Blog vs Tutorial
I like the idea for doing blog tutorial because it is fun and interesting and it is something which I have never done before in any of my units. I do find that classroom tutorials are more interactive though as different ideas got thrown around the classroom faster than online tutorial in which only some people participate in them. Moreover, it is difficult to maintain a constant flow of arguments on a blog tutorial. However, it is really useful for shy students (like me) to participate in tutorials so it does not require one to speak up in class. On the whole, I find it useful to me and an interesting way to hold tutorial classes.
Cyborg
This unit has indeed taught me a lot about cyborg. Before taking this unit, I was not interested in sci-fi stuffs and apparently does not know what a cyborg is. But after this semester, this unit gives me a new insight to cyborg. I realised too that in todays' world, most of us are cyborgs and we are not able to run away from this fact. We need machine and technology to get us through our everyday life and to help us accomplish our task. This unit is also a way of identifying myself in the world of technology.
Unit Evaluation
Overall, I find this unit to be interesting and useful. I enjoyed learning about cyborgs, feminism and the cyberspace.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Blog vs Tutorial
I liked the idea of online tutorials, as i felt it was very appropriate for the unit and what we were studying. It helped show me how much the internet is/or can be used for everyday life, including university studies. However, i felt that discussion was lacking, possibly because not everyone was online at the same time, or because there was no tutor or leader to lead the discussion. However, i found this an interesting way of communicating with my tutorial class.
Cyborg
I think that every one of us, in some ways, is a cyborg. Wether we admit it or not, the majority of us in today's society rely on the internet for so much. From completing tutorials! to paying bills online or booking flights online (which is also the cheapest way of doing it these days), the internet seems to be constantly consuming us.
Unit evaluation
I thoroughly enjoyed this unit, as it was a whole other opening in feminism understanding, and understanding of cyberspace - both two very important things in society. I have done many other women studies units, but none focused on this side of feminism. It was very interesting and very useful to know and understand.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Reflection Blog
Blogs Vs. Tutorials
I found that blogging was far less stimulating than face-to-face discussion, however this may be due to the inconsistency of contribution over the period that we were blogging rather than going to class. As it has already been mentioned our class discussions are usually quite successful, I thought that personally it was a result of lack of structure and authority in the blogs i.e. no tutor meant no discussion.
Cyborg?
I live in a UWA residential college and in just about every single of the 380 rooms there is a laptop or PC that impregnates the space and provides one of the single most important elements in a residents life. This is a rather depressing image but that is the reality of our modern day society and it seems that the cyborg tag is unavoidable. In this respect I think that blogging instead of tutorials is possibly a more negative thing as it encourages more time in front of the computer than interacting with others face-to-face.
I found that blogging was far less stimulating than face-to-face discussion, however this may be due to the inconsistency of contribution over the period that we were blogging rather than going to class. As it has already been mentioned our class discussions are usually quite successful, I thought that personally it was a result of lack of structure and authority in the blogs i.e. no tutor meant no discussion.
Cyborg?
I live in a UWA residential college and in just about every single of the 380 rooms there is a laptop or PC that impregnates the space and provides one of the single most important elements in a residents life. This is a rather depressing image but that is the reality of our modern day society and it seems that the cyborg tag is unavoidable. In this respect I think that blogging instead of tutorials is possibly a more negative thing as it encourages more time in front of the computer than interacting with others face-to-face.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Reflective Post
Blogging
I think that in general transferring the tutorials to blogs was a very good idea since it tied in very well with the rest of the unit.I personally am quite familiar with this form of online communication, but I guess there were others who weren't and this was quite a good possibility of 'experimenting' with it a bit.
Unfortunately, our blog didn't really go very well. Not a lot of discussions were created and in general there were a lot more people in our face-to-face tutes that were up for discussions (which were always really good). So I don't know why that happened.
Am I a cyborg?
The clearest answer to this I guess is 'yes'. I mean, we all use so many technical enhancements that I doubt there is anyone in this class who isn't a cyborg in that way. I have to say though that I still have a bit of a problem with 'accepting' that idea. I mean, technically, when I use a pen to write something down that makes me a cyborg. This is the part I cannot really relate to because then everything that goes beyond our natural state of 'being naked and living in caves' makes us a cyborg. However, I think that the cyborg-question is definitely one that's relevant asking, especially in this day and age. To me, the idea is very abstract though. I probably am a cyborg. I just wonder whether I can find a person on this earth who isn't then. And I am also undecided whether that's a good or a bad thing.
Evaluation of the Unit in general
I enjoyed the unit because it gave me insights into the world of cyberspace and ideas about it that I never came across before or never really thought about before. In that sense it triggered a bit of a re-thinking. In general, however, I also feel that some of the things we discussed were a bit redundant, in the sense that I still feel that most of the (power) structures (politics, race, gender, etc.) that we have in real live are simply mirrored online. It is not like the internet 'invented' all these things. It was interesting to read and discuss in which way cyberspace overcomes or reinforces those power structures though. I really enjoyed that!
I think that in general transferring the tutorials to blogs was a very good idea since it tied in very well with the rest of the unit.I personally am quite familiar with this form of online communication, but I guess there were others who weren't and this was quite a good possibility of 'experimenting' with it a bit.
Unfortunately, our blog didn't really go very well. Not a lot of discussions were created and in general there were a lot more people in our face-to-face tutes that were up for discussions (which were always really good). So I don't know why that happened.
Am I a cyborg?
The clearest answer to this I guess is 'yes'. I mean, we all use so many technical enhancements that I doubt there is anyone in this class who isn't a cyborg in that way. I have to say though that I still have a bit of a problem with 'accepting' that idea. I mean, technically, when I use a pen to write something down that makes me a cyborg. This is the part I cannot really relate to because then everything that goes beyond our natural state of 'being naked and living in caves' makes us a cyborg. However, I think that the cyborg-question is definitely one that's relevant asking, especially in this day and age. To me, the idea is very abstract though. I probably am a cyborg. I just wonder whether I can find a person on this earth who isn't then. And I am also undecided whether that's a good or a bad thing.
Evaluation of the Unit in general
I enjoyed the unit because it gave me insights into the world of cyberspace and ideas about it that I never came across before or never really thought about before. In that sense it triggered a bit of a re-thinking. In general, however, I also feel that some of the things we discussed were a bit redundant, in the sense that I still feel that most of the (power) structures (politics, race, gender, etc.) that we have in real live are simply mirrored online. It is not like the internet 'invented' all these things. It was interesting to read and discuss in which way cyberspace overcomes or reinforces those power structures though. I really enjoyed that!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Week 12 Reflective Post
Weblogs
I really enjoyed writing on the blog and thought it was a great to do something so different to all my other units. Some weeks I was craving more discussion on the blog, as I didn’t really feel like our tut did it justice – which surprised me since I thought we had some good discussions in the face to face tuts, and also some tech savvy personal bloggers in out tut group. I wondered if, in addition to a blog/instead of, we could have a sort of chat room where we’d chat online in real time, say in the tut time; maybe that would have generated more discussion.
Cyborgs
I had never considered myself a cyborg before this course, but after learning the concept, and writing my webliography, I have decided that we are all cyborgs. It is amazing how technology is everywhere, yet almost invisible at the same time, melting into our everyday life. You only have to go a few days [or maybe hours!] without a laptop or a mobile phone to see how they sort of become a part of you[!], not to mention all the bodily enhancements that seem so normal to us.
The unit in general
I really enjoyed this unit, I’m a women’s studies major and this is my last ever women’s studies and also Arts unit, so I’m glad it was a fun one. All the topics were pretty interesting, but things I liked best were reading the excepts of the Cyberpunk novels, and thinking about how some things that were once science fiction inform science and technological developments and become a part of our daily lives! I liked the culture-jamming topic as well, and thought that all the workshops were great.
I really enjoyed writing on the blog and thought it was a great to do something so different to all my other units. Some weeks I was craving more discussion on the blog, as I didn’t really feel like our tut did it justice – which surprised me since I thought we had some good discussions in the face to face tuts, and also some tech savvy personal bloggers in out tut group. I wondered if, in addition to a blog/instead of, we could have a sort of chat room where we’d chat online in real time, say in the tut time; maybe that would have generated more discussion.
Cyborgs
I had never considered myself a cyborg before this course, but after learning the concept, and writing my webliography, I have decided that we are all cyborgs. It is amazing how technology is everywhere, yet almost invisible at the same time, melting into our everyday life. You only have to go a few days [or maybe hours!] without a laptop or a mobile phone to see how they sort of become a part of you[!], not to mention all the bodily enhancements that seem so normal to us.
The unit in general
I really enjoyed this unit, I’m a women’s studies major and this is my last ever women’s studies and also Arts unit, so I’m glad it was a fun one. All the topics were pretty interesting, but things I liked best were reading the excepts of the Cyberpunk novels, and thinking about how some things that were once science fiction inform science and technological developments and become a part of our daily lives! I liked the culture-jamming topic as well, and thought that all the workshops were great.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Alice’s Presentation – Smart mobs: the power of the mobile many, Howard Rheingold
Hi everyone,
I'm presenting in class on Friday, so don't forget to come along for out last FTF tut and hopefully some great discussion. Here's what we'll be discussing so you can all come prepared :)
Smart mobs are groups of people who are able to communicate and act quickly using wireless communicative and broadcasting technologies.
“Location-sensing wireless organisers, wireless networks and community supercomputing collectives all have one thing in common: they enable people to act together in new ways and in situations where collective action was not possible before.” (p191)
An example of this phenomenon was Manila residents political demonstration which caused the fall of the Philippines government in 2001 – 20,000 people assembled in 75 minutes through waves of text messaging: ‘Go 2EDSA, Wear blck.’
Activism on this scale relies on many small units of people organising around a shared goal, and using mobile communications to quickly come together from different directions (pp193-194)
Protesters in Seattle against the WTO used “radios, police scanners and portable computers. Protesters in the street with wireless Palm Pilots were able to link into continuously updated web pages giving reports from the streets. Police scanners monitored transmissions and provided some warning of changing police tactics. Cell phones were widely used.” (p193)
Action taken in Seattle and Manila and other places have been termed ‘netwars,’ a mode of action used by both social activists and criminal/terrorist organisations. So there are positive and negative uses of smart mob tactics and technologies.
There is a potential for ‘peer-to-peer journalism’ from phones and other devices used at protests where film footage can instantly be uploaded to the web. (p196)
Smart mob tactics can prompt many people to act and cause ‘massive outbreaks of coorperation,’ which can definitely have positive outcomes, but can also be unpleasant: ‘Lynch mobs and entire nations cooperate to perpetuate atrocities.’ (p197)
Questions for discussion:
What are the implications of ‘peer-to-peer’ journalism that is possible because of mobile technologies? Might this change how traditional forms of media report? Or how we get our information?
How might these technologies be used in positive ways to keep/make governments/corporations accountable to citizens?
How might society change through these mobile technologies?
Are we more connected than ever before? Less connected? Differently connected?
Would receiving a text message like ‘Go 2 Frst Ch, Wear blk’ mobilise you for action?
I'm presenting in class on Friday, so don't forget to come along for out last FTF tut and hopefully some great discussion. Here's what we'll be discussing so you can all come prepared :)
Smart mobs are groups of people who are able to communicate and act quickly using wireless communicative and broadcasting technologies.
“Location-sensing wireless organisers, wireless networks and community supercomputing collectives all have one thing in common: they enable people to act together in new ways and in situations where collective action was not possible before.” (p191)
An example of this phenomenon was Manila residents political demonstration which caused the fall of the Philippines government in 2001 – 20,000 people assembled in 75 minutes through waves of text messaging: ‘Go 2EDSA, Wear blck.’
Activism on this scale relies on many small units of people organising around a shared goal, and using mobile communications to quickly come together from different directions (pp193-194)
Protesters in Seattle against the WTO used “radios, police scanners and portable computers. Protesters in the street with wireless Palm Pilots were able to link into continuously updated web pages giving reports from the streets. Police scanners monitored transmissions and provided some warning of changing police tactics. Cell phones were widely used.” (p193)
Action taken in Seattle and Manila and other places have been termed ‘netwars,’ a mode of action used by both social activists and criminal/terrorist organisations. So there are positive and negative uses of smart mob tactics and technologies.
There is a potential for ‘peer-to-peer journalism’ from phones and other devices used at protests where film footage can instantly be uploaded to the web. (p196)
Smart mob tactics can prompt many people to act and cause ‘massive outbreaks of coorperation,’ which can definitely have positive outcomes, but can also be unpleasant: ‘Lynch mobs and entire nations cooperate to perpetuate atrocities.’ (p197)
Questions for discussion:
What are the implications of ‘peer-to-peer’ journalism that is possible because of mobile technologies? Might this change how traditional forms of media report? Or how we get our information?
How might these technologies be used in positive ways to keep/make governments/corporations accountable to citizens?
How might society change through these mobile technologies?
Are we more connected than ever before? Less connected? Differently connected?
Would receiving a text message like ‘Go 2 Frst Ch, Wear blk’ mobilise you for action?
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Social Networks = increased workload
I found Danah Boyd’s article really interesting to read. She talks about the increasing use of social network sites and in particular does ethnographic studies on users of myspace. On page 3 of the article, she specifically distinguishes between the classes of teenagers who refrain from using myspace. She includes teens whose parents have successfully banned them from using the internet and teens who deliberately want to object to the use of social networks. It made me wonder whether there are a large number of teens who do not use social networks purely because of the additional social maintenance that they require you to participate in. This was a major reason why I refused ( until recently) to join the popular facebook network. While I have and enjoy my social group of friends, initially I found the idea of continuously receiving messages, photo updates etc to be almost like a form of social pressure, where I felt pressured into doing the same. Often I find that I am accused of being rude on facebook as I often fail to respond to messages or posts. I feel that being a part of these social networks requires high maintenance. While most teenagers seem more than happy to engage in this type of social maintenance, Boyd does not consider whether the teens who do not join the networks refuse to do so because of the pressures and demands they place on individuals to keep up to date with social events, people and places. I am not sure if such a reason exists for younger teens. Perhaps its something only older users experience. For me, my experience on facebook could be equated to a high powered CEO who is never able to turn their blackberry phone off. It is an avenue for increasing one’s accessibility to other people and to be this is something I often like to avoid! More me time!
