truly connected. As Solnit puts it, we can get assuage our fears of isolation without risking the vulnerability necessary for real connection. Overall, as a result of the acceleration of technology and communication, our rhythms of life have been disturbed as information consumption is now instantaneous and no longer requires standardized time.
SAGE is an example of millitary industrial university complex
What is an example of the military-industrial-university complex because it presents an example of a university (MIT) working closely with the military on a large-scale technological project during its design and development, with industry active in a secondary role. Synthesizing organizational and technical innovations together instead of individual inventions and devices. Universities, scientists, engineers and the military institutions all contributed to the development of the SAGE, ultimately creating a technological product that demonstrated computers could be more than arithmetic calculations but could function as automated control centers for industrial as well as military processes. The project SAGE was an example of the military-industrial-university complex because it presents an example of a university (MIT) working closely with the military on a large-scale technological project during its design and development, with industry active in a secondary role. Synthesizing organizational and technical innovations together instead of individual inventions and devices. Universities, scientists, engineers and the military institutions all contributed to the development of the SAGE, ultimately creating a technological product that demonstrated computers could be more than arithmetic calculations but could function as automated control centers for industrial as well as military processes.
Edgarton says things-in-use instead of innovation
What is we should look at technology based on how it's used today, rather than just thinking about its invention or how new it is. He believes understanding technology's real impact comes from seeing how it fits into our lives now, not just when it first appeared. For example, although we often think about steam power and coal as things from the industrial revolution, they were actually used even more after that period. This shows that technology doesn't just move in one direction (from old to new) but can remain important and find new uses over time.
What is ownership and control of the media. This describes how mainstream media outlets are owned and controlled very few large corporations who influence what media is covered. Oftentimes, the corporations will prioritize specific media that aligns with their own beliefs and perspectives, and neglect views that go against them.
Another filter is advertising, which describes how advertising revenue is the primary source of revenue for media corporations. This results in media companies publishing material that is in favour of their advertisers and avoiding content that may go against them. Due to the reliance on their financial support, their actions can lead to limited and non-diverse media coverage.
Systems Thinking
What is the idea of looking at many things at once to understand the dynamics of something that’s out in the real world. This means, instead of looking at the world in simple x and y terms, Tufekci looks at the world as it really is, which means there are many things moving at once and they don't happen according to the way our academic discipline set out. Also Cosilient thinking
Counterculture helped set the stage for neoliberal approach to internet in 1990s
What is computer counterculture allowed for less government regulations and controls over individuals, setting the stage for a neoliberal or unregulated approach to the internet in the 1990s in which big tech companies operated with profit driven motives. Allowed for freedom of speech and use to post our desirable contents without facing control by government policies and controls. Computer counterculture emphasized self regulation and individual sovereignty in digital spaces, laying out the groundwork for a neoliberal, profit-driven, and unregulated approach to the internet in the 1990s which led to lots of pros but consequences as well such as surveillance capitalism, commodification of individuals, and market concentration.
The computer counterculture of the 60s and 70s, which was all about freedom, sharing, and breaking the rules, laid the groundwork for the neoliberal or deregulated approach to the internet in the 1990s. This mindset favored less government control and more freedom on the internet, leading to an era where the internet was largely unregulated and open for innovation and growth. No government infringement on our rights!! We can self-regulate (mention John Barlowe’s Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace !!!! Freedom of speech and use!!!!
Modern nations are imagined
What is Benedict Anderson argues that modern nations are "imagined" because they are constructed in the minds of their inhabitants. This means that people's sense of belonging to a particular nation is based on a shared mental image of what that nation is and what it represents. cultural practices and shared experiences, such as the use of a common language, participation in national rituals and tradition. As a result, people come to see themselves as part of a larger community that transcends their immediate social and geographic boundaries.
Kafka‘s complaint in Letters to Milena
What is the acceleration of communication and the sense of alienation that comes with modern communication methods. Technology is becoming faster and faster through each developing tech, however, it seems they are becoming less and less personal. Kafka says “written kisses never arrive at their destination” he experiences loneliness from just writing Milena letters as he attempts to communicate such a strong emotion, highlighting that even writing letters is flawed in never being able to truly connect us. And the tech he mentions— trains, cars, aeroplanes further separates us. Despite transmitting messages quickly, these forms of technology emphasis the isolation we experience as humans who are never able to actually interact with ghosts— an illusion of the past.
example from course materials of how electronic media have been used in the process of creating national unity, or nation building
An example of how electronic media have been used in the process of creating national unity or nation building is amateur radio and the American radio relay league. The ARRL has played a pivotal role in organizing the amateur radio community across the United States, promoting not only the hobby but leveraging its potential for public service.
What is in the 20th century, the technologies of radio and television were often particularly central to nation-building efforts, because they could simultaneously reach potentially vast audiences across large distances. But these efforts have been often fraught. Most nations in the world seek ways to use media to support or create national unity, a sense of national community
The Eliza effect
What is the human tendency to personify (assume human characteristics) nonhuman things like machines. It’s important for understanding chatbots because developers and users alike need to be careful to avoid treating chatbots like sentient beings. We must remember that chatbots are just machines following scripts (code) and scouring the internet for information to formulate its answers, and they are not capable of real thinking.
features of face-to-face communication that are limited or lost when communication is technologically mediated
What is communication is technologically mediated, there is a loss of immediacy, impersonality, and a loss of emotional depth and authenticity. The physical co-presence of face-to-face communication makes it easier to judge the authenticity and sincerity of interactions, although video calls approximate this feature, other forms of mediated communication make it difficult to assess the authenticity of the message as texts are sent and shown through a digital screen. Face-to-face communication allows for a level of engagement and immediacy, as well as feelings of communal engagement, relationship formation, and empathy that technologically mediated communication alone cannot replicate.
