Smart Mobs 1-3

Surprised.

I must say that is what I feel at the moment as I look back and reflect on the chapters I have just read from Smart Mobs by Rheingold. Pleasantly surprised as a matter of fact. I must confess, when we first got started I thought to myself, "How in the world are these books so long? It is only about communication technology. How is this going to be interesting?" I am pleased to report that I was completely wrong about this book. I am amazed at the depth Rheingold incorporates into his work, so it is no longer just about the internet or cell phones, it is about true human contact in all aspects of life and the part that technology plays.

Chapter one is the chapter I felt I could most relate to. One important observation, to me, Rheingold made was that we live in 3 places simultaneously: the physical world, the artificial but concrete world (propoganda for example) and this new world of texting tribes or "channels." Personally, it made me wonder about my own texting habits and, as a result, examine them more closely and on a larger scale. As technology becomes more prevelent in our society I worry that a serious dependency will form. I know that I am dependent on my cell phone. I text constantly no matter where I am. Work, walking to class, in class, in bed, while doing my homework. Many of these situations I know I should not be on my cell phone, but it is such a frusterated feeling to no longer be connected everyone who is important to me. One question I brought up and feel very strongly about is, "what will this dependency mean for all forms of communication." Rheingold described us as living a "continuously shared life." I love that phrase. It makes me feel comfortable knowing that if I need someone, they are a few keypad strokes away. In that sense cell phones and the internet are wonderful, however, what is this doing to our everyday communication with the physical world? If cell phones have in fact become a "remote control for our life" what will our lives become? A life of sitting behind a computer. Will college become obsolete because through classes such as this we never have to leave our living room to earn a degree? What will happen to hands-on experience? How can who we are be shaped by what happens to and around us if all that is happening around is a flashing screen? Maybe I am becoming a too critical, but considering the pace at which technology is already evolving, I think that people need to be asking questions such as these to make sure we do not lose control, and I think these are the types of dialogues Rheingold wanted to inspire with this book. He wants us to learn and relate and examine and predict. If he just wanted us to believe technology is the greatest thing in the world that we could not live without he would not provide us with so many resources and views and such a rich historical perspective.

Chapter two is the section that really sparked my interest. When I first began chapter two I had to wonder where he was going with his talk of pastures and "commons." It did not take long for me to realize that he was connecting development and technology to more than a cell phone. He was connecting it to the way in which we communicate on a broader spectrum. I had no idea the internet was created not by one company or another but by the population as a whole. This technology has truly involved in the most unique and personalized way, through eachother. Learning of the new ways companies are trying to control the world's own individual technology progress and use was scary. "Ruin is the destination towards which all men rush... each persuing his own best interest." I think this is when his discussion of a collective action dilema became so important. What is good for these companies and CEO's is turning us into robots. Instead of people developing our own ideas of the next technological advancement we sit and watch for the next Verizon add to tell us which phone to buy or which new service is offered. We have become passive. What is good a small group of a few billionaires is bad for us! Due to competition, cooperation and the rate of development has actually slowed.

Community. A word that seems so simple to define but has transformed into something much more complex and debatable. The idea that a community can consist of a group of people, each from a different side of the globe is still a community as long as they provide support and foster socialization and share information. In chapter three when Rheingold discussed the idea of the internet being own by "everyone and no one," a real view of this community was opened. If we use the internet as a mode of communication, in an abstract way, we own a piece of this world-wide community. We share this space when we log on. We are a part of something bigger.

While the discussions of file sharing in chapter three held little interest to me, it is mind boggling to read of the possibilities for the future. The internet is forming its own world, and it's not just about communication anymore. It's about enriching our lives through connections such as file sharing. It is about using computations and analysis and file converting to put anything and everything at our fingertips, to do work and create possibilities that would have otherwise taken us years. While it stills scares me to think that computers can now predict what we will like to read or what files may interest us, it is an amazing resource that has truly been proven to me to have no limit to its possibilties.

The reason I have connected so well to this author, I believe, is because he makes observations that not only include technology but span all aspects of the "human phenomena." I think any sociologist would find this book to be fascinating. In a few short chapters he has made my thinking take a serious turn. I am eager to see what the rest of the book as in store for me.

my first post :-)

Hi everyone,

I'm Lizzi. I'm a sophmore at cortland in Speech Pathology and Audiology and I have to say that I am mostly taking this class to fill a GE requirement. I am not very "internet friendly," I guess you could say. I know how to check my email, myspace, and shop, haha. Other than that, things like blogs are whole new territory for me! The terminology alone made me nervous. Hopefully, I'm not alone in my confusion! Considering how fast technology moves I should probably do my best to keep up with the latest so I am hopeful this class will be a good thing for me. I am very excited to meet everyone, and maybe we can all help eachother through this course!