Another interesting point in this article, is Doyd’s point of self identity on social network sites. She mentions that most of these sites are based on profiles. It is essentially the profile which allows you to develop and present your personality to the world. New age philosophy always conveys a message of detachment. It encourages people to detach from the world and often suggests that spending time alone with yourself is the only way to relax, meditate and understand yourself better. I wonder, in a world which is as fast paced as ours, how does the social networks affect our ability to understand ourselves? Do we create profiles to make ourselves look good to others? Are our profiles accurate reflections of who we really are?
Thats all from me!
Another interesting point in this article, is Doyd’s point of self identity on social network sites. She mentions that most of these sites are based on profiles. It is essentially the profile which allows you to develop and present your personality to the world. New age philosophy always conveys a message of detachment. It encourages people to detach from the world and often suggests that spending time alone with yourself is the only way to relax, meditate and understand yourself better. I wonder, in a world which is as fast paced as ours, how does the social networks affect our ability to understand ourselves? Do we create profiles to make ourselves look good to others? Are our profiles accurate reflections of who we really are?
Thats all from me!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
PRESENTATION - Online Communities - Myspace and Teenagers
The article that I am focusing on is the third article of the week by Danah Boyd, called "Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life."
"If you're not on Myspace, you don't exist." This is the opening quote to Danah Boyd's article about online communities, and the role they play in the lives of teenagers. Being a teenager myself in today's society, I somewhat agree with this quote. However being the (mature) person that I am now, I have advanced from my teen days of Myspace and now spend my days checking up on my Facebook profile. However, no matter which online community one belongs to, it is no doubt that these sites play a huge part in the majority of people's lives.
I found that Danah Boyd's article focused more on the logistics of Myspace rather than the issues surrounding it. So I ask the question, why do we join these sites? Why do we post photos, comments and information about ourselves that anyone around the world can see? Is it to do with inclusion, or to do with expressionism?
In Boyd's article, she claims that an online profile can be seen as a form of 'digital body', where individuals can write themselves into being. People can post altered photos, give false information and say anything about themselves they want. This differs to the offline society. In the offline society people are less inclined to find out information about others. No one would come up to you and ask for your date of birth, relationship status or to look at photos of you. However, online one can look at anyones profile, and find out who they are online, rather than offline, a whole lot easier.
I find that on online communities, it is also alot easier to showcase more information of yourself. As the article focuses on teenagers, it says that most of them join Myspace because everyone is on it and to be 'cool'. In the offline reality, one doesn't showcase openly to the public what famous people they are friends with, or what they have done during the day or holidays. However on Myspace and other online communities, you can tell the world just about anything about yourself.
With these points from the article in mind, what has become more of a reality for society? Online or offline? Has online interactions become the new reality? Are you more 'real' now online than offline? And do people have two separate identities, online and offline?
Pranking Rhetoric: “Culture Jamming” as Media Activism
OMG. First off, so sorry. I thought I had posted this last week, but apparently... >__>
My bad.
Checked in today and was rather 0__o!!
Sorry for the delay!
------------------------------
Pranking Rhetoric: “Culture Jamming” as Media Activism
The article discusses the phenomenon of Culture Jamming, in which pranksters use the tools of mass media to subvert the messages of authority, in this case, usually powerful corporations. It is interesting precisely because it takes advantage of the very same tools and methods that these powers use and turn it against them in a way that does not directly resist the original message, but rather turns it inside out and expose its flaws.
Christine starts by examining the Adbusters 2003 campaign called Blackspot, in which they attempt to sell a black canvas shoe with a white spot where a logo would traditionally be. This and other Adbusters projects attempt to subvert the methods of advertising and use it against the corporations, but after awhile, even this gets tiring. Adbusters fiercely direct opposition to certain brands feels like a rehashing of the very same “do this, do that” rhetoric of the big brands themselves - being “told what is best for them is no more welcome coming from Adbusters than it is coming from advertisers”.
Instead she advocates a more playful approach, represented by Joey Skaggs, ®™ark , the Biotic Baking Brigade, and the American Legacy Foundation's INFKT Truth Campaign.
Why this playful approach might work, whereas a directly oppositional one may not, is that the latter functions by a “rhetoric of negation” - that merely by a constant process of saying “No”, no new framework is established, and more limits and boundaries must then be overcome.
Perhaps, rather than being told what is right or wrong, people might prefer to be given control and a sense of power over the message.
A quick summary of what the various groups/individuals accomplished.
Joey Skaggs
- Opened a false dog brothel for dogs, and posted advertisements up. Whilst it may sound silly, it drew uproar, with Skaggs quickly earning ABC News interviews and eventually even criminal charges. The charges were dropped when he revealed it as a hoax.
®™ark
-Switched voice-chips within Barbie toys and G.I. Joe action figures and then returned them to stores, leading to G.I. Joe proclaiming “Let's plan our dream wedding!” and Barbie exclaiming “Vengeance is mine!” on Christmas day when said toys were opened by unsuspecting families. Ensue resulting hoo-haa and discomfort/enlightenment over toys promoting gender-based sterotyping.
Biotic Baking Brigade
-Ambushes celebrities and powerful leaders (like Bill Gates) and hurls a pie in their face, often at a very serious and public speech-giving session. Plays with the image of power, and the media's obsession with images and scandal.
American Legacy Foundation's INFKT Truth Campaign.
-This one was interesting because it was a public service campaign. It was, however, catchy and slick, using modern graphic design and rather than telling kids not to smoke directly and using fear tactics, had 2-page spreads in magazines in orange and white screaming messages like “CIGARETTE SMOKE HAS ARSENIC”, and “AMMONIA IS ADDED TO CIGARETTES”. The genius of the plan was this bit though – to urge the readers to “Spread the knowledge. Infect truth.”
It also had pictures of these adverts opened strategically at a magazine store opened to said pages.
Another of their campaigns gave free stickers in the shape of blank conversation bubbles, with a picturenext to the stickers showing a Marlboro advert with a sticker attached to it, giving kids a convenient way to hijack existing adverts.
Conclusion
It is suggested that these methods work better than directly oppositional and ascetic methods. Instead of saying “No”, how might we subvert the very tools of power (the media) to gain emancipation and ownership?
In this way, instead of being slaves to media, we make media our tool as well, and by riding upon the wave created by corporations/people in power, we harness that power for ourselves.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Powerthirst
I just wanted to share a link to an add spoof thing for sports drinks. Some of you may have seen it before just from general browsing or because it was featured on The Gruen Transfer. Although there is not a specific focus on gender, the idea that sports drink substances have the ability to 'enhance' the sporting performance of the drinker is often directed at men. The Powerthirst add uses the term 'menergy' as you will see and parodies those elements of sports drink adds that we see so often.
I think it's brilliant!
I think it's brilliant!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Pranking and Culture Jamming
I thought the topic for this week was really interesting - I especially thought the Barbie Liberation Organization Organization was awesome - of course I had noticed that kid's toys are very gendered, but what the two talking toys say really reinforces certain cultural values - Barbie: 'i love shopping,' 'can we ever have enough clothes' is a pretty blatant advert for capitalist consumption and the G.I. Joes promote and glorify war even more through their speech. I think hearing the words coming from the wrong mouth [ie. hearing a Barbie promote violence and war] could also have the effect of highlighting this. I found this clip about the BLO - if anyone else finds other news items, or any interviews with parents from that time, they'd be great to see. Listen to what the kids say about the G.I. Joe.
Another site about pranking and culture jamming was also interesting to explore.
And given that we haven't had much [haha, ok, any] discussion this week I thought I'd put the link for adbusters here too - it is definitely worth a look.
Another site about pranking and culture jamming was also interesting to explore.
And given that we haven't had much [haha, ok, any] discussion this week I thought I'd put the link for adbusters here too - it is definitely worth a look.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Next Level Article: Some additional comments
I spent the weekend interviewing a few of my well known gaming friends. My discussions gave me a good insight into the representation of women in a range of games which I will share with you. I myself do not play any games ( apart from solitaire!) and was really shocked and disgusted by some of the things that are in current day games. Below is a brief summary of some of the games and the representations of women in them.
WOW ( world of warcraft)
WOW ( world of warcraft)
- Female characters are barely covered with armour so as to accentuate the female body for male gamers
- Male characters in contrast are given full body armour
Age of Conan
- Includes topless female 3D characters and promotes female nudity
Grand Theft Auto
- This game passed the classification boards at first instance despite the fact that there is an actual intercourse section of the game.
- The game allows characters to pick up hookers, attend strip clubs and register and brothels
From my understanding, the gaming industry does not seem to be progressing in terms of representing women in a non sexual, objectified manner. It amazes me how there are strict policies enforced in the workplace about computer savers or desktops having females in swimsuits however no stringent laws apply to the production of games. There seems to be a real blurring of reality and fantasy within actual games despite the fact that most games imitate reality. In essence, the games seem to reflect a modern day reality without any law and order, where brothels and hookers are available and where women are always exploited. I don't mean to sound like a nagging protester but some of these games are truly terrible!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ethics of porn on the net.... SERENA
Hi All,
Reading about sex and pornography is not something i really expected to do at uni but i found this article intriguing. In fact i'm sure we all enjoyed reading this article (?) The reason i say that is because in a classroom setting (and in many social circles) the topic of porn is tabu!! Am i right? And i believe that we certainly (as humans) have the desire to be risky and understand something we may otherwise know nothing about.
This article outlines the demographic of who, where, how, and why internet porn is being accessed and who is making it.
WHO: the general consenses is that porn is made for the middle aged heterosexual male who holds fantasies of sexually active and available women. However, during research for this article it is found that porn on the net can be somewhat liberating for those who have varied tastes in sexual preferences. During the 70s and 80s porn was found in magazines and on video and generally contained images of a limited female body type. Now that porn is on the net and is 70% of it is amateur porn it seems to 'cater' for a wider audience. Now, those who share particular 'fetishes' can share them and find like-minded folk.
A large part of this article talks about the fact that people can now make their own porn and experience exhibitionist attributes at first hand. "The internet has allowed a remarkable blurring of the categories of 'publisher', 'distributer', 'performer' and 'consumer'". The article explores the desire to voluntarily immerse oneself in 'interactive pornography' and states that with this avenue women especially are increasingly more comfortable to perform sexual acts that they had previously only ever fantasied about... ie: group sex, lesbian sex, oral etc.
WHERE: The question of porn invading the home through the internet is raised. In the past access to porn was available through magazines and video's bought from adult shops but now that many households have internet access porn becomes part of the private sphere. This has its up sides and its downsides. Firstly, of course there is more comfort in the private sphere... who would not rather using the simple click of a mouse to access porn rather than entering an adult shop and all its stigma attached? Unfortunately though, feminists argue that porn 'is a perverse outsider forcing its way into suburban homes'.
I close with this quote from the article: " Undoubtedly, the internet facilitates anonymous sexual experimentation. Whether it is seen as a positive or a negative factor will depend on your point of view".
Please feel welcome to start up some conversations about this article and your thoughts on it as i will be regularly checking the blog this week.
Thanks.
Reading about sex and pornography is not something i really expected to do at uni but i found this article intriguing. In fact i'm sure we all enjoyed reading this article (?) The reason i say that is because in a classroom setting (and in many social circles) the topic of porn is tabu!! Am i right? And i believe that we certainly (as humans) have the desire to be risky and understand something we may otherwise know nothing about.
This article outlines the demographic of who, where, how, and why internet porn is being accessed and who is making it.
WHO: the general consenses is that porn is made for the middle aged heterosexual male who holds fantasies of sexually active and available women. However, during research for this article it is found that porn on the net can be somewhat liberating for those who have varied tastes in sexual preferences. During the 70s and 80s porn was found in magazines and on video and generally contained images of a limited female body type. Now that porn is on the net and is 70% of it is amateur porn it seems to 'cater' for a wider audience. Now, those who share particular 'fetishes' can share them and find like-minded folk.
A large part of this article talks about the fact that people can now make their own porn and experience exhibitionist attributes at first hand. "The internet has allowed a remarkable blurring of the categories of 'publisher', 'distributer', 'performer' and 'consumer'". The article explores the desire to voluntarily immerse oneself in 'interactive pornography' and states that with this avenue women especially are increasingly more comfortable to perform sexual acts that they had previously only ever fantasied about... ie: group sex, lesbian sex, oral etc.
WHERE: The question of porn invading the home through the internet is raised. In the past access to porn was available through magazines and video's bought from adult shops but now that many households have internet access porn becomes part of the private sphere. This has its up sides and its downsides. Firstly, of course there is more comfort in the private sphere... who would not rather using the simple click of a mouse to access porn rather than entering an adult shop and all its stigma attached? Unfortunately though, feminists argue that porn 'is a perverse outsider forcing its way into suburban homes'.
I close with this quote from the article: " Undoubtedly, the internet facilitates anonymous sexual experimentation. Whether it is seen as a positive or a negative factor will depend on your point of view".
Please feel welcome to start up some conversations about this article and your thoughts on it as i will be regularly checking the blog this week.