+ Losing the ability to make relationships in person, becoming too reliant on digital means.
Role of the first news paper in developing nation state
What is the first newspaper did not just relay information but provided a new identity and sense of belonging for people who were otherwise strangers to each other. Anderson highlights that newspapers helped create imagined communities and fostered a national consciousness, in which the massive daily circulation of these papers meant millions of people shared the same message at the same time, simultaneously. Anderson posits that the first newspaper’s role in the development of the modern nation state is evident as the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each, lives the image of their communion.
Raymond William‘s point on world-view and ideology
What is cautioning against a common misunderstanding of treating analytical terms such as “world view”, “prevailing ideology”, “class outlook”, as if they represent fixed or definite entities. He argues that these terms are dynamic and developing and should not be seen as fixed or singular. We need to recognize and understand these complexities and uncertainties in social experiences. And should not reduce these social phenomena to static forms as this could oversimplify our understanding. Rather than placing rigid categorization and simplistic views, we should acknowledge the dynamic, multifaceted nature of these phenomena. A more nuanced understanding is required.
two of the key characteristics of a public sphere, as described by Jurgen Habermas.
Inclusion: The public sphere is a space that is open and accessible to all individuals who have an interest in participating in public discourse. It is not reserved for a select group or elite, but is open to anyone who wants to take part in the conversation.
What is reason and rationality: The public sphere is a space in which individuals engage in rational and critical dialogue, in which they use reason and evidence to support their arguments and challenge the arguments of others. This means that individuals must be willing to listen to and consider the perspectives of others, and to evaluate their arguments based on the evidence and reasoning they provide.
Pluralistic Ignorance
What is a term coined by social scientists as the belief that one is alone in their views, when in reality, everyone has been silenced. Tufecki describes how social media frees people from this ignorance and instigates change because people who previously thought they were isolated, weren’t, and are able to draw strength from each other.
Two poles of imagined communities
what is Solidarity: Community as solidarity defines community as unified, together, the same. Despite not knowing most members of the nation personally, each individual shares a deep unified connection with all others through commonalities and shared experiences. This sense of solidarity is crucial for fostering a collective identity and strong sense of national belonging. Ex. national anthems, common public rituals
Debate: Community as a place where differences can be openly allowed, addressed, and dealt with in a sphere of democratic debate. Values diversity within a nation, viewing imagined communities not just as a homogenous block but a dynamic space where differences are acknowledged and actively addressed through democratic processes.
The two poles are not mutually exclusive but are intertwined together to allow imagined communities to function effectively and adapt over time. While solidarity provides the glue that holds the nation together, giving a sense of belonging and common purpose, debate ensures that the nation does not become stagnant by allowing new ideas and challenges to the status quo. The dynamic tension between the two poles helps maintain balance between unity and diversity.
The big five ideas of the course
What is Structure matters - Media technologies function in society to a large degree because of how they are organized and structured. They are active agents in shaping and reshaping social structures
Culture, imagining and meaning matter - The media does not produce merely tangible objects, they create signs and symbols that only resonate in the context of a shared culture, or in a shared system of meanings.
Ideas matter - The media is constantly shaped by ideas and beliefs of consumers; media technologies are not driven by markets or other external forces but are driven by the principles we use to understand media that is shaped by the formation of ideas by individuals
The media are changing - The media is never stable and is constantly changing, and subject to dramatic fluctuations.
The media are not just a thing that happens to you, the future of media is partly up to you - us as individuals are not merely passive recipients of media but can actively influence its revolution and impact; we have the power to uphold values of truth, diversity and fairness in our media landscape.
Daniel Hallen’s ”News Donut“
what is a model of the media and its relationship to politics. In his theory, Hallin identifies three spheres of debate, which he refers to as the "sphere of consensus," the "sphere of legitimate controversy," and the "sphere of deviance." The "sphere of legitimate debate" is the middle of these three spheres, and it refers to the range of topics and perspectives that are considered to be acceptable and worthy of discussion in the public sphere.
According to Hallin, the "sphere of legitimate debate" is relatively narrow and is defined by the dominant political and cultural norms of society. It includes topics and perspectives that are considered to be mainstream and acceptable, but it excludes those that are considered to be too extreme or outside the bounds of acceptable discourse. Only a limited range of perspectives and ideas are considered to be legitimate and worthy of debate, and those that fall outside of this range are often marginalized or ignored by the media.
characteristic of contemporary religious enclave communities such as the Amish or Old Order Mennonites that allows them to avoid the problems of decision making-at-a-distance characteristic of most modern societies.
What is their collective decision making based on face-to-face interactions. These communities place a high value on direct personal relationships and on the maintenance of traditional values and practices. This means that decisions are typically made at the local level, through consultation and consensus among all community members rather than by distant and impersonal institutions.