The path of the conformist is the path to success...apparently.
-Answers to questions are in the previous post-
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
On the Go
* What are some thoughts and feelings you have when watching your own video?
I think it turned out better than I expected, but there were still a lot that could have been better (e.g. the masking, my efficiency in making the video, etc.) But watching the video, and trying to recall the events, it seems like I don't really have to try really hard, before I would give up. It's kind of like trying to solve a puzzle, with the answer in your pocket. We naturally choose the faster route and reach into our pockets. Having this video on my computer and on the internet, I do not have to visualize or memorize anything. Everything is within the reach/clicks.
* When you think about living your physical experience being largely what is shown on the video, how does that seem to you?
The only physical activities in this video are: walking, button mashing, and inserting keys into keyholes. Being the way that it is, I'm fine with it. This is supposed to be a video about DRD, and I made it my objective to attempt to completely separate my life from my digital life. Based on my response to this question, I have failed.
* Would you want your little sister (or future son) to spend a lot of time doing this stuff?
No. But I don't think our parents did either, but look at us now.
* What do you think of the contrast between what's happening ON the digital representation device and what you look like interacting with the DRD?
You're much cooler in the device.
* What do you think of ideas like the Wii that are supposed to make this contrast less stark?
Things, such as the Wii, are our confessions, saying that digital stuff is bad for us, and physical activity is good for us, but we do not want to dramatically change the way we live. This whole digitalization and Wii stuff seems oddly familiar to the birth unit that we did last year. People realize something is wrong, and that there is a better alternative to it. So therefore, they settle in between. Good job.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
[Interviews Updated]- Uhhh I Need to Ask You A Few Questions for HW - Andy, 9/22/09 @ 11:53 P.M.
-Interviewing My Dad-
[Everything is roughly translated from Cantonese to English, for the convenience of your understanding and my typing]
To start off my interview with my dad, I asked a very vague question: What do you think of technology, like T.V, computers, cellphones?
Once I asked this question, he immediately responded by saying -while watching some TVB show- I don't know; I don't use that kind of stuff (No thinking or desire to think involved). Then I asked, well, how do you perceive us teenagers using this technology and is it good or bad? He said, it's both good and bad. The good is that it's convenient, and the bad is that people aren't using their brains as much (STANDARD). He continues by saying, for example, nowadays we have cars that can bring us places faster, but back then we had bikes. It was slower but we had healthier bodies.
Afterward, I asked him which one of these he would prefer: Retaining our current level of digital technology, Becoming more advanced in digital technology, or Going back to relying mostly on our bodies?
He thought that it would be best if we only relied on our bodies. He said that the "original" [exact word, not translated] was the better way of doing things. But then, he added, if we don't follow technology, we can't keep up with the world. He said that going back is better but is impossible, or not likely. Society will continue to advance- even if you don't like it, you have to like it (very cliche in the Chinese language). My dad also came back to this question a few minutes after discussing, and said that it would be better if the technology continued to advance in society, but reduced within the family. (Hmmm, the separation between "family" and "society" is kind of interesting).
I continued the interview by asking, so what if we didn't have all this digitalized technology? What would you be doing now, if we didn't have this T.V.? (This is where I start playing more of a role)
Read, exercise, tell stories, socialize.
Then I asked them, if all this stuff that you said are good for you, and is what you prioritize, then why are you choosing T.V. over all these things?
He said, well you can watch the news and educate yourself.
Then I asked, is watching the news really educating yourself? Are you even getting the real story? You can't really trust anything until you see it with your own eyes.
Well, there's not enough time to witness everything. We just have to rely on the news.
(This is where I stop, and my dad is just going freestyle)
The more advance that technology gets, the more ambiguous everything else gets. With computers and whatever, people do not think any more (STANDARD). Everybody's mindsets are slowly becoming "not nice" [again, no translation involved], and less personalized, and more like robots. By using technology, we are turning into technology.
He goes on, telling stories about telling stories, and about our life being one of robbery, which I'm still confused about how he connected the two, not sure if he did that or it was just a random thought. But it seems like he was using his head more. In fact, he turned down the volume at one point during the interview.