Thanks.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tutorial Presentation: The Good, the Bad, and the Virtual
The ethical issues surrounding mediums like print and television media have been complicated with the onset of the internet. This new form of media has radically changed the presentation of information and therefore has brought a new set of ethical dilemmas. Ethics are standards of behaviour that are ‘right’. In The Good, the Bad and the Virtual, Mark Poster highlights many of the concerns critics shares over the internet; “the new medium will undermine the ethical basis of society”. Poster notes how internet sites are “easy to construct and cheap to maintain”, enabling people to display sites that have ‘disturbing material’. In this ‘age of information’, it raises a number of questions over the ethical systems online and more importantly, do they exist?.
The ethical and moral elements of journalism have been altered online. The internet is a very different medium compared to print media. Print and Television media are usually limited geographically as they are mainly distributed locally (i.e. city, state, country). Certain codes of ethics must be complied to ensure journalists attain and present information in a fair and unbiased way. Although this does not always happen, journalists are held accountable via these forms of media. The internet, on the other hand, is widely accessible. There is also anonymity on the internet as anyone can write news items. Similar ethical issues arise with the presentation of information. Mark Poster referred to a semi-code of ethics which exists on the internet, known as ‘netiquette’. However, he further stated that “the practice of coaching newbies in the ways of netiquette could not keep up”. To see some of the rules, you may want to view this webiste on netiquette. This system of ethics is difficult to maintain on such a large scale and is almost impossible to police. Consequently, there is broad spectrum of views and information presented on the internet, often biased. The anonymity has generated a greater sense of freedom to say what you want, no matter how offensive. Pornography is also more widely accessible on the net. Do you think that the ethical elements behind pornography have changed online? If so, how?
An ethical issue raised online is the distortion of identities. Poster identified a case involving FBI agents who posed as underage girls in chat rooms to catch potential sex-offenders. However, when they caught the perpetrator, he was released based on the argument “that his actions ‘were grounded in an online fantasy world’ and were not reprehensible morally and legally” (Miller 1999). This clearly illustrates how the ethical dimensions radically change online with the separation of worlds into ‘virtual’ and ‘real’. Poster further stated how the justice system “accepted the distinction between real and virtual pedophilia”. Do you think there should be a world wide system of ethics that applies to everyone?
Because characteristics of the internet differ from the traditional forms of media, ethical systems have been thought to be medium-specific. A number of complexities arise from using the internet as the boundaries between the public and private sphere are blurred. Mark Poster notes in his article, that what was previously confined to the private sphere has overflowed into the public via the net. An example of this was a sex change operation which was video recorded and posted on a webcam. This raised a number of ethical issues, including questions regarding censorship on the net. Do you think it was ethical to allow for this operation to be broadcast on the World Wide Web? Do you think ethical systems should be medium-specific?
Thus, the expansion of the internet has given rise to many ethical dilemmas in cyberspace. Do you think ethical systems exist online?
The ethical and moral elements of journalism have been altered online. The internet is a very different medium compared to print media. Print and Television media are usually limited geographically as they are mainly distributed locally (i.e. city, state, country). Certain codes of ethics must be complied to ensure journalists attain and present information in a fair and unbiased way. Although this does not always happen, journalists are held accountable via these forms of media. The internet, on the other hand, is widely accessible. There is also anonymity on the internet as anyone can write news items. Similar ethical issues arise with the presentation of information. Mark Poster referred to a semi-code of ethics which exists on the internet, known as ‘netiquette’. However, he further stated that “the practice of coaching newbies in the ways of netiquette could not keep up”. To see some of the rules, you may want to view this webiste on netiquette. This system of ethics is difficult to maintain on such a large scale and is almost impossible to police. Consequently, there is broad spectrum of views and information presented on the internet, often biased. The anonymity has generated a greater sense of freedom to say what you want, no matter how offensive. Pornography is also more widely accessible on the net. Do you think that the ethical elements behind pornography have changed online? If so, how?
An ethical issue raised online is the distortion of identities. Poster identified a case involving FBI agents who posed as underage girls in chat rooms to catch potential sex-offenders. However, when they caught the perpetrator, he was released based on the argument “that his actions ‘were grounded in an online fantasy world’ and were not reprehensible morally and legally” (Miller 1999). This clearly illustrates how the ethical dimensions radically change online with the separation of worlds into ‘virtual’ and ‘real’. Poster further stated how the justice system “accepted the distinction between real and virtual pedophilia”. Do you think there should be a world wide system of ethics that applies to everyone?
Because characteristics of the internet differ from the traditional forms of media, ethical systems have been thought to be medium-specific. A number of complexities arise from using the internet as the boundaries between the public and private sphere are blurred. Mark Poster notes in his article, that what was previously confined to the private sphere has overflowed into the public via the net. An example of this was a sex change operation which was video recorded and posted on a webcam. This raised a number of ethical issues, including questions regarding censorship on the net. Do you think it was ethical to allow for this operation to be broadcast on the World Wide Web? Do you think ethical systems should be medium-specific?
Thus, the expansion of the internet has given rise to many ethical dilemmas in cyberspace. Do you think ethical systems exist online?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Hi everyone!
Great post on the ICERED convention. I think the law really struggles to deal with racism under the Racial Discrimination Act, which only covers racism ( overt) in the workplace. I liked your summary of the problem the law encounters with defining boundaries. I remember studying a case in law, where an employee had received offensive emails which he found to be racist. He was unsuccessful in arguing workplace racism under the racial discrimination act because the law did not recognise cyberspace as a space for racism.
This week, I have been attending interviews for full time work next year. I came across an interesting article on Patriarchy and capitalism by Anne Witz. I will post the citation ASAP. She suggests that both concepts of patriarchy and capitalism are connected and that the introduction of technology in the workplace has further marginalised women and has resulted in creating gender segregation in the workplace. Thoughts anyone?
Also- This morning (11/9/08) I missed a snip on sunrise on a woman ( top CEO) who blamed female employees for increasing the gap between male and female pay in the workplace. Did anyone catch this?
Enjoy the weekend,
Rohini :)
Great post on the ICERED convention. I think the law really struggles to deal with racism under the Racial Discrimination Act, which only covers racism ( overt) in the workplace. I liked your summary of the problem the law encounters with defining boundaries. I remember studying a case in law, where an employee had received offensive emails which he found to be racist. He was unsuccessful in arguing workplace racism under the racial discrimination act because the law did not recognise cyberspace as a space for racism.
This week, I have been attending interviews for full time work next year. I came across an interesting article on Patriarchy and capitalism by Anne Witz. I will post the citation ASAP. She suggests that both concepts of patriarchy and capitalism are connected and that the introduction of technology in the workplace has further marginalised women and has resulted in creating gender segregation in the workplace. Thoughts anyone?
Also- This morning (11/9/08) I missed a snip on sunrise on a woman ( top CEO) who blamed female employees for increasing the gap between male and female pay in the workplace. Did anyone catch this?
Enjoy the weekend,
Rohini :)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
(Week 7)Presentation--Hong Kong Cyberculture: A case study
The article can also be found online from the website: http://www.hku.hk/hkcsp/ccex/ehkcss01/issue3_ar_amy_lai.htm
The article gave the basic sense of conflict between freedom and privacy in cyberspace from the introduction, but Lai’s was not going to argue about the freedom vs. privacy, instead, she was using the online forum, “ICERED”, as the example to explore Hong Kong cyberculture and drew onto discussion about “cyberdemocracy”.
(Also, there are some details about the “E-Silkroad Holdings” and how the privacy of Iceredders became explored legally in this website below, particular in the section of “Legal News From Around the World”:
http://www.hk-lawyer.com/2001-7/July01-news.htm#Legal News )
Lai’s first argument was about the domination in cyberspace, and she suggested that there was a boundary between people who had college education and who had not for the access on the internet. In the case of “ICERED”, at the beginning, it was obviously dominated by those top universities in the U.S., like Oxford University. There was also a rating for all posted articles, according to the English level based on the degrees of, such as, grammatical and expressional concerns, and comment, like “Your English sucks” was very common. This was seen as a discrimination issue, and as the disaffection from people associated with other universities, like Hong Kong University, increased, the website opened wider for more scholars.
I suppose the domination in cyberspace was not good, as it had marginal on people from other groups which might probably be the majority as well. I am glad to know it became more openedly for more people, so that more different comments could be shared.
Also, Lai pointed out that the Internet was a “racialized” space, emphasized the existence of “whiteness”. Whenever there was a topic related to racial identity, the Iceredders would use the ideal physical feature of the particular race, like skin color, to classify other racial groups as well as their own, in both assailing and defending situations. As the connection between racial identity and the physical body was so strong, and even the Iceredders were all invisible, race did not disappear online.
This is so true, and it gave me some more ideas about the relationship between our bodies and online.
Then, Lai led to the cyber related sexuality and gender concerns. She believed that within this dis-embodied space, the gender identity was being re-embodied with greater homogeneity rather than a new form of identity. Therefore, men and women both were stereotyped, for example, the idea of men being as the “sex-hunters" and they paid and used women for sex. She also mentioned about the dating relationship from the online chatting. The issues of sexual harassment and abuse were also considered. Moreover, the gay and lesbian was a controversial topic, for moral concern was involved, though the internet gave a way for people to discuss about it. However, many differences existed between the West and most Asia countries, so the national (or more accurately, the regional) boundaries for the culture were quite clear. Also, Lyotard suggested that the technologies could reinforce traditional hierarchical structures and sometimes it could even subvert it.
I really agree with Lai's argument on the cyber related sexuality and gender issues. Especially for the topic of gay and lesbian, personally I don't have a problem with it, even though I am not one. But as an Asian, I understand why it is controvisal, as it againsts the traditional cultural structure in most Asian countries, i.e., the patrilineage system. It then becomes sensitive and many people in Asia think that the internet can actually "advertise" it to teenagers, I do think this is a problem. When I was younger I knew less and I used to feel lost and unsure about things arounded me. However, again, the internet is part of the media and so ethic and morality issues included in it will be on-going subjects to discuss.
Lai, then, talked about Multi-user Object Oriented (MOO) identity, which related to people’s lives online and spending less time in their “real” life with families and friends. Many people were trying to hold on to their online identities and refused to believe what they did not want to see offline. In some extreme case, it caused to the loss of contact with the real world.
This is a real problem in Hong Kong, and couple years before there was actually a teenage boy killed himself because of the loss of weapons from an online computer game. By this case, we can see how "addicted" online can affect people and make them become confused in the virtual cyberspace. However, I think getting online is certainly having some benefits on our lives, for instant, it is convinent for passing and receiving information, it is just that we have to be careful when getting information from it.
In the conclusion, Lai did a comparison on the “ICERED” from Singapore section to Hong Kong.
The article gave the basic sense of conflict between freedom and privacy in cyberspace from the introduction, but Lai’s was not going to argue about the freedom vs. privacy, instead, she was using the online forum, “ICERED”, as the example to explore Hong Kong cyberculture and drew onto discussion about “cyberdemocracy”.
(Also, there are some details about the “E-Silkroad Holdings” and how the privacy of Iceredders became explored legally in this website below, particular in the section of “Legal News From Around the World”:
http://www.hk-lawyer.com/2001-7/July01-news.htm#Legal News )
Lai’s first argument was about the domination in cyberspace, and she suggested that there was a boundary between people who had college education and who had not for the access on the internet. In the case of “ICERED”, at the beginning, it was obviously dominated by those top universities in the U.S., like Oxford University. There was also a rating for all posted articles, according to the English level based on the degrees of, such as, grammatical and expressional concerns, and comment, like “Your English sucks” was very common. This was seen as a discrimination issue, and as the disaffection from people associated with other universities, like Hong Kong University, increased, the website opened wider for more scholars.
I suppose the domination in cyberspace was not good, as it had marginal on people from other groups which might probably be the majority as well. I am glad to know it became more openedly for more people, so that more different comments could be shared.
Also, Lai pointed out that the Internet was a “racialized” space, emphasized the existence of “whiteness”. Whenever there was a topic related to racial identity, the Iceredders would use the ideal physical feature of the particular race, like skin color, to classify other racial groups as well as their own, in both assailing and defending situations. As the connection between racial identity and the physical body was so strong, and even the Iceredders were all invisible, race did not disappear online.
This is so true, and it gave me some more ideas about the relationship between our bodies and online.
Then, Lai led to the cyber related sexuality and gender concerns. She believed that within this dis-embodied space, the gender identity was being re-embodied with greater homogeneity rather than a new form of identity. Therefore, men and women both were stereotyped, for example, the idea of men being as the “sex-hunters" and they paid and used women for sex. She also mentioned about the dating relationship from the online chatting. The issues of sexual harassment and abuse were also considered. Moreover, the gay and lesbian was a controversial topic, for moral concern was involved, though the internet gave a way for people to discuss about it. However, many differences existed between the West and most Asia countries, so the national (or more accurately, the regional) boundaries for the culture were quite clear. Also, Lyotard suggested that the technologies could reinforce traditional hierarchical structures and sometimes it could even subvert it.
I really agree with Lai's argument on the cyber related sexuality and gender issues. Especially for the topic of gay and lesbian, personally I don't have a problem with it, even though I am not one. But as an Asian, I understand why it is controvisal, as it againsts the traditional cultural structure in most Asian countries, i.e., the patrilineage system. It then becomes sensitive and many people in Asia think that the internet can actually "advertise" it to teenagers, I do think this is a problem. When I was younger I knew less and I used to feel lost and unsure about things arounded me. However, again, the internet is part of the media and so ethic and morality issues included in it will be on-going subjects to discuss.
Lai, then, talked about Multi-user Object Oriented (MOO) identity, which related to people’s lives online and spending less time in their “real” life with families and friends. Many people were trying to hold on to their online identities and refused to believe what they did not want to see offline. In some extreme case, it caused to the loss of contact with the real world.
