Soc. 118 Media, Culture & Society
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Transcript of Soc. 118 Media, Culture & Society
Soc. 118Media, Culture &
Society
Chapter 10Strange Days:
Popular Culture and Mass Media in the
Digital Age
Overview
Introduction Social Revolutions Medium Theory
The Media is the Message Supporting Arguments Critical Arguments
What Happens Online Doesn't Always Stay Online
Video: “Digital Nation” Digital Technology and the Media Industries The Future of Online Media and the Digital Age
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Social Revolutions
Change in society related to inventions Domestication Revolution
Plants and animals Agricultural Revolution
The plow Industrial Revolution (1800s)
The steam engine The “Modern Age”
Information or Digital Revolution (1990s )
The computer microchip The “Postmodern Age”
Medium Theory:Marshall McLuhan
Medium theory Focus on technology of media
Aside from content Technological Determinism
Technology as causal force in social change Marshall McLuhan (1964)
“The medium is the message” (“Global Village”) Impact on perceptions and social reality
Sense of time, space and direction Identity and social relationships
Debates about effects of new technologies For individuals and society
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Digital Technology:Supporting Arguments
Education theory Explicit learning
Knowledge of facts, figures, dates Collateral learning
Development of cognitive skills
Positive effects Example of video games
Goal-oriented games (Grand Theft Auto) Find order in chaos Patient experimentation Delay gratification
MMORPGs (World of Warcraft) Form social alliances Collective problem-solving Build leadership skills
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Digital Technology:Critical Arguments
Negative effects of living online Mental faculties
Can’t read deeply or thoughtfully Can’t absorb material or critically analyze Can’t concentrate, short attention span
Internet addiction Players get in the zone
Cut off from real world Dissociate, disengage from others Lack face-to-face interaction
Other media adopting Internet’s visual norms
Other dysfunctions?
Video Presentation: “Digital Nation”
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What Happens Online Doesn’t Always Stay Online
Thin border between real life and cyberspace Examples:
Corporations hold business meetings Colleges offer classes
Students can RateMyProfessors.com Celebrity sites give constant coverage
TMZ, Gawker, YouTube Social Networking sites
Strategic profiles Meeting romantic partners
Ethical questions about living online, using sites
Real world consequences
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The Future of Online Media and the Digital Age
Interrelated trends Positive and negative aspects
Convergence Content across platforms
Used for commercial purposes Participation
Audiences co-produce own media using pop culture materials
Intellectual property rights, fair use Collective intelligence
Pool resources to challenge traditional media Reliability of Wiki sites
Other promises and problems?