This course has set me out on a new spree of exploiting these networks and, I must say, I do admire these tools and the potential benefits of them. They provide a great vehicle of communication as well as on sharing and fostering knowledge.
Hay Daka, I too still depend on e-mails a great deal when it comes to communication that matters. I am a little skeptical on relying solely on these tools (Facebook, etc.) for stuff that I really want to get across to people; simply because, I am pretty sure that people check their emails on a regular basis, but when it comes to these community mediums – I have my doubts.
Though I have been on Facebook for sometime, not by choice but by requirement for another course, and have received a couple of wonky proposals – probably due to misinterpreting my profile, I have yet to experience the “soliciting” experience that you have mentioned. However, I too am not that crazy about expanding my online-acquaintances-network to people that I have nothing in common with. Similar to Alex’s post, I have w….a…..y too many people on my Facebook account, and I have no idea who they are. I certainly don’t want to how someone’s day was, when I have no idea who on earth that person is.
Commenting on Jane’s and Alex’s posts, I totally agree with you guys on Willams’ article. People can and will abuse anything and everything. I just don’t get these educators that still keep hanging on to the boring traditional teaching methods. I am not implying, in anyway, that technology should be the determinant of our future, but every good thing should be held up. And, the Internet & Web are great spaces when utilized for the right purposes. It is ironic that educators call themselves educators if they are suggesting putting a stop to advancement and blocking emergence of new knowledge is the way to go – weird isn’t it.
With respect to “Identity Production in a Networked Culture”: are people really honest about everything they say on a public space? There are two main aspects to this argument– deliberate and unintentional. I think, the profiles might be distorted as users would deliberately leave out the bad-stuff – that is what I would do, but I do not understand the reason for publishing falsified information.
I also read another blog that discussed the same phenomenon which led me to another study that looked at a different aspect of identities distortion on electronic spaces, which was unintentional on the users’ part. I too, like Alex, never really gave much thought to this aspect of network culture. However, I was dubious about what people say on Web.
I am pretty sure there are many other facets to Web and identities than meets the eye. Then again, when you really consider the whole issue of identities, isn’t the fact hidden and camouflage identities are significant reasons for people to be more drawn to Web-based communities, where they can express interests more openly, without inhibitions under their concealed identities.
And, as an end note, Yes Alex, socializing IS far more fun than school work. I miss those days…..
Hi Amanda, I was just wondering, why the date is appearing as 14th, when it is still 13th. I am not sure whether this has been happening throughout, I only noticed it today.
July 17, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Hi Kaush — great post, In response to your question about the date — it might have something to do with the way your timezone is configured in wordpress. You’ll have to login to wordpress and check out the options to check this. As far as I can tell from this post, you posted at 11.52 pm on the 14th.