This is a real problem in Hong Kong, and couple years before there was actually a teenage boy killed himself because of the loss of weapons from an online computer game. By this case, we can see how "addicted" online can affect people and make them become confused in the virtual cyberspace. However, I think getting online is certainly having some benefits on our lives, for instant, it is convinent for passing and receiving information, it is just that we have to be careful when getting information from it.
In the conclusion, Lai did a comparison on the “ICERED” from Singapore section to Hong Kong.
General Sharing--Weird Dreams
I had been dreaming of cyborgs these few nights, and one of them really scared me as the cyborg in my dream was called Yanbi--the same name of my younger sister!! So the first thing I did after I woke up was saying to myself that "Yanbi, my sister, is not a cyborg!"Personally I am so frightened to see myself as a cyborg, and so do people who are important in my life. I would try as best as I can just to prove that I am not a cyborg, and I really think that there are many differences from a "cyborg" to a human.
Also, technology is processed by human and machines are created by peopleI remember my classmate in college used to ask the question: Does computer cleverer than our brains? And many of us answered "Yes!" immediately as we had the concern of the capacities that computer can achieve to our daily lives. However, the person who used to ask the question kept saying "No! That's wrong. Who invented computer then?" Yeah, I agreed with him finally, it has got to be someone to invent it, so that should be true.Indeed, I would say my life and experience in it are always affected by technology either in good or bad ways, or in both. But something that inside me are still uniquely existing, like emotion and feeling. I believe that they can never be taken place by technology.Techology has also got its limitation, and so there are still nothing can be the alternative of some important organs and blood in human body.
Back to my dreams, I guess the reason why I am so frightened is that cyborg can mean to me as a less human being in the world, and it can really mix up my sense of identity as being a human.
Also, technology is processed by human and machines are created by peopleI remember my classmate in college used to ask the question: Does computer cleverer than our brains? And many of us answered "Yes!" immediately as we had the concern of the capacities that computer can achieve to our daily lives. However, the person who used to ask the question kept saying "No! That's wrong. Who invented computer then?" Yeah, I agreed with him finally, it has got to be someone to invent it, so that should be true.Indeed, I would say my life and experience in it are always affected by technology either in good or bad ways, or in both. But something that inside me are still uniquely existing, like emotion and feeling. I believe that they can never be taken place by technology.Techology has also got its limitation, and so there are still nothing can be the alternative of some important organs and blood in human body.
Back to my dreams, I guess the reason why I am so frightened is that cyborg can mean to me as a less human being in the world, and it can really mix up my sense of identity as being a human.
Monday, September 8, 2008
workshop 4 comments - Serena
hi,
after methodically clicking through all the sites and observing default browsers, gendered identity avenues, race and the like i just feel kind of amped up to say something that may not be very academic, wise or, correct but somehow i have suddenly developed an opinion on this topic and here it is...
are we not either male or female? what is the issue with stating which one you are online? i mean... we're online.. if we were face to face it would be blatantly obvious which sex the person opposite you was so why not make it blatantly obvious online where we do not have eyes to see and instead fingertips to gather information..... i don't know, i just feel a little frustrated that everything gets such analysis! is anyone with me here? i mean i totally understand that this is what the unit is about about and i appreciate that but something makes me uneasy at the same time.
after methodically clicking through all the sites and observing default browsers, gendered identity avenues, race and the like i just feel kind of amped up to say something that may not be very academic, wise or, correct but somehow i have suddenly developed an opinion on this topic and here it is...
are we not either male or female? what is the issue with stating which one you are online? i mean... we're online.. if we were face to face it would be blatantly obvious which sex the person opposite you was so why not make it blatantly obvious online where we do not have eyes to see and instead fingertips to gather information..... i don't know, i just feel a little frustrated that everything gets such analysis! is anyone with me here? i mean i totally understand that this is what the unit is about about and i appreciate that but something makes me uneasy at the same time.
Presentation - Ruminations on Cyber-Race
Jerry Kang's article Ruminations On Cyber-Race is largely anecdotal, with Kang drawing much on his own experiences as a Korean-American law professor. His interest lies mostly in the construction of race on-line and the manner in which this may disrupt racial mechanisms, as he states “race is a social construction…I began wondering what happens when race is constructed through code, in cyberspace” (p. 58) Following the introduction to his article Kang then proceeds to establish some of the ways in which ethnicity may work in the cyber medium, these fall under the main categories of abolition (removal or invisibility of ethnicity on-line), integration (considering ways in which ethnicity may be celebrated or facilitated peaceably on-line) and transmutation (the act of performing a different racial identity on-line).
Kang acknowledges the high probability that there will be a reduced number of minority groups with access to the on-line world as compared to the "white" population, a point which is also raised in the Menu-Driven Identities article by Lisa Nakamura. However despite this somewhat major drawback Kang sees cyberspace as an unmediated space through which we would be able to "engage in more direct experiences with other races - experiences with actual people, not mediated by third parties" (p. 61) He thus sees it as a space where the media and other external sources have not been able to filter information, whereby they place stereotypes and generalisations (often inadvertently) on ethnic groups for their readership. He also considers 'shared goals' to be a way around racial segregation on-line. Forums that facilitate discussion about a particular topic such as sexuality, illness or favorite animals removes the focus from one's ethnic identity and places it on a common feature that each person within the forum shares with the others.
He sums up his short article by assessing the value of those processes of abolition, integration and transmutation. He suggests that integration is something that must worked and built on in social spaces (such as web page designers and on-line gaming technicians) which will facilitate interaction in cyberspace between members of different ethnic groups. He also believes that understanding and utilising the positive aspects of cyberspace will help to avoid future disappointment at missed chances for integration.
I have some questions which I hope you may answer...
Q. It would seem that race, or as I prefer and what I think is more politically correct, ethnicity is so integral to an individual's identity that any attempt to 'erase' or remove it from their online self is far more damaging than it is liberating - what do you think?
Q. While Kang suggests that cyberspace lifts geographical boundaries, with the possibility of opening communication pathways between different ethnic groups; do you think that this may or does now have the opposite effect and instead allows for racism to have a larger audience where people with similar prejudices may group together and fuel their ideas in larger think tanks?
Q. Kang discusses the idea of "transmutation" whereby your on-line self (usually one represented by a digital avatar in an on-line gaming world) chooses to be of a different ethnicity to that of their "real world" self. While he suggests the pros and cons of this idea I was wondering what others thought? Is this an inherently racist act - masquerading under false pretences or like Kang points out, does it make a user question the actual constrictions that their ethnicity places on their real world identity (p. 62)?
Q. And finally, do you think that having to restrict inter-racial interactions to cyberspace is a very sad state of affairs? Or is that what we have brought ourselves to given our racial prejudices and stereotypes that we have gleaned from the media?
Kang acknowledges the high probability that there will be a reduced number of minority groups with access to the on-line world as compared to the "white" population, a point which is also raised in the Menu-Driven Identities article by Lisa Nakamura. However despite this somewhat major drawback Kang sees cyberspace as an unmediated space through which we would be able to "engage in more direct experiences with other races - experiences with actual people, not mediated by third parties" (p. 61) He thus sees it as a space where the media and other external sources have not been able to filter information, whereby they place stereotypes and generalisations (often inadvertently) on ethnic groups for their readership. He also considers 'shared goals' to be a way around racial segregation on-line. Forums that facilitate discussion about a particular topic such as sexuality, illness or favorite animals removes the focus from one's ethnic identity and places it on a common feature that each person within the forum shares with the others.
He sums up his short article by assessing the value of those processes of abolition, integration and transmutation. He suggests that integration is something that must worked and built on in social spaces (such as web page designers and on-line gaming technicians) which will facilitate interaction in cyberspace between members of different ethnic groups. He also believes that understanding and utilising the positive aspects of cyberspace will help to avoid future disappointment at missed chances for integration.
I have some questions which I hope you may answer...
Q. It would seem that race, or as I prefer and what I think is more politically correct, ethnicity is so integral to an individual's identity that any attempt to 'erase' or remove it from their online self is far more damaging than it is liberating - what do you think?
Q. While Kang suggests that cyberspace lifts geographical boundaries, with the possibility of opening communication pathways between different ethnic groups; do you think that this may or does now have the opposite effect and instead allows for racism to have a larger audience where people with similar prejudices may group together and fuel their ideas in larger think tanks?
Q. Kang discusses the idea of "transmutation" whereby your on-line self (usually one represented by a digital avatar in an on-line gaming world) chooses to be of a different ethnicity to that of their "real world" self. While he suggests the pros and cons of this idea I was wondering what others thought? Is this an inherently racist act - masquerading under false pretences or like Kang points out, does it make a user question the actual constrictions that their ethnicity places on their real world identity (p. 62)?
Q. And finally, do you think that having to restrict inter-racial interactions to cyberspace is a very sad state of affairs? Or is that what we have brought ourselves to given our racial prejudices and stereotypes that we have gleaned from the media?
Re: Week 7 Discussion
I realize that this comes a bit late seeing as it's already Monday, and I really can't tell for certain if this has been discussed, but I thought I'll just put it out there since one of the questions in the Unit Outline for this week apparently piqued my curiosity.
Anyway, are online interactions inherently gendered? Do gender relations operate differently online compared with face to face interactions?
What does everyone think?
Personally, I feel that online interactions are gendered mostly through personal choice. Sure, there are ways to distinguish the gender behind someone blogging/talking/chatting online but to claim that it is the inherent ability of each individual to conform to gender norms online is, perhaps, an over-generalization. What I mean is, if a person so decided to, it is relatively simple to disguise his/her gender in cyberspace. In fact, I'm pretty sure that there are plenty of people out there that pretends to be of the opposite gender (no judgement here, just stating a point). I believe that to a certain extent, yes, online interactions can be inherently gendered. But more importantly, the level and amount of freedom and manipulation on cyberspace means that such inherent norms are easily rendered void.
As far as whether gender relations operate differently online when compared to face to face interactions, I'm inclined to agree with the statement. Come to think of it, how many of you remember when you said something to someone from the opposite sex online, that you would never have done face to face? I know I have. But of course, that is a simplistic view of things. Still, gender relations has definately undergone a transformation in cyberspace. Be it the empowerment of women or the reinforcement of patriarch values, I think the relative anonymity and freedom of cyberspace has certainly affected gender relationships.
So yep, just my two cents worth. I appologize if I ramble on and on at times..
On a complete side note, I actually know someone that broke up with his girlfriend via the internet. I just thought it was a perfect summation of how gender relations worked differently online. Well, because apparently, he mentioned that online, he could tell her the real reasons why he was leaving her, and it was something he couldn't do if she was standing in front of him. (Disclaimer: I do not agree with his actions.)
Again, I hope I didn't bore anyone too much. Hope to see some discussion going on in here!
Cheers!
Anyway, are online interactions inherently gendered? Do gender relations operate differently online compared with face to face interactions?
What does everyone think?
Personally, I feel that online interactions are gendered mostly through personal choice. Sure, there are ways to distinguish the gender behind someone blogging/talking/chatting online but to claim that it is the inherent ability of each individual to conform to gender norms online is, perhaps, an over-generalization. What I mean is, if a person so decided to, it is relatively simple to disguise his/her gender in cyberspace. In fact, I'm pretty sure that there are plenty of people out there that pretends to be of the opposite gender (no judgement here, just stating a point). I believe that to a certain extent, yes, online interactions can be inherently gendered. But more importantly, the level and amount of freedom and manipulation on cyberspace means that such inherent norms are easily rendered void.
As far as whether gender relations operate differently online when compared to face to face interactions, I'm inclined to agree with the statement. Come to think of it, how many of you remember when you said something to someone from the opposite sex online, that you would never have done face to face? I know I have. But of course, that is a simplistic view of things. Still, gender relations has definately undergone a transformation in cyberspace. Be it the empowerment of women or the reinforcement of patriarch values, I think the relative anonymity and freedom of cyberspace has certainly affected gender relationships.
So yep, just my two cents worth. I appologize if I ramble on and on at times..
On a complete side note, I actually know someone that broke up with his girlfriend via the internet. I just thought it was a perfect summation of how gender relations worked differently online. Well, because apparently, he mentioned that online, he could tell her the real reasons why he was leaving her, and it was something he couldn't do if she was standing in front of him. (Disclaimer: I do not agree with his actions.)
Again, I hope I didn't bore anyone too much. Hope to see some discussion going on in here!
Cheers!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Re: the readings and discussions thus far~ [Cyberstalking]
“You look for someone who is full of it, a real blowhard. Then you exploit their insecurities to get an insane amount of drama, laughs and lulz. Rules would be simple: 1. Do whatever it takes to get lulz. 2. Make sure the lulz is widely distributed. This will allow for more lulz to be made. 3. The game is never over until all the lulz have been had.”
Excerpt from article on trolling @ NY Times
I found this VERY interesting article.
It gives a glimpse into the world of 'trolling', where online cyberstalking and harrassment is done, for the most part, fun and games.
It got me thinking, really.
The Internet is a place with, seemingly no boundaries, but it is really the most monitored place in the world. Every word you type, every page you view (even this one right now), is being kept track of in some register somewhere. ISPs for example. Most of this information is skimmed over, lost in obscurity, but with the intent and the know-how, you could make someone's life hell.
What drives the trolls? ..Or what drives us? I can empathise with their curiosity I guess, but not the actions. Certainly to a much lesser extent we do the same thing on Facebook, checking how other peoples' lives are going, who's dating who and where they've been etc etc?
Whereas this keeping up-to-date is certainly not meant to be malicious like trolling, it can nevertheless feel intrusive. I once had a disgruntled ...'associate 'keeping tabs on my every movement via my blog/Facebook, eventually culminating in some rather unpleasant messages sent via MSN about how they knew what I was doing in my life, probably to see my response.
