What are my Habits in Position to Media?

I mentioned in my last post that I am constantly on the internet-- about five hours a day. Although I had a computer and web access, this was not the case ten years ago. I am learning that there is a shift in how I depend on using the internet, one of the latest forms of media technology. The internet is also where the latest forms of media technology are housed.

I use the media so much that I will even refer to a term we used during our second week of class: "posthumanism." Posthumanism is a term that we discussed as we read author's Beer and Gane's The Key Concepts of New Media. I am meshing with the new media, the latest forms of media technology, to the extent that I hardly notice I am even using them. For example, I carry my cell phone without even thinking about it. I use the internet to google the nearest gas station. I seek the use of this device to perform my daily functions. This is what I have learned that posthumanism is all about! The cell phone is functioning almost like a prosthesis, or an added-on limb to my body.

EWM: Media Studies makes me consider my Final Project idea.

I have my final project assignment for my EWM: Media Studies class here at Florida State University. My rules for the assignment are that I am to find an idea or concept that stems from our classroom discussions and present my reflective ideas about it. I must also incorporate findings from a scholarly journal or our classroom texts: Beer and Gane's The Key Concepts, and Paul Levinson's New New Media.

My immediate idea is to think of how I will be using the latest media after I graduate. We talked about this everyday in class. I find this question to be the most relevant to my career, my life, and the life of my family.

USING THE INTERNET IS POPULAR

I use the internet about five hours of my life every day. It behooves me to learn why the internet is popular among others too. I have learned that people are using media technology more and more these days. So, me spending hours and hours online is the norm. Author Paul Levinson of New New Media shares that Media technologies are profitable for businesses and individuals alike. People can use a blog or a podcast, some of the latest forms of media (Levinson calls them 'new new media'), to earn money. As I write this post, there is a tab at the top of my screen that says "Monetize."

But, is monetization the reason everyone wants to use the latest media technologies? I am not sure about this. At this time, I have no interest in monetizing my blog. Levinson states that anyone can share communications and even become instant publishers through using a blog, a podcast, and creating a video on YouTube-- all of these are forms of the latest media. Publication opportunities seem to be good reason people will flock to using the latest media technologies.

I think the true answer is still unanswered.

My developing profession as a scientific research writer seems to be using media as well. Scientific American now posts its articles online. People pay to access certain full articles from their online journal. I am now pushed into understanding a market that will draw new readers. The average person online is not necessarily a scientist, but I will need to understand how to lure internet users, science interested or not, into my scientific topics if I want to write for Scientific American. This online journal is a business. The more people purchase access to their online journals the better for their company. I have to prove that I can continue to "better" their company. Scientific American also uses a group on Facebook to attract readers. I am now learning about the many kinds of people who use Facebook. Because of the booming popularity in the latest technologies, my career will depend on how well I can interpret my writings for these various readers and lure them. This is where I can focus my studies.

The other part of my studies remains fairly untouched. I will choose to continue to direct my laboratory research in the areas of my interest. So far, I want to help develop ideas about sustaining peoples' lives who suffer with heart problems. I would love to share more about my research ideas in a later post.

Personalization Meets Permanence

I am back with some ideas that I have for the usefulness of my blog. I can use my blog to share my opinions and thoughts with the world. I have also personalized my blog to reflect my interests: color schemes, topics of my choosing, posts whenever I want... I can even set access levels to share my personal space with whom I desire-- all right here on Blogger.

I have chosen a color scheme (from the offered schemes as provided by Blogger) that is appealing to me. I hope you like the books in my background. I think libraries are magical places-- I mean, you can choose any book, be sitting in a library, but feel you're in the story's setting instead.

I have uploaded my choice pictures: my grandmother, myself, and clips from other websites. I have even described how easy it is to navigate the FSU English Department's website-- right here in previous dates on my blog.

I have posted comments about how I use media in the classroom.

Basically, my blog is a place within the internet that is specialized and decorated to express my ideas-- and communicate and share these ideas with people around the world. Its content is solely created by me. This is an element of personalization. I was reading that Author Paul Levinson of New New Media thinks using a blog is a publication opportunity for all kinds of materials. These materials, or the topics I write about, are not restricted to scholarly projects, like research and how-to constructions. Levinson says that permanence, or publication, is a revolutionary part of new new media, like this very blog. Radio and television shows of earlier years were typically "gone after the instant [each show] was spoken [aired, or televised]" relayed author Levinson, "a blog post is thus not only immediate and universally accessible, but it can last forever. Once it is committed to the Web, it is in principle impossible to completely delete." Levinson shares that once a work hits the web and becomes accessible to the entire world it will continue to exist because anyone can make a copy of it and re-post it elsewhere throughout the web. (Levinson 19-20)

Personalization Meets Permanence

The latest, most popular media is designed for individuals. I believe that new new media as Levinson coins, like blogging, is changing how everyday people like myself can use the latest media options. Options include posting pictures, posting video, adding hyperlinked content to outside websites and podcasts and much more. Media Studies with Dr. Rai at FSU has encouraged me to even more closely consider what happens when I utilize the latest media options: like adding personal pictures, and cropping pictures from other websites that were not taken or uploaded by me.

Here is an example: After a post here on Blogger, I wonder who is reading it. I wonder if pictures I post are being re-used for purposes other than what I intend. I posted a picture of my grandmothers funeral program last Fall 2009. After it is posted, I have no control over who might see it and download the image. I cannot control whether or not anyone even wants to read it. After it is downloaded it can be remediated and I could possibly have no idea it exists elsewhere.