Henry Jenkins inspired me to talk about the collective intelligence of media, especially social media.
He suggests that the developing technologies allow people to put together materials faster and easier creating a collaborative pool of ideas and possibilities of which each and every participant takes advantage and controls.
And I agree that there is potential for anyone to get involved, to share ideas and to be heard. It is important that people feel that significant in building the world around them.
He suggests that the developing technologies allow people to put together materials faster and easier creating a collaborative pool of ideas and possibilities of which each and every participant takes advantage and controls.
And I agree that there is potential for anyone to get involved, to share ideas and to be heard. It is important that people feel that significant in building the world around them.
However, the idea that all voices are heard online is merely a romantic illusion.
How many of us really take the time to contribute to anything other than our own lives and support the status-quo?
How many of us even have the time or access to this opportunity all the time?
How many of us really take the time to contribute to anything other than our own lives and support the status-quo?
How many of us even have the time or access to this opportunity all the time?
Yes, the technology and the potential exists, but this social activism does not belong to everyone's world.
I mentioned in a previous blog that we rely on each other to keep us in check, exposing anything detrimental to our society, and that the power pertains to the majority.
But the majority who is online
is not representing the real majority.
If you go to Brazil, for example, the majority does not have personal computers at home with internet access, let alone smart phones to photograph and post their realities.
In Venezuela, Chavez passed a law that gives him more control over the internet. He watches over every move and is able to stop rebellions before anything goes viral.
The same is true with the Chinese whose media are constantly under surveillance and blocked from certain content.
And didn't Microsoft pay someone to manipulate Wikipedia entries and affect public opinion?
The majority in this sense becomes the minority.
The majority in this sense becomes the minority.
Not everyone has the technology, the time, the money, the knowledge of issues, or education to make a point and have their voices heard.
Everyone CAN go out there post things and spread opinions, but who really DOES?
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