----
I think identity is something, whilst we like to think of it as fluid, is fundamentally locked into us. Who we are bleeds out of everything we do, each action further reinforcing the pre-existing notions we hold dear.
Power then, on the internet, is knowledge of what makes someone else tick (and yourself, as well), and the defense is to be as opaque as possible.
That ..would of course, be incredibly lonely. >__>
---
Also, off-topic, the layout for this blog is getting kind of messy. It's getting a little hard to keep track of a coherent flow / narrative. (Which again, might be a symptom of a digital culture perhaps?)
Excerpt from article on trolling @ NY Times
I found this VERY interesting article.
It gives a glimpse into the world of 'trolling', where online cyberstalking and harrassment is done, for the most part, fun and games.
It got me thinking, really.
The Internet is a place with, seemingly no boundaries, but it is really the most monitored place in the world. Every word you type, every page you view (even this one right now), is being kept track of in some register somewhere. ISPs for example. Most of this information is skimmed over, lost in obscurity, but with the intent and the know-how, you could make someone's life hell.
What drives the trolls? ..Or what drives us? I can empathise with their curiosity I guess, but not the actions. Certainly to a much lesser extent we do the same thing on Facebook, checking how other peoples' lives are going, who's dating who and where they've been etc etc?
Whereas this keeping up-to-date is certainly not meant to be malicious like trolling, it can nevertheless feel intrusive. I once had a disgruntled ...'associate 'keeping tabs on my every movement via my blog/Facebook, eventually culminating in some rather unpleasant messages sent via MSN about how they knew what I was doing in my life, probably to see my response.
----
I think identity is something, whilst we like to think of it as fluid, is fundamentally locked into us. Who we are bleeds out of everything we do, each action further reinforcing the pre-existing notions we hold dear.
Power then, on the internet, is knowledge of what makes someone else tick (and yourself, as well), and the defense is to be as opaque as possible.
That ..would of course, be incredibly lonely. >__>
---
Also, off-topic, the layout for this blog is getting kind of messy. It's getting a little hard to keep track of a coherent flow / narrative. (Which again, might be a symptom of a digital culture perhaps?)
Menu Driven Identities - Racism and the Perpetration Of
Question 2.
Are any of the websites inhererently racist? Why or why not?
(and contained within, some elements of question 2: What sort of identities are visible in the profiles on lavalife? How are they displayed? What presumptions does this display make about both the people reading these profiles and those users who made them?)
Lavalife - “Where Australia's Sexiest Singles Meet!”
The site features tonnes of pictures of attractive, white people in their 20s. Does this then imply that the featured people (incidentally, all white) are the most attractive? From the looks of it, and the lack of a 'ethnicity' option, it is a site catering for white people looking to date other white people. Admittedly, perhaps there is some market value in catering to a specific audience or subset. The company exists to make money, and not to promote an egalitarian world view afterall.
In contrast to this very overt and specific racial targeting, both Yahoo and Hotmail have clean, white layouts, occasionally punctuated with different adverts with pictures of various racial groups.
Second Life is further cross-racial, with its site layout depicting various character models of different races. The game itself allows you to reconstruct your identity, creating a virtual representation where you can select your race and gender.
The question as to which of these are racist and why would lie in their aims and purposes. The different site serve different audiences and needs afterall.
To sum it up: (My view only. Heh. Feel free to debate)
LavaLife: Racist. And why, you ask? Mostly because it would be easier for them to serve a subsection of the community (in this case, young white people) looking for hookups or romance due to a tribal mindset where people are generally more comfortable with others who are similar to them. Race, and culture, are easy links (and dividers) to relationships in general.
Yahoo & Hotmail: Not racist. Again, because doing so would not fit their business model, which is to serve as large a portion of the community as possible. Catering to a specific race would be detrimental to their business model.
Second Life: Not (inherently) racist. Yes, you can play around with your identity, but what exactly do you do with it? It is a liberating process, and personally, in games, I tend to play as someone very different from who I physically am, but some friends base their characters on stereotypes (black gangsta, Asian kungfu master etc).
I see Second Life as a tool, but one that, if not used wisely, would in certain circumstances serve to further drive existing stereotypes. The anonymity frees one to act differently, but it also acts as a shield for those who choose to wallow in bigotry.
Whew.
Friday, September 5, 2008
"Menu Driven Identities" Workshop
Q1) Which categories are available for users to choose from when signing up for Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or in order to use the Second Life gameworld? What presumptions do these categories make about the users, and what does the absence of certain categories say?
The categories that are the most commonly used when signing up for these websites are gender, age and country (living in or origin). Perhaps, these are seen to be the most important aspects of our identity. On the internet, we need to be identified in some way in order to connect with people. Although the Second Life gameworld differs in that you can make up a name and be identified by an animated character. But, I think the basic categories used to identify users (i.e. gender and age) are presumptious in the sense that these facts are the only information that is given about us to the website. So, gender and age define who we are even in cyberspace. The absence of categories like race, sexuality, marital status suggests that perhaps these are not as definitive aspects to our identies.
Q2) What sort of 'identities' are visible in the profiles on LavaLife? How are they displayed? What presumptions does this display make about both the people reading these profiles and those users who made them?
The identities on lavalife also include age, gender, country. They do include some extra details like religious views and whether or not they are smokers Obviously, the profiles are displayed in a positive light as they are wanting to attract someone. A presumption that the displays make about the people reading them and those who made them are that religion is of particular importance in a relationship. I found this aspect interesting because obviously, conflicts of religion are a big concern when forming a relationship. This is perhaps more important that things like political views.
The categories that are the most commonly used when signing up for these websites are gender, age and country (living in or origin). Perhaps, these are seen to be the most important aspects of our identity. On the internet, we need to be identified in some way in order to connect with people. Although the Second Life gameworld differs in that you can make up a name and be identified by an animated character. But, I think the basic categories used to identify users (i.e. gender and age) are presumptious in the sense that these facts are the only information that is given about us to the website. So, gender and age define who we are even in cyberspace. The absence of categories like race, sexuality, marital status suggests that perhaps these are not as definitive aspects to our identies.
Q2) What sort of 'identities' are visible in the profiles on LavaLife? How are they displayed? What presumptions does this display make about both the people reading these profiles and those users who made them?
The identities on lavalife also include age, gender, country. They do include some extra details like religious views and whether or not they are smokers Obviously, the profiles are displayed in a positive light as they are wanting to attract someone. A presumption that the displays make about the people reading them and those who made them are that religion is of particular importance in a relationship. I found this aspect interesting because obviously, conflicts of religion are a big concern when forming a relationship. This is perhaps more important that things like political views.
Online Sexual Harassment: Does it even exist under WA law?
Alison Adam's chapter on Cyberstalking under this weeks readings raised an interesting point about how increased use of the internet has broadened the playing field where men can sexually harass women. There are many examples of women in the workforce who feel uncomfortable or upset about sexually harassing emails received by male collegues. I agree with Adam's assertion that the use of email within the workforce has provided men with yet another means of exploiting women in a suitably discreet manner so as not to attract litigation suits.
My question is why doesn't the West Australian Equal Oppotunity Act acknowledge the increasing presence of online sexual harassment? Under WA law, S 24 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 only provides avenues for sexual harassment claims within the context of employment, education or accommodation. There is no explicit mention of cyberspace or online harassment. This makes it extremely difficult for victims of online harassment to make any realistic legal claims. Further from this, in order to prove a case of sexual harassment, a victim must prove that they have suffered a 'reasonable disadvantage' as a result of the harassment. The law is extremely uncertain as to what constitutes a 'reasonable disadvantage'. Would shame, humiliation or simply feeling upset constitute disadvantage? By imposing a 'reasonableness based test' I feel the law is skimming over the clear gendered nature of online sexual harassment. The test should be whether the victim has suffered in the context of the victim most likely being a female.
Adam's states on p 215 '..the victims clearly felt unhappy about the level of protection that the law currently affords them...Only when we have a better understanding of why the behaviour occurs can we then begin to think about policy measures which may be effective'. My view is that the WA laws on sexual harassment will never be satisfactory unless there is explicit recognition of cyber online sexual harassment.
My question is why doesn't the West Australian Equal Oppotunity Act acknowledge the increasing presence of online sexual harassment? Under WA law, S 24 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 only provides avenues for sexual harassment claims within the context of employment, education or accommodation. There is no explicit mention of cyberspace or online harassment. This makes it extremely difficult for victims of online harassment to make any realistic legal claims. Further from this, in order to prove a case of sexual harassment, a victim must prove that they have suffered a 'reasonable disadvantage' as a result of the harassment. The law is extremely uncertain as to what constitutes a 'reasonable disadvantage'. Would shame, humiliation or simply feeling upset constitute disadvantage? By imposing a 'reasonableness based test' I feel the law is skimming over the clear gendered nature of online sexual harassment. The test should be whether the victim has suffered in the context of the victim most likely being a female.
Adam's states on p 215 '..the victims clearly felt unhappy about the level of protection that the law currently affords them...Only when we have a better understanding of why the behaviour occurs can we then begin to think about policy measures which may be effective'. My view is that the WA laws on sexual harassment will never be satisfactory unless there is explicit recognition of cyber online sexual harassment.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Workshop 4: Menu Driven Identities
Question 2
What sort of 'identities' are visible in the profiles on Lavalife? How are they displayed? What presumptions does this display make about both the people reading these profiles and those users who made them?
The identities on Lavalife of course are very stereotypical - since they are only set up for one reason, namely meeting people (for whatever purpose), they try to attract attention. They display themselves as accessible and sympathetic as possible within the realms given by the design of the website. Since all of the info is rather short and superficial the users probably did not spend much time setting it up and the people who read it can just browse the website like a catalogue...IMO Dating sites like this are just as superficial and fast-moving as our society in general.
Question 3
How much of the "identity" that we can see online for the users on Lavalife is restricted by the overall design of the website? What changes would you suggest in order to "improve" the sorts of identity Lavalife users can construct?
To be honest, I think that Lavalife is not exceptional in the way it is set up and I cannot really see an inherent problem of internet dating sites here in the question of the restriction of information that is given on the profiles due to the set up of the websites. I mean, if you take a look at the newspapers in the "lonely hearts ads" section you pretty much see the same thing: very basic information on the people looking for contacts. Height, weight, age, looks, hobbies, smoker/drinker, etc. Here, it is not the set up that restricts the info given, but probably the price for the ads as well as common conventions how such a thing should look. At least on Lavalife people can add more information on their profiles than people in newspapers can. To me sites like Lavalife are again just proof of the fact that we seem to adapt structures from real life into cyberspace. This of course does not make the information given on- or offline any better, it just shows that we're not seem to be able to break with our habits.
I think the site could be improved by giving people the opportunity to write about them whatever they want - without having to answer preset questions. Maybe like that people could really get to know each other instead of choosing their potential partner by skin-color or religion.
What sort of 'identities' are visible in the profiles on Lavalife? How are they displayed? What presumptions does this display make about both the people reading these profiles and those users who made them?
The identities on Lavalife of course are very stereotypical - since they are only set up for one reason, namely meeting people (for whatever purpose), they try to attract attention. They display themselves as accessible and sympathetic as possible within the realms given by the design of the website. Since all of the info is rather short and superficial the users probably did not spend much time setting it up and the people who read it can just browse the website like a catalogue...IMO Dating sites like this are just as superficial and fast-moving as our society in general.
Question 3
How much of the "identity" that we can see online for the users on Lavalife is restricted by the overall design of the website? What changes would you suggest in order to "improve" the sorts of identity Lavalife users can construct?
To be honest, I think that Lavalife is not exceptional in the way it is set up and I cannot really see an inherent problem of internet dating sites here in the question of the restriction of information that is given on the profiles due to the set up of the websites. I mean, if you take a look at the newspapers in the "lonely hearts ads" section you pretty much see the same thing: very basic information on the people looking for contacts. Height, weight, age, looks, hobbies, smoker/drinker, etc. Here, it is not the set up that restricts the info given, but probably the price for the ads as well as common conventions how such a thing should look. At least on Lavalife people can add more information on their profiles than people in newspapers can. To me sites like Lavalife are again just proof of the fact that we seem to adapt structures from real life into cyberspace. This of course does not make the information given on- or offline any better, it just shows that we're not seem to be able to break with our habits.
I think the site could be improved by giving people the opportunity to write about them whatever they want - without having to answer preset questions. Maybe like that people could really get to know each other instead of choosing their potential partner by skin-color or religion.
Workshop Response to Menu-Driven Identities
3. How much of the “identity” that we can see online for the users on Lavalife is restricted by the overall design of the website? etc...
Rather than having a drop down menu, perhaps users should be able to type answers – it appears some categories are specific to the person and others just chosen from a dropdown menu. I my searches I didn’t see any profile that listed multiple ethnic backgrounds and wondered if multiple options could be chosen? I did notice that some hadn’t answered the question of ethnic background, and it said “prefer not to say.” There are other dating websites available that do give you the ability to type things yourself, rather than choose from prescribed answers, but perhaps people choose lavalife for the reason that it is quicker and easier to set up a profile if the answers are already there.
4. Are any of the websites inherently racist?
The email sites don't ask about race so I will just discuss Second Life and Lavalife. I don't know that I would say that either site is inherently racist, though obviously comments about race can be made from going to both. In lavalife the fact that race is one of the 11 or so things you see in an initial search result does show that the creators of lavalife presume race is an important aspect of identity [but then it also presumes star sign is...], and also that race matters to people when they choose a partner. Whether it is presumed that people have a racial preference, or that people need to know others ethnic backgrounds as immediately as gender or age, this means that the site highlights how important race is in society, and perhaps perpetuates this notion. In second life for an initial avatar I was given 12 to choose from, half were female and half were male, with one male and one female obviously black, quite a few obviously white with some appearing racially ambiguous to me. I would be interested to know how people on Second life choose the race of their avatar and how it affects interactions with other avatars. Would people choose an avatar that conforms to the standards of beauty where they live? Or choose an avatar like themselves?