[Most of it was standard, while the rest were less popular statements, although anticipated ones]
========================================================================
-Interviewing Strangers-
[Guy at Yogurberry]
What would you do if you didn't have all this technology?
- Sports, you feel more alive when you're playing sports and actively moving.
Do you believe that actively moving is important aspect in life?
- Yes
If it's so important, why do you think people choose to text and use the computer, and feel "not alive"?
- It's more fun to talk on phone. And I become more fun on the phone.
Why is it more fun? Let's say you could only play sports and read books, or talk to your friends, not face to face though, which one would you honestly do?
I would talk to my friends. I like talking. I'm very talkative and I like to talk to people. I am more confident when I am in front of the computer. People become more social through technology.
[Lady with her baby on the streets on Flushing]
Do you spend a lot of time using digital things, such as phones, computers, TVs, or whatever?
- I do, on occasions. But I'm usually very busy, taking care of my child.
How many hours do you think you spend using these digital objects?
- Hmmm. I would say around...5 hours maybe. I don't really use it that much.
What would you do with your free time after your child grows up?
- Most likely reading and meeting up with friends.
What about those 5 hours of digitalization? Do you think those hours will increase or decrease?
- I think that it'll probably remain the same. Most those 5 hours is just me watching TV while eating dinner.
Would you feel ashamed if those hours did increase, then?
- I don't think I would feel ashamed, but I guess it is a negative thing to spend too much time watching TV. But I hope it doesn't turn out that way.
And how would you feel if you child had more than 5 hours of week spent on games, TVs, computer, cell phone, etc?
- I wouldn't be surprised. All those things are just part of the way kids live nowadays. I may not agree with spending that much time, but then again, I come from a different generation. That's just how it is.
Would you do anything to try and reduce the amount of time he spends on those things?
- I probably would, but I don't think it would do anything. I still a lot of kids on the subway and on the streets, just texting on their Sidekicks. And I am willing to bet that all of their parents have said something about it, but they're still doing it.
========================================================================
-Interviewing Best Friend (Adam)-
AhhDee: what would you do if you didn't have technology, what do you think you would spend your time on?
cloudstrf14: if you mean like electronic technology, i'd be working on cars
AhhDeee: why do you choose this? is this something you value?
cloudstrf14: its something i've always been interested in
AhhDeee: so if you've always been interested in this, why is it your second choice? why is it that you're spending time on the computer, rather tahn working on cars?
cloudstrf14: computers are more easily accesible to me at least, while working with a car i would need a garage and tools, which are limited because i live in the city
AhhDeee: did a similar thought process enter your mind before you got your computer? before it was "easily accesible"?
cloudstrf14: yes, before i had a computer to be interested i would play with legos, which would come by the easiest since i had a big bin of legos that i could do anything my imagination came up with
AhhDeee: so you do whatever is accessible?
cloudstrf14: yes, a scientist has to work with whatever he has at hand
AhhDeee: wait, you didn't always have those objects? so why is that you decided to make things such as legos and computers accessible to you?
cloudstrf14: as far young as i can remember i have had legos and computers
cloudstrf14: i have a picture as proof
AhhDeee: so they're something that is inherited from your parents, sort of speech?
cloudstrf14: yes you could say that
AhhDeee: do you have any extra thoughts about digitalization and technology?
cloudstrf14: i think that there will be a time when technology will come to a distant stop when a engineer lets say, from an early age will have to study the future advnaced technology for his whole lifetime that he will not be able to further the advancment of it anymore. and that cycle would keep repeating itself, until the odd chance that a evolved person will aready understand the curent technology and improve it farther. But that might take years just like the course of evolution took place, (p.s. i don't believe in evolution)
[Everything is roughly translated from Cantonese to English, for the convenience of your understanding and my typing]
To start off my interview with my dad, I asked a very vague question: What do you think of technology, like T.V, computers, cellphones?