Rather than having a drop down menu, perhaps users should be able to type answers – it appears some categories are specific to the person and others just chosen from a dropdown menu. I my searches I didn’t see any profile that listed multiple ethnic backgrounds and wondered if multiple options could be chosen? I did notice that some hadn’t answered the question of ethnic background, and it said “prefer not to say.” There are other dating websites available that do give you the ability to type things yourself, rather than choose from prescribed answers, but perhaps people choose lavalife for the reason that it is quicker and easier to set up a profile if the answers are already there.
4. Are any of the websites inherently racist?
The email sites don't ask about race so I will just discuss Second Life and Lavalife. I don't know that I would say that either site is inherently racist, though obviously comments about race can be made from going to both. In lavalife the fact that race is one of the 11 or so things you see in an initial search result does show that the creators of lavalife presume race is an important aspect of identity [but then it also presumes star sign is...], and also that race matters to people when they choose a partner. Whether it is presumed that people have a racial preference, or that people need to know others ethnic backgrounds as immediately as gender or age, this means that the site highlights how important race is in society, and perhaps perpetuates this notion. In second life for an initial avatar I was given 12 to choose from, half were female and half were male, with one male and one female obviously black, quite a few obviously white with some appearing racially ambiguous to me. I would be interested to know how people on Second life choose the race of their avatar and how it affects interactions with other avatars. Would people choose an avatar that conforms to the standards of beauty where they live? Or choose an avatar like themselves?
Charles' Webliography
What are some of the ethical and practical issues around citizen journalism and blogging?
Introduction
Over the past few years, the phenomenon of blogging or creating weblogs has effectively been woven into the social fabric of our modern day society. The exponential growth of blogs in the virtual world is testament to the fact that there is now a substantial and ever-growing number of people utilizing the Internet as a form of expression of self. However, this growth of blogging also comes attached with a myriad of questions about identity, authorship and also certain ethical issues. In order to offer a better context for looking at those issues, I have used the blog of a London call girl, Belle de Jour, as a point of reference. Not only does the blog highlight some distinctive ethical issues, it also provides an important insight into the practicalities of blogging from a female perspective. Subsequently, the task was to find the research articles that would help me understand her blog better.
Writing from Experience: Presentation of Gender Identity on Weblogs
By Niels van Doorn, Liesbet van Zoonen & Sally Wyatt
Primarily, the article critically examines the presentation of gender identities on weblogs by discussing the various methods through which gender is expressed online; keeping a focus on the expression of self through the blogging of activities in everyday life. However, it also touches on the differences between how women and men present themselves online in their weblogs.
For example, the authors cited Miller and Mather by stating that “men’s pages were shorter, that there was more variety in length and self-reference on women’s pages, and that women made more reference to the reader and seemed to be showing more awareness of those who could be viewing their pages then men did” . Interestingly, an examination of Belle de Jour’s blog would indeed illustrate the above-stated practical differences in blogging style.
By comparing a small sample of Dutch and Flemish weblogs, the authors of the article have demonstrated the clear existence of practical differences in blogging between women and men. As such, the article has most certainly provided me with a better understanding of the practical issues of blogging and also a greater insight into the issue of identity in cyberspace.
Confessing our Sims: The Construction of Gender and Sexuality Among Women Ages 18 – 22 on MySpace
By November R. Papaleo
The article cited is actually a research thesis for a postgraduate degree. However, it does not discount the fact that it is a thoroughly researched and highly informative article. The research is centred around the construction of gender and identity by women on the social network site, MySpace; specifically looking at women between the ages of 18 and 22.
At first glance, the article seemingly has no reference to blogging but on closer analysis, the similarities of blogging on a weblog and blogging on MySpace become irrefutable. What is most interesting, however, is that by the end of the article, the author has arrived at the conclusion that sites such as MySpace, and probably other blogging sites, do not function “as a forum for women to challenge conventional gender roles” but instead, “gives women an opportunity to perform femininity” .
This contrasting point of view argues that the act of blogging or managing social network sites such as MySpace or Facebook serves to reinforce traditional values of femininity and this contrasts distinctively with the notion that blogs serve to break down feminine norms by offering a greater degree of freedom of expression.
Why We Blog
By Bonnie A. Nardi, Diane J. Schiano, Michelle Gumbrecht & Luke Swartz
The article provides the necessary information pertaining to the fundamental reasons behind, as the title suggests, why we blog. In order to tackle the practical and ethical issues of citizen journalism and blogging, it is apparent that we must first gain a basic understanding of the reasons and motivations behind blogging.
Perhaps the most interesting point is the use of blogs as a form of catharsis. As stated, many “viewed blogging as an outlet for thoughts and feelings” . Arguably, this point provides us with the basic premise behind the expression of gender and identity in weblogs. If anything, the article certainly provides the general background information that would then allow us to focus on specific aspects of blogging.
Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics
By Martin Kuhn
Evidently, the article provides a detailed analysis of the ethics behind blogging. It critically discusses the ethical issues brought about by blogging and subsequently offers an ethical guide for bloggers to follow.
Of particular interest is the proposed clause of “Be as Transparent as Possible” . Under this clause, it specifically states that he blogger should reveal his/her identity as much as possible. This should be done through the usage of names, photos, backgrounds and personal information. However, while this may sound ideal on paper, what exactly is the practicality of such a proposed practice? Issues of anonymity clearly conflict with any of such supposed ethical issues. More importantly, would such a practice help express gender and identity more easily or would it, in fact, hinder the freedom of expression?
The Identity of Bloggers: Openness and Gender in Personal Weblogs
By S.Nowson and J.Oberlander
The article functions primarily to provide a quantitative analysis of gender in blogging. It offers detailed samples of detecting gender in weblogs and also explains clearly the rationale behind their analysis.
After examining the article, it is striking to discover that it is not hard to distinguish between female and male bloggers based purely upon the use of language. While such a result is not unexpected, it is the ease of distinction that makes it rather amazing. Such an article definitely provides a better insight on identifying gender in weblogs.
Conclusion
Through the course of research and the usage of the references cited, one would be able to first understand the background of blogging and the reasons of partaking in the activity. Subsequently, one would then be able to deal with specific issues regarding gender, identity, ethics and practicality. For one thing, I have indeed gained a deeper and better understanding of the subject.
Undoubtedly, the blogging phenomenon would continue to persevere and thrive. What then becomes imperative is to better understand the intricacies involved and thus, ensure that this extension of our lifeworld is properly utilized and never abused.
Bibliography
Kuhn, Martin. “Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics”, Journalism of Mass Media Ethics, Vol 22, Issue 01 (April 2007).
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a787960686~db=all (accessed 03/09/2008).
Nardi, Bonnie A, Schiano, Diane J, Gumbrecht, Michelle & Swartz, Luke. “Why We Blog”, Communications of the ACM, Vol 47, Issue 12 (December 2004).
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1035134.1035163 (accessed 03/09/2008).
Nowson, S & Oberlander, J. “The Identity of Bloggers: Openness and Gender in Personal Weblogs”, University of Edinburgh (2006).
http://www.ics.mq.edu.au/~snowson/papers/SS0603NowsonS.pdf (accessed 03/09/2008).
Papaleo, November R. “Confessing our Sims: the Construction of Gender and Sexuality Among Women Ages 18-22 on MySpace”, Oregon State University Scholars Archive (2008).
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/dspace/handle/1957/9153 (accessed 03/09/2008).
van Doorn, Niels, van Zoonen, Liesbet & Wyatt, Sally. “Writing from Experience: Presentation of Gender Identity on Weblogs”, European Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol 14, Issue 143 (2007).
http://ejw.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/143 (accessed 03/09/2008).
Introduction
Over the past few years, the phenomenon of blogging or creating weblogs has effectively been woven into the social fabric of our modern day society. The exponential growth of blogs in the virtual world is testament to the fact that there is now a substantial and ever-growing number of people utilizing the Internet as a form of expression of self. However, this growth of blogging also comes attached with a myriad of questions about identity, authorship and also certain ethical issues. In order to offer a better context for looking at those issues, I have used the blog of a London call girl, Belle de Jour, as a point of reference. Not only does the blog highlight some distinctive ethical issues, it also provides an important insight into the practicalities of blogging from a female perspective. Subsequently, the task was to find the research articles that would help me understand her blog better.
Writing from Experience: Presentation of Gender Identity on Weblogs
By Niels van Doorn, Liesbet van Zoonen & Sally Wyatt
Primarily, the article critically examines the presentation of gender identities on weblogs by discussing the various methods through which gender is expressed online; keeping a focus on the expression of self through the blogging of activities in everyday life. However, it also touches on the differences between how women and men present themselves online in their weblogs.
For example, the authors cited Miller and Mather by stating that “men’s pages were shorter, that there was more variety in length and self-reference on women’s pages, and that women made more reference to the reader and seemed to be showing more awareness of those who could be viewing their pages then men did” . Interestingly, an examination of Belle de Jour’s blog would indeed illustrate the above-stated practical differences in blogging style.
By comparing a small sample of Dutch and Flemish weblogs, the authors of the article have demonstrated the clear existence of practical differences in blogging between women and men. As such, the article has most certainly provided me with a better understanding of the practical issues of blogging and also a greater insight into the issue of identity in cyberspace.
Confessing our Sims: The Construction of Gender and Sexuality Among Women Ages 18 – 22 on MySpace
By November R. Papaleo
The article cited is actually a research thesis for a postgraduate degree. However, it does not discount the fact that it is a thoroughly researched and highly informative article. The research is centred around the construction of gender and identity by women on the social network site, MySpace; specifically looking at women between the ages of 18 and 22.
At first glance, the article seemingly has no reference to blogging but on closer analysis, the similarities of blogging on a weblog and blogging on MySpace become irrefutable. What is most interesting, however, is that by the end of the article, the author has arrived at the conclusion that sites such as MySpace, and probably other blogging sites, do not function “as a forum for women to challenge conventional gender roles” but instead, “gives women an opportunity to perform femininity” .
This contrasting point of view argues that the act of blogging or managing social network sites such as MySpace or Facebook serves to reinforce traditional values of femininity and this contrasts distinctively with the notion that blogs serve to break down feminine norms by offering a greater degree of freedom of expression.
Why We Blog
By Bonnie A. Nardi, Diane J. Schiano, Michelle Gumbrecht & Luke Swartz
The article provides the necessary information pertaining to the fundamental reasons behind, as the title suggests, why we blog. In order to tackle the practical and ethical issues of citizen journalism and blogging, it is apparent that we must first gain a basic understanding of the reasons and motivations behind blogging.
Perhaps the most interesting point is the use of blogs as a form of catharsis. As stated, many “viewed blogging as an outlet for thoughts and feelings” . Arguably, this point provides us with the basic premise behind the expression of gender and identity in weblogs. If anything, the article certainly provides the general background information that would then allow us to focus on specific aspects of blogging.
Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics
By Martin Kuhn
Evidently, the article provides a detailed analysis of the ethics behind blogging. It critically discusses the ethical issues brought about by blogging and subsequently offers an ethical guide for bloggers to follow.
Of particular interest is the proposed clause of “Be as Transparent as Possible” . Under this clause, it specifically states that he blogger should reveal his/her identity as much as possible. This should be done through the usage of names, photos, backgrounds and personal information. However, while this may sound ideal on paper, what exactly is the practicality of such a proposed practice? Issues of anonymity clearly conflict with any of such supposed ethical issues. More importantly, would such a practice help express gender and identity more easily or would it, in fact, hinder the freedom of expression?
The Identity of Bloggers: Openness and Gender in Personal Weblogs
By S.Nowson and J.Oberlander
The article functions primarily to provide a quantitative analysis of gender in blogging. It offers detailed samples of detecting gender in weblogs and also explains clearly the rationale behind their analysis.
After examining the article, it is striking to discover that it is not hard to distinguish between female and male bloggers based purely upon the use of language. While such a result is not unexpected, it is the ease of distinction that makes it rather amazing. Such an article definitely provides a better insight on identifying gender in weblogs.
Conclusion
Through the course of research and the usage of the references cited, one would be able to first understand the background of blogging and the reasons of partaking in the activity. Subsequently, one would then be able to deal with specific issues regarding gender, identity, ethics and practicality. For one thing, I have indeed gained a deeper and better understanding of the subject.
Undoubtedly, the blogging phenomenon would continue to persevere and thrive. What then becomes imperative is to better understand the intricacies involved and thus, ensure that this extension of our lifeworld is properly utilized and never abused.
Bibliography
Kuhn, Martin. “Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics”, Journalism of Mass Media Ethics, Vol 22, Issue 01 (April 2007).
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a787960686~db=all (accessed 03/09/2008).
Nardi, Bonnie A, Schiano, Diane J, Gumbrecht, Michelle & Swartz, Luke. “Why We Blog”, Communications of the ACM, Vol 47, Issue 12 (December 2004).
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1035134.1035163 (accessed 03/09/2008).
Nowson, S & Oberlander, J. “The Identity of Bloggers: Openness and Gender in Personal Weblogs”, University of Edinburgh (2006).
http://www.ics.mq.edu.au/~snowson/papers/SS0603NowsonS.pdf (accessed 03/09/2008).
Papaleo, November R. “Confessing our Sims: the Construction of Gender and Sexuality Among Women Ages 18-22 on MySpace”, Oregon State University Scholars Archive (2008).