Once I asked this question, he immediately responded by saying -while watching some TVB show- I don't know; I don't use that kind of stuff (No thinking or desire to think involved). Then I asked, well, how do you perceive us teenagers using this technology and is it good or bad? He said, it's both good and bad. The good is that it's convenient, and the bad is that people aren't using their brains as much (STANDARD). He continues by saying, for example, nowadays we have cars that can bring us places faster, but back then we had bikes. It was slower but we had healthier bodies.
Afterward, I asked him which one of these he would prefer: Retaining our current level of digital technology, Becoming more advanced in digital technology, or Going back to relying mostly on our bodies?
He thought that it would be best if we only relied on our bodies. He said that the "original" [exact word, not translated] was the better way of doing things. But then, he added, if we don't follow technology, we can't keep up with the world. He said that going back is better but is impossible, or not likely. Society will continue to advance- even if you don't like it, you have to like it (very cliche in the Chinese language). My dad also came back to this question a few minutes after discussing, and said that it would be better if the technology continued to advance in society, but reduced within the family. (Hmmm, the separation between "family" and "society" is kind of interesting).
I continued the interview by asking, so what if we didn't have all this digitalized technology? What would you be doing now, if we didn't have this T.V.? (This is where I start playing more of a role)
Read, exercise, tell stories, socialize.
Then I asked them, if all this stuff that you said are good for you, and is what you prioritize, then why are you choosing T.V. over all these things?
He said, well you can watch the news and educate yourself.
Then I asked, is watching the news really educating yourself? Are you even getting the real story? You can't really trust anything until you see it with your own eyes.
Well, there's not enough time to witness everything. We just have to rely on the news.
(This is where I stop, and my dad is just going freestyle)
The more advance that technology gets, the more ambiguous everything else gets. With computers and whatever, people do not think any more (STANDARD). Everybody's mindsets are slowly becoming "not nice" [again, no translation involved], and less personalized, and more like robots. By using technology, we are turning into technology.
He goes on, telling stories about telling stories, and about our life being one of robbery, which I'm still confused about how he connected the two, not sure if he did that or it was just a random thought. But it seems like he was using his head more. In fact, he turned down the volume at one point during the interview.
[Most of it was standard, while the rest were less popular statements, although anticipated ones]
========================================================================
-Interviewing Strangers-
[Guy at Yogurberry]
What would you do if you didn't have all this technology?
- Sports, you feel more alive when you're playing sports and actively moving.
Do you believe that actively moving is important aspect in life?
- Yes
If it's so important, why do you think people choose to text and use the computer, and feel "not alive"?
- It's more fun to talk on phone. And I become more fun on the phone.
Why is it more fun? Let's say you could only play sports and read books, or talk to your friends, not face to face though, which one would you honestly do?
I would talk to my friends. I like talking. I'm very talkative and I like to talk to people. I am more confident when I am in front of the computer. People become more social through technology.
[Lady with her baby on the streets on Flushing]
Do you spend a lot of time using digital things, such as phones, computers, TVs, or whatever?
- I do, on occasions. But I'm usually very busy, taking care of my child.
How many hours do you think you spend using these digital objects?
- Hmmm. I would say around...5 hours maybe. I don't really use it that much.
What would you do with your free time after your child grows up?
- Most likely reading and meeting up with friends.
What about those 5 hours of digitalization? Do you think those hours will increase or decrease?
- I think that it'll probably remain the same. Most those 5 hours is just me watching TV while eating dinner.
Would you feel ashamed if those hours did increase, then?
- I don't think I would feel ashamed, but I guess it is a negative thing to spend too much time watching TV. But I hope it doesn't turn out that way.
And how would you feel if you child had more than 5 hours of week spent on games, TVs, computer, cell phone, etc?
- I wouldn't be surprised. All those things are just part of the way kids live nowadays. I may not agree with spending that much time, but then again, I come from a different generation. That's just how it is.
Would you do anything to try and reduce the amount of time he spends on those things?
- I probably would, but I don't think it would do anything. I still a lot of kids on the subway and on the streets, just texting on their Sidekicks. And I am willing to bet that all of their parents have said something about it, but they're still doing it.
========================================================================
-Interviewing Best Friend (Adam)-
AhhDee: what would you do if you didn't have technology, what do you think you would spend your time on?
cloudstrf14: if you mean like electronic technology, i'd be working on cars
AhhDeee: why do you choose this? is this something you value?
cloudstrf14: its something i've always been interested in
AhhDeee: so if you've always been interested in this, why is it your second choice? why is it that you're spending time on the computer, rather tahn working on cars?
cloudstrf14: computers are more easily accesible to me at least, while working with a car i would need a garage and tools, which are limited because i live in the city
AhhDeee: did a similar thought process enter your mind before you got your computer? before it was "easily accesible"?
cloudstrf14: yes, before i had a computer to be interested i would play with legos, which would come by the easiest since i had a big bin of legos that i could do anything my imagination came up with
AhhDeee: so you do whatever is accessible?
cloudstrf14: yes, a scientist has to work with whatever he has at hand
AhhDeee: wait, you didn't always have those objects? so why is that you decided to make things such as legos and computers accessible to you?
cloudstrf14: as far young as i can remember i have had legos and computers
cloudstrf14: i have a picture as proof
AhhDeee: so they're something that is inherited from your parents, sort of speech?
cloudstrf14: yes you could say that
AhhDeee: do you have any extra thoughts about digitalization and technology?
cloudstrf14: i think that there will be a time when technology will come to a distant stop when a engineer lets say, from an early age will have to study the future advnaced technology for his whole lifetime that he will not be able to further the advancment of it anymore. and that cycle would keep repeating itself, until the odd chance that a evolved person will aready understand the curent technology and improve it farther. But that might take years just like the course of evolution took place, (p.s. i don't believe in evolution)
A Quote To Share With My Fellow Beings:
"Hail Hitler? nah that aint my style, that dudes a whiny bitch...."
Being the robot that I am, I went on Facebook to check what my peeps have been up to. This is when I found this quote from an unnamed relative. And I think it connects pretty darn well to what was said in the past two days. And the question of, "how do you know?" can be applied in this case.
Being the robot that I am, I went on Facebook to check what my peeps have been up to. This is when I found this quote from an unnamed relative. And I think it connects pretty darn well to what was said in the past two days. And the question of, "how do you know?" can be applied in this case.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Triangular Comments 1 [ HW #4- ABCDEF]
Comment for John's Blog
Yo John,
I appreciate the fact that you incorporated specific pieces of evidence/examples, drawn from your own experience and observations. They verify that the things you're saying aren't just assumptions.
From what I read, I can see that you believe digitalization is mostly a negative thing, mainly because it distracts us from reality. We're replacing the lives that was given to us at birth, with ones that have been given to us through TCPs/IPs. And while, technology may have many bad aspects, it also consists of aspects taht help us "learn, laugh and grow."
"I gotta log onto facebook real quick, just for a little bit then i'll do my work."- I can definitely see this in my own life as well. Not necessarily Facebook though. For me, it seems like there is always a need to do something inconsequential, just to get it out of the way before doing anything that is required by other people.
Is going to the gym really any different than going on Facebook, socially?
"People are so caught up in living a cyber life and interacting with one another without moving, they lost their way of life"- I disagree with this statement, or at least the wording of this statement. Why can't being ingested by technology be a way of life?
I shall deeply consider Jason's quote, and what it means to do something for others, and not for yourself.
Thanks for the good reads.
Comment for Gavin's Blog:
Props to you for the clarity of this blog. It was very easy for me to identify your key points and examples. And like John said, your writing definitely has a voice- well, your voice. It wasn't like my blog, which went like "blah, blah, blah."
It seems like you focused on how the "digital void" distorts our voice. The difference in how we speak varies, depending on what we're looking at, whether it's the person's face, and a glowing rectangular box. It also understand that you believe digitalization is taking over our lives, in that it controls our interest/topic of discussions (VMA awards), our love lives ("I have always loved you, from the day we met, but it amounts to very little in this 12 point Times New Roman."), our academics (blogs, Mr. Z's UT website), and the stuff we listen to.
"I was just upstate this weekend, with no phone and no internet, no cable TV. I felt perfectly fine..."- Yeah, I feel the same way every time I go through a day without using much technology. In fact, I feel a sense of accomplishment... uh oh, is it because of my frame of reference?