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/dspace/handle/1957/9153 (accessed 03/09/2008).
van Doorn, Niels, van Zoonen, Liesbet & Wyatt, Sally. “Writing from Experience: Presentation of Gender Identity on Weblogs”, European Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol 14, Issue 143 (2007).
http://ejw.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/143 (accessed 03/09/2008).
this weeks readings
So.... Deborah Lupton' article 'The Embodied Computer/User' really encapsulates the relationship we tend to create with our PC's. I certainly agree with her that, while i don't really like to admit it, the PC is used by regular folk like you and me as a means to not only connect with Cyberworld but to escape the real body ('the meat') and enter the place where we're whoever we want to be, real or not. One thing she pointed out was that she can type much faster than she can write with a pen and in fact thereis 'almost a seamless transition of thought to word on the screen'. WOW. And its true, but what about our handwriting? It is just going to get worse and worse. We're going to rely too heavily on spell check, etc... Is it a worry to anyone else? Also, how about the anxiety that surrounds the thought of just losing it all to a blackout? ahhhhh, its terrifying!
Another question i wanted to raise about that article and other discourse on the issue of cyber criminals, or hackers etc, was can we really avoid it? There is plenty of fraud, crime, scams in the real world too.... is there a difference?
When considering Krissi M. Iimroglou's article 'A Camera With a View' in terms of the idea of the JenniCAM being a perfect heterosexual male fantasy - a voyeuristic window into a woman's bedroom' i question why the statement includes only the males? Could it not be perfect for women's fantasy's too? I think it is certainly an open window into the life of a regular person (why anyone would want that exposure is another question all together). Does it say more about the people who check this website for any action? Are these the same people who cannot help watching Big Brother every night?
I liken JenniCAM as CYBORG....as if unable to exist without the eye (or thousands of eyes) of the computer watching her.
that's all....
anyone wanna discuss?
Serena.
Another question i wanted to raise about that article and other discourse on the issue of cyber criminals, or hackers etc, was can we really avoid it? There is plenty of fraud, crime, scams in the real world too.... is there a difference?
When considering Krissi M. Iimroglou's article 'A Camera With a View' in terms of the idea of the JenniCAM being a perfect heterosexual male fantasy - a voyeuristic window into a woman's bedroom' i question why the statement includes only the males? Could it not be perfect for women's fantasy's too? I think it is certainly an open window into the life of a regular person (why anyone would want that exposure is another question all together). Does it say more about the people who check this website for any action? Are these the same people who cannot help watching Big Brother every night?
I liken JenniCAM as CYBORG....as if unable to exist without the eye (or thousands of eyes) of the computer watching her.
that's all....
anyone wanna discuss?
Serena.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Serena's Webliography
“From Frankenstein to the Visible Human Project, the body is continually reinterpreted as a limit to what it means to be human.” Discuss critically.
Critical Annotated Webliography
1 - Dr. Frankenstein and the Industrial Body: Reflections on ‘Spare Part’ Surgery. By Cecil Helman.
This article found in the ‘Anthropology Today’ journal was written in 1988 and addresses the culture of science and the developmental process of becoming the ‘modern industrial body’. Helman discusses the impact that Frankenstein has had on popular culture and science fiction as well as their influential ideas which impacted/directed medical science over the years, stating that the body has been reconceptualised as a ‘machine’. Helman believes that Spare Part Surgery is becoming an increasing trend and expresses concern that the body “is now a collection of parts or pieces, for which spares are readily available” and goes on to configure contemporary attitudes towards the body and the challenges they put up for the natural creation of human beings.
This article is relevant to the guiding essay question as it is directly concerned with the ‘body’ and its reinterpretation.
2 – Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning. By Robert Wachbroit.
This report was written for the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy and addresses some of the issues that arise when discussing human cloning. Wachbroit draws on several medicos and academics throughout his article in attempt to outline specific problems with the cloning process and argues that human cloning is less advanced than human genetic engineering. However, having considered medical needs Wachbroit is still concerned with the ethical issues that cloning encounters. Namely, the undermining of the family structure and unclear lineages but also the emotional difficulties a cloned child might grapple with on a daily basis for example: individuality, dignity, self-worth and so on.
Although this report/article is focussed on ethical, social and legal discussion it is certainly relevant to the guiding question as a descriptive example of the limit of what it means to be human.
3 – Culture Change. By Prof. Jane Goodall.
This transcript found on the ABC Radio National website is a lecture given by a fascinating crime novelist come, university lecturer come, philosopher who is grappling with the rapid change in culture in regards to technologies. Goodall has noticed a dominant focus on ‘imagined technologies’ in regards to science and science fiction and their relationship. When discussing who human beings are Goodall presents some important dualities: culture and technology, Homo Economicus and Bio-Humanity, and planet finance and planet earth. She states that although the rapid pace of technology thrusts us forward, there is almost certainly an element of holding back for many who find a residual affinity with nature.
This work is relevant to the guiding question as it supports the idea that while technology is seemingly continued advancement for the human race, some people prefer to slow the pace down and limit what it means to be human. Of course, this website is an endless resource that is updated daily with the latest ideas and theories. The site is well formatted and contains numerous links to other academic resources.
4 – Natural Born Cyborgs. By Andy Clark.
In his article titled ‘Natural Born Cyborgs’ Andy Clark uses colourful descriptive language to discuss his belief that we are all cyborgs. Clark writes about the brain, technology, and ‘smart worlds’. In a smart world he says, we are “human technology symbionts: thinking and reasoning systems whose minds and selves are spread across biological brain and non-biological circuitry”. He grapples with the idea that the brain is simply the mediator in a complex world of technology, yet we are creating those complexities by inventing and reinventing computer systems that are smarter than humans. Human progression is rapid.
This article is fascinating in that its dealing more with the internal body, how our minds work, and what creates a fast/clever brain. He desires understanding of reasoning yet accepts it will never eventuate.
5 – What does it mean to be human? By Teresa Iglesias.
In her article Teresa Iglesias questions just what it is to be human. Her argument maintains that to be a human being you must be a human person and vice versa. While Iglesias acknowledges other arguments that differ from her own as a result of philosophical science for example, a human may not be a human until it is born, she draws the readers attention to three fundamental aspects of what a human being is. Firstly: the human being is bodily, organic and physical, secondly: the human being is a living whole, an individual, and thirdly: the human being is has a temporal continuity and history.
This article is relevant to the guiding essay question as it deals with the notion of ‘what is human’? To use Iglesias’ argument in an essay that is focussed on unpacking the human body and the extent to which it is being reinterpreted, would be to bring the argument to a state of organic, simple, and untouched.
Webliography
Cecil Helman, ‘Dr. Frankenstein and the Industrial Body: Reflections on ‘Spare Part’ Surgery (June 1988), http://www.jstor.org/stable/3032641 (accessed 24/08/08).
Edge, The Third Culture, Andy Clark: “Natural Born Cyborgs?” (August 2008), http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/clark/clark_index.html (accessed 27/08/08).
Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, Robert Wachbroit: Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning (2008), http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/cloning.htm
Radio National transcript, Prof. Jane Goodall, “Culture Change” (17th August 2008), http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/stories/2008/2335298.htm (accessed 27/08/08).
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, Teresa Iglesias: “What Does it Mean to be Human?”(January 2004), http://www.cbhd.org/resources/bioethics/iglesias_2004-01-06.htm (accessed 27/08/08).
Critical Annotated Webliography
1 - Dr. Frankenstein and the Industrial Body: Reflections on ‘Spare Part’ Surgery. By Cecil Helman.
This article found in the ‘Anthropology Today’ journal was written in 1988 and addresses the culture of science and the developmental process of becoming the ‘modern industrial body’. Helman discusses the impact that Frankenstein has had on popular culture and science fiction as well as their influential ideas which impacted/directed medical science over the years, stating that the body has been reconceptualised as a ‘machine’. Helman believes that Spare Part Surgery is becoming an increasing trend and expresses concern that the body “is now a collection of parts or pieces, for which spares are readily available” and goes on to configure contemporary attitudes towards the body and the challenges they put up for the natural creation of human beings.
This article is relevant to the guiding essay question as it is directly concerned with the ‘body’ and its reinterpretation.
2 – Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning. By Robert Wachbroit.
This report was written for the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy and addresses some of the issues that arise when discussing human cloning. Wachbroit draws on several medicos and academics throughout his article in attempt to outline specific problems with the cloning process and argues that human cloning is less advanced than human genetic engineering. However, having considered medical needs Wachbroit is still concerned with the ethical issues that cloning encounters. Namely, the undermining of the family structure and unclear lineages but also the emotional difficulties a cloned child might grapple with on a daily basis for example: individuality, dignity, self-worth and so on.
Although this report/article is focussed on ethical, social and legal discussion it is certainly relevant to the guiding question as a descriptive example of the limit of what it means to be human.
3 – Culture Change. By Prof. Jane Goodall.
This transcript found on the ABC Radio National website is a lecture given by a fascinating crime novelist come, university lecturer come, philosopher who is grappling with the rapid change in culture in regards to technologies. Goodall has noticed a dominant focus on ‘imagined technologies’ in regards to science and science fiction and their relationship. When discussing who human beings are Goodall presents some important dualities: culture and technology, Homo Economicus and Bio-Humanity, and planet finance and planet earth. She states that although the rapid pace of technology thrusts us forward, there is almost certainly an element of holding back for many who find a residual affinity with nature.
This work is relevant to the guiding question as it supports the idea that while technology is seemingly continued advancement for the human race, some people prefer to slow the pace down and limit what it means to be human. Of course, this website is an endless resource that is updated daily with the latest ideas and theories. The site is well formatted and contains numerous links to other academic resources.
4 – Natural Born Cyborgs. By Andy Clark.
In his article titled ‘Natural Born Cyborgs’ Andy Clark uses colourful descriptive language to discuss his belief that we are all cyborgs. Clark writes about the brain, technology, and ‘smart worlds’. In a smart world he says, we are “human technology symbionts: thinking and reasoning systems whose minds and selves are spread across biological brain and non-biological circuitry”. He grapples with the idea that the brain is simply the mediator in a complex world of technology, yet we are creating those complexities by inventing and reinventing computer systems that are smarter than humans. Human progression is rapid.
This article is fascinating in that its dealing more with the internal body, how our minds work, and what creates a fast/clever brain. He desires understanding of reasoning yet accepts it will never eventuate.
5 – What does it mean to be human? By Teresa Iglesias.
In her article Teresa Iglesias questions just what it is to be human. Her argument maintains that to be a human being you must be a human person and vice versa. While Iglesias acknowledges other arguments that differ from her own as a result of philosophical science for example, a human may not be a human until it is born, she draws the readers attention to three fundamental aspects of what a human being is. Firstly: the human being is bodily, organic and physical, secondly: the human being is a living whole, an individual, and thirdly: the human being is has a temporal continuity and history.
This article is relevant to the guiding essay question as it deals with the notion of ‘what is human’? To use Iglesias’ argument in an essay that is focussed on unpacking the human body and the extent to which it is being reinterpreted, would be to bring the argument to a state of organic, simple, and untouched.
Webliography
Cecil Helman, ‘Dr. Frankenstein and the Industrial Body: Reflections on ‘Spare Part’ Surgery (June 1988), http://www.jstor.org/stable/3032641 (accessed 24/08/08).
Edge, The Third Culture, Andy Clark: “Natural Born Cyborgs?” (August 2008), http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/clark/clark_index.html (accessed 27/08/08).
Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, Robert Wachbroit: Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning (2008), http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/cloning.htm
Radio National transcript, Prof. Jane Goodall, “Culture Change” (17th August 2008), http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/stories/2008/2335298.htm (accessed 27/08/08).
The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, Teresa Iglesias: “What Does it Mean to be Human?”(January 2004), http://www.cbhd.org/resources/bioethics/iglesias_2004-01-06.htm (accessed 27/08/08).
Introduction
Hi everyone,
Please excuse my late blogg introducing myself. My name is Rohini Thomas. I have been out of uni for the last 2 weeks but am slowly catching up and really enjoying this new innovative unit!
Rohini :)
Please excuse my late blogg introducing myself. My name is Rohini Thomas. I have been out of uni for the last 2 weeks but am slowly catching up and really enjoying this new innovative unit!
Rohini :)
WEBLIOGRAPHY
Q: Judy Waczman argues that Donna Haraway’s figure of the cyborg has taken on ‘a life of its own’ in popular culture, science fiction and academic writing. In what ways has it been taken up by feminists?
1. ‘Decoding Perversity: Queering Cyberspace’ Parallel Gallery and Journal, Steffensen.J [ONLINE] at http://www.va.com.au/parallel/x1/journal/jyanni_steffensen/robot.html
This resource considers how the female cyborg has been depicted in a range of recent pop culture. The article focuses on the question of what place the female body occupy in cyberspace? In answering this question, the article considers work by Zoe Sophia in Zoe Sophia, Virtual corporeality: a feminist view, Australian Feminist Studies, vol. 15, 1992, pp 11-23. In particular, Sophia states that in science fiction films and computer games, the female cyborg is always, if not often, created as an ideal specimen for a male audience. The female cyborg is represented as an object of sexual lust as opposed to subjects of intelligence or knowledge. It is in this sense that the article suggests that feminists would perceive cyborgs in pop culture to be asserting traditional gender roles as opposed to breaking free from them as Harraway suggests. The article considers how pop culture represents female cyborgs as emotionless. The female cyborg lacks the stereotypical emotions commonly linked with females. Instead, they are ruthless and senseless. By considering this representation of cyborgs, it is arguable that the female cyborg transcends the stereotypical gender view that women are overemotional and that their compassion impedes them from gaining power. This article is useful in considering feminist views in relation to the way the female cyborg has been portrayed in pop culture. It does not address how feminists would perceive Donna Harraway’s concept of the cyborg, a concept which is distinct from how cyborgs are represented in pop culture.