Well, in class, you mentioned that technology has helped certain people hone their skills (e.g. Binta and her photography was the one you mentioned). And in your last paragraph, you talked about Disney "artists" getting by, through auto tune, meaning little or no talent involved--- Do you think that the two counterbalances each other? Or does one over weigh the other?
I think the whole "digital void" idea will stay in my mind for quite some time. After reading that, my mind keeps associating technology with an abyss. Thanks a lot.
See you later, my triad buddy. I will look forward to reading and commenting on your future blogs- which reminds me: I should go back to your summer blog and comment on those too.
Yo John,
I appreciate the fact that you incorporated specific pieces of evidence/examples, drawn from your own experience and observations. They verify that the things you're saying aren't just assumptions.
From what I read, I can see that you believe digitalization is mostly a negative thing, mainly because it distracts us from reality. We're replacing the lives that was given to us at birth, with ones that have been given to us through TCPs/IPs. And while, technology may have many bad aspects, it also consists of aspects taht help us "learn, laugh and grow."
"I gotta log onto facebook real quick, just for a little bit then i'll do my work."- I can definitely see this in my own life as well. Not necessarily Facebook though. For me, it seems like there is always a need to do something inconsequential, just to get it out of the way before doing anything that is required by other people.
Is going to the gym really any different than going on Facebook, socially?
"People are so caught up in living a cyber life and interacting with one another without moving, they lost their way of life"- I disagree with this statement, or at least the wording of this statement. Why can't being ingested by technology be a way of life?
I shall deeply consider Jason's quote, and what it means to do something for others, and not for yourself.
Thanks for the good reads.
Comment for Gavin's Blog:
Props to you for the clarity of this blog. It was very easy for me to identify your key points and examples. And like John said, your writing definitely has a voice- well, your voice. It wasn't like my blog, which went like "blah, blah, blah."
It seems like you focused on how the "digital void" distorts our voice. The difference in how we speak varies, depending on what we're looking at, whether it's the person's face, and a glowing rectangular box. It also understand that you believe digitalization is taking over our lives, in that it controls our interest/topic of discussions (VMA awards), our love lives ("I have always loved you, from the day we met, but it amounts to very little in this 12 point Times New Roman."), our academics (blogs, Mr. Z's UT website), and the stuff we listen to.
"I was just upstate this weekend, with no phone and no internet, no cable TV. I felt perfectly fine..."- Yeah, I feel the same way every time I go through a day without using much technology. In fact, I feel a sense of accomplishment... uh oh, is it because of my frame of reference?
Well, in class, you mentioned that technology has helped certain people hone their skills (e.g. Binta and her photography was the one you mentioned). And in your last paragraph, you talked about Disney "artists" getting by, through auto tune, meaning little or no talent involved--- Do you think that the two counterbalances each other? Or does one over weigh the other?
I think the whole "digital void" idea will stay in my mind for quite some time. After reading that, my mind keeps associating technology with an abyss. Thanks a lot.
See you later, my triad buddy. I will look forward to reading and commenting on your future blogs- which reminds me: I should go back to your summer blog and comment on those too.
Monday, September 14, 2009
HW #3 [Version 2]
On the serious note:
Evidently, it seems like there is a consensus that digitalization has its ups and downs. From what I've read on other blogs and heard in class discussions, some of the main advantages of using such technology are:
Maintaining faraway relationships, storing/documenting our lives into a database, broadcasting the days of our lives- allowing the people who are remotely interested, able to get the daily newsfeed, connecting with others in a much more convenient way, spreading knowledge across the world, and getting our grades through posting these blogs, which allows Andy to read, judge, and give them numeric values.
While some of the main disadvantages are:
Consuming many, many hours of our lives, while looking at a rectangular stimulator, hiding behind the walls of our homes, forfeiting the realism of a conversation, expressing without really expressing, and being at risk of failing for those who cannot meet the standard that requires us to post our homework on www.blogger.com.
Obviously, everyone is well aware of how dominant digitalization and techonology is, in terms of our lives. But why is that everyone continues to allow this to happen? Well, we can blame it on our society as a whole, just like we do with much of other issues in life, but how is that we can't take control of how we spend the very limited hours of our lives, but everyone else can? I think that everyone continues to use technology, because they believe it's an absolute necessity. Without using technology, we cannot survive in society. If we cannot survive in society, we cannot survive, period... Since when did technology join the water, food, and oxygen?
How much of this is connected with our dominant way of life, and just going with the flow?
Evidently, it seems like there is a consensus that digitalization has its ups and downs. From what I've read on other blogs and heard in class discussions, some of the main advantages of using such technology are:
Maintaining faraway relationships, storing/documenting our lives into a database, broadcasting the days of our lives- allowing the people who are remotely interested, able to get the daily newsfeed, connecting with others in a much more convenient way, spreading knowledge across the world, and getting our grades through posting these blogs, which allows Andy to read, judge, and give them numeric values.
While some of the main disadvantages are:
Consuming many, many hours of our lives, while looking at a rectangular stimulator, hiding behind the walls of our homes, forfeiting the realism of a conversation, expressing without really expressing, and being at risk of failing for those who cannot meet the standard that requires us to post our homework on www.blogger.com.
Obviously, everyone is well aware of how dominant digitalization and techonology is, in terms of our lives. But why is that everyone continues to allow this to happen? Well, we can blame it on our society as a whole, just like we do with much of other issues in life, but how is that we can't take control of how we spend the very limited hours of our lives, but everyone else can? I think that everyone continues to use technology, because they believe it's an absolute necessity. Without using technology, we cannot survive in society. If we cannot survive in society, we cannot survive, period... Since when did technology join the water, food, and oxygen?
How much of this is connected with our dominant way of life, and just going with the flow?
Saturday, September 12, 2009
There's An App For That Too [HW #3]
Oh yeah, technology is great. It just makes everything so convenient. If I have ever have an urge to just express myself, doing so is always within my reach. All I have to do is pull out my phone, and go on either Facebook, Twitter, AIM, or Myspace (I usually go on all of them; more people will be able to see it that way), and just update my status. But the best part of this is that people can comment on my life, and give me their thoughts about it. As long as I have my phone and service, I'm never alone. It's great.
With technology, I can filter out all the people that I want to interact with. Some people are just so annoying, and won't stop talking about themselves. Like we don't need to know about everything that goes on in your life. We do not need a constant update on your life. But with technology, I don't have to deal with it.
Our digitalized environment gives us some many possibilities. I can always stay connected with friend, and see what they're up to. I mean, I can always just meet up with them, but that's just too much of a hassle. With the current online social networking, I can chat with them whenever, even if they're not on their computers. And another great thing about this is that I can always look stuff up about school work.
Some people might call this obsessive, but honestly, I don't see anything wrong with it. If we are provided with this type of technology, we should use it. Why take the long road when we are given the short cut? We're not really compromising anything through digitalization. Well, aside from facial and vocal expression, but that can be replaced with :D. And almost everyone is using texting, AIM, Facebook, etc. If it was honestly bad for us, then why is it that everyone is doing it. I think we should just be thankful for this technology, and for our opposable thumbs that help us text.
With technology, I can filter out all the people that I want to interact with. Some people are just so annoying, and won't stop talking about themselves. Like we don't need to know about everything that goes on in your life. We do not need a constant update on your life. But with technology, I don't have to deal with it.
Our digitalized environment gives us some many possibilities. I can always stay connected with friend, and see what they're up to. I mean, I can always just meet up with them, but that's just too much of a hassle. With the current online social networking, I can chat with them whenever, even if they're not on their computers. And another great thing about this is that I can always look stuff up about school work.
Some people might call this obsessive, but honestly, I don't see anything wrong with it. If we are provided with this type of technology, we should use it. Why take the long road when we are given the short cut? We're not really compromising anything through digitalization. Well, aside from facial and vocal expression, but that can be replaced with :D. And almost everyone is using texting, AIM, Facebook, etc. If it was honestly bad for us, then why is it that everyone is doing it. I think we should just be thankful for this technology, and for our opposable thumbs that help us text.
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