2. ‘ Somatechnics or Monstrosity Unbound’ SCAN Journal of media arts culture, Sullivan.N [ONLINE] at http://scan.net.au/scan/journal/display.php?journal_id=83
This resource specifically focuses on Harraway’s idea that technology ( cyborgs) allow humans to break out of the many dichotomies of difference that exist in society. The article starts by firstly considering the philosophical idea of the world existing in dualism. Sullivan considers the work of Simone De Beauvoir in Beauvoir, S. (1975) The Second Sex, Harmondsworth: Penguin. In particular , the article considers her assertion that the very biology of the female and the female role in reproduction is what is central to the subordinate status attained by women in society. Sullivan considers the view that in order to overcome inequality, there is a need to overcome the natural reproductive role that women hold. The article considers the use of Assisted Reproductive technology and questions whether the introduction of such technology has advanced women beyond their biological reproductive role. This resource is particularly good because it also considers the anti-technology feminist views of Gena Corea, Renae Klein, Maria Mies, Janice Raymond who are all associated with the Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering. The basic argument from the anti-technology feminists is that women who succumb to assisted reproductive technology are not challenging gender roles but instead are going to extremes to try to endorse the female role in reproduction.
3. ‘Futuristic Freak Show has lost its asexual appeal’ The Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 2005, Hopkins.S, accessed [ONLINE] at http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/futuristic-freak-show-has-lost-its-asexual-appeal/2005/07/20/1121539032467.html
This article is particularly good as it considers Harraway’s concept of the cyborg and refers to it directly. Hopkins considers varying feminist views towards Harraway’s assertion that we are all cyborgs. She suggests that the major concerns feminists have with the increased use of technology is based on the questions of How technology is designed and how it is distributed, or who gets to use it. The answer to these questions reveals inequality between sexes as technology is predominantly controlled by men. In her article she states that the “culture of cyberspace is line the men’s change room at a football match- not the most female friendly environment”. Hopkins considers how this view sits with the increase in computer literate women and recent movements of cyberfeminism: A school of feminism which views technology as a liberating rather than oppressive thing.
4. Kirkup.G, Woodward.K, Janes.L ‘ The Gendered Cyborg’ Routledge 2000 accessed [ONLINE] at http://books.google.com.au/books?id=7FaUVl6H4SYC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=Cyborgs+and+Feminism&source=web&ots=3Q3dUiNp6v&sig=ki-s_4wlPPKMhXNXG3aHIt_QEYs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPR6,M1
This is an online reader which contains work from many different authors and is split into several different chapters. I focussed on Chapter 1, Representing Gender through technoscience. It contains a good summary of Donna Harraway’s work and her assertion that with the increase of machines/technology, humanness decreases allowing for the gap of human difference to be closed. This is the view that cyborgs disrupt notions of otherness. On pages 5- 8 of part one, Kirkup considers the characters of female cyborgs in recent pop culture, philosophy and games. In particular, the character of Rachel in the film Blade Runner is used as an example of a cyborg character who contradicts the myth of a natural female identity. Gonzalez J, on page 8 suggests that the way in which cyborgs are represented in pop culture is a re-enforcement of gender stereotypes. The article considers the 1990’s comic cyborg, “Kiddy” and includes pictures of this a character to illustrate how female cyborgs have a soft sexual female outer body with a contrasting powerful machine under it. Gonzalez suggests that the female cyborg is a sexual slave.
5. ‘Public Policies and Reproductive Technology: A Feminist Critique’ McCormack.M, University of Toronto Press, Canadian Public Policy , 1988 Vol 14 (4) accessed [ONLINE] at http://ideas.repec.org/a/cpp/issued/v14y1988i4p361-375.html
This article is a formal critique of the increased use of assisted reproductive technology. It considers the risks associated with ART and emphasises the idea that technology does not liberate women and instead encourages women to take risks. The article uses examples of many recent cases where assisted reproductive technology has had complications and resulted in severe health risks for women. The article suggests that women should not rely on technology because it has uncertain qualities and is essentially created and driven by human beings. While many argue that technology has liberated women in the domestic housework domain with the increase of dishwashers and washing machines, it is not necessarily the case that assisted reproductive technology will have the same effect. The article considers the view that the assisted reproductive technology distorts society’s view and values of family. It allows women to exploit their biological reproductive functions. An example of this is evidenced in the increasing rate of abortions. The article suggests that instead of liberating women, technology has created too much choice and as a result has distorted core social values.
Q: Judy Waczman argues that Donna Haraway’s figure of the cyborg has taken on ‘a life of its own’ in popular culture, science fiction and academic writing. In what ways has it been taken up by feminists?
1. ‘Decoding Perversity: Queering Cyberspace’ Parallel Gallery and Journal, Steffensen.J [ONLINE] at http://www.va.com.au/parallel/x1/journal/jyanni_steffensen/robot.html
This resource considers how the female cyborg has been depicted in a range of recent pop culture. The article focuses on the question of what place the female body occupy in cyberspace? In answering this question, the article considers work by Zoe Sophia in Zoe Sophia, Virtual corporeality: a feminist view, Australian Feminist Studies, vol. 15, 1992, pp 11-23. In particular, Sophia states that in science fiction films and computer games, the female cyborg is always, if not often, created as an ideal specimen for a male audience. The female cyborg is represented as an object of sexual lust as opposed to subjects of intelligence or knowledge. It is in this sense that the article suggests that feminists would perceive cyborgs in pop culture to be asserting traditional gender roles as opposed to breaking free from them as Harraway suggests. The article considers how pop culture represents female cyborgs as emotionless. The female cyborg lacks the stereotypical emotions commonly linked with females. Instead, they are ruthless and senseless. By considering this representation of cyborgs, it is arguable that the female cyborg transcends the stereotypical gender view that women are overemotional and that their compassion impedes them from gaining power. This article is useful in considering feminist views in relation to the way the female cyborg has been portrayed in pop culture. It does not address how feminists would perceive Donna Harraway’s concept of the cyborg, a concept which is distinct from how cyborgs are represented in pop culture.
2. ‘ Somatechnics or Monstrosity Unbound’ SCAN Journal of media arts culture, Sullivan.N [ONLINE] at http://scan.net.au/scan/journal/display.php?journal_id=83
This resource specifically focuses on Harraway’s idea that technology ( cyborgs) allow humans to break out of the many dichotomies of difference that exist in society. The article starts by firstly considering the philosophical idea of the world existing in dualism. Sullivan considers the work of Simone De Beauvoir in Beauvoir, S. (1975) The Second Sex, Harmondsworth: Penguin. In particular , the article considers her assertion that the very biology of the female and the female role in reproduction is what is central to the subordinate status attained by women in society. Sullivan considers the view that in order to overcome inequality, there is a need to overcome the natural reproductive role that women hold. The article considers the use of Assisted Reproductive technology and questions whether the introduction of such technology has advanced women beyond their biological reproductive role. This resource is particularly good because it also considers the anti-technology feminist views of Gena Corea, Renae Klein, Maria Mies, Janice Raymond who are all associated with the Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering. The basic argument from the anti-technology feminists is that women who succumb to assisted reproductive technology are not challenging gender roles but instead are going to extremes to try to endorse the female role in reproduction.
3. ‘Futuristic Freak Show has lost its asexual appeal’ The Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 2005, Hopkins.S, accessed [ONLINE] at http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/futuristic-freak-show-has-lost-its-asexual-appeal/2005/07/20/1121539032467.html
This article is particularly good as it considers Harraway’s concept of the cyborg and refers to it directly. Hopkins considers varying feminist views towards Harraway’s assertion that we are all cyborgs. She suggests that the major concerns feminists have with the increased use of technology is based on the questions of How technology is designed and how it is distributed, or who gets to use it. The answer to these questions reveals inequality between sexes as technology is predominantly controlled by men. In her article she states that the “culture of cyberspace is line the men’s change room at a football match- not the most female friendly environment”. Hopkins considers how this view sits with the increase in computer literate women and recent movements of cyberfeminism: A school of feminism which views technology as a liberating rather than oppressive thing.
4. Kirkup.G, Woodward.K, Janes.L ‘ The Gendered Cyborg’ Routledge 2000 accessed [ONLINE] at http://books.google.com.au/books?id=7FaUVl6H4SYC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=Cyborgs+and+Feminism&source=web&ots=3Q3dUiNp6v&sig=ki-s_4wlPPKMhXNXG3aHIt_QEYs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPR6,M1
This is an online reader which contains work from many different authors and is split into several different chapters. I focussed on Chapter 1, Representing Gender through technoscience. It contains a good summary of Donna Harraway’s work and her assertion that with the increase of machines/technology, humanness decreases allowing for the gap of human difference to be closed. This is the view that cyborgs disrupt notions of otherness. On pages 5- 8 of part one, Kirkup considers the characters of female cyborgs in recent pop culture, philosophy and games. In particular, the character of Rachel in the film Blade Runner is used as an example of a cyborg character who contradicts the myth of a natural female identity. Gonzalez J, on page 8 suggests that the way in which cyborgs are represented in pop culture is a re-enforcement of gender stereotypes. The article considers the 1990’s comic cyborg, “Kiddy” and includes pictures of this a character to illustrate how female cyborgs have a soft sexual female outer body with a contrasting powerful machine under it. Gonzalez suggests that the female cyborg is a sexual slave.
5. ‘Public Policies and Reproductive Technology: A Feminist Critique’ McCormack.M, University of Toronto Press, Canadian Public Policy , 1988 Vol 14 (4) accessed [ONLINE] at http://ideas.repec.org/a/cpp/issued/v14y1988i4p361-375.html
This article is a formal critique of the increased use of assisted reproductive technology. It considers the risks associated with ART and emphasises the idea that technology does not liberate women and instead encourages women to take risks. The article uses examples of many recent cases where assisted reproductive technology has had complications and resulted in severe health risks for women. The article suggests that women should not rely on technology because it has uncertain qualities and is essentially created and driven by human beings. While many argue that technology has liberated women in the domestic housework domain with the increase of dishwashers and washing machines, it is not necessarily the case that assisted reproductive technology will have the same effect. The article considers the view that the assisted reproductive technology distorts society’s view and values of family. It allows women to exploit their biological reproductive functions. An example of this is evidenced in the increasing rate of abortions. The article suggests that instead of liberating women, technology has created too much choice and as a result has distorted core social values.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Presentation on “Cyberstalking: Gender and computer ethics” (by Alison Adam, in Virtual Gender, pp. 209-224)
I just thought I'd re-post this so that people will find it for this week's discussion. ;-) Hope, that's alright.
This text by Alison Adam introduces the newly-emerged phenomenon of online harassment and cyberstalking. Without wanting to give too much of a summary here I just want to point out the fact that, to me, the way the topic was addressed here was unique and very interesting – probably because I never saw it in connection to feminist ethics before. The whole idea of the fact that there are “major inequalities running throughout the whole of computing” really triggered some kind of re-thinking in my attitude towards the whole subject. Now, I should point out that I am a woman who is very much involved with computers and especially with what you would probably call cyberspace and the ‘online world’. So in that sense, to me the question of gender or a gendered surrounding never really came up since I never saw myself in an unequal position or found myself in a male-dominated community online (or at least I never noticed it in a negative way). I guess this is what made Alison’s text and insights so interesting to me.
Sexual harassment and stalking have always been gendered issues in the ‘real world’, with generally a lot more women being victimized and more men being the perpetrators. So it comes as no surprise that these phenomena, when taken to a ‘virtual’ basis (which in the end is really not so virtual anymore), show the same characteristics. I found it quite interesting that the presented case study about a man being a victim seemed to actually prove that to him it was more a question of winning a fight against the Internet Service Provider than anything else, whereas the stalked women had to fear about their (sexual) integrity and were very much put in an inferior position. While researching the topic online I came across a very interesting website[1], especially designed for helping victims of online harassment and cyberstalking. I especially want to point out the statistics about cases and victims, because they show and confirm very well that this phenomenon is clearly a gendered one.
I would now like to raise some central points of this text for discussion in the following, mainly ideas or concepts that I felt were worth thinking about more thoroughly. Firstly, there is the idea about liberal traditions as introduced by Adam: liberals usually vouch for a clear separation between the private and the public sphere and since the womens’ role has traditionally been more located in the private sphere, intervention or even simple recognition of a violation of the womens’ rights has naturally been a difficult matter. I would like to pose the question whether you think that this is the core of the matter? Since Adam claims that we need to know the reasons for women becoming victims and men perpetrators, could we maybe deduct that it is simply just too easy for men to violate womens’ rights without having to fear any consequences? Is this fact even made worse by the anonymity of cyberspace? Alison concludes that feminist ethics could be helpful to find a solution for that problem. Do you agree, and if yes in what way exactly?
[1] Htichcock, Jane (1996-2008). 'WHOA. Working to Halt Online Abuse'. http://www.haltabuse.org/resources/stats/index.shtml (accessed 25 August 2008)
This text by Alison Adam introduces the newly-emerged phenomenon of online harassment and cyberstalking. Without wanting to give too much of a summary here I just want to point out the fact that, to me, the way the topic was addressed here was unique and very interesting – probably because I never saw it in connection to feminist ethics before. The whole idea of the fact that there are “major inequalities running throughout the whole of computing” really triggered some kind of re-thinking in my attitude towards the whole subject. Now, I should point out that I am a woman who is very much involved with computers and especially with what you would probably call cyberspace and the ‘online world’. So in that sense, to me the question of gender or a gendered surrounding never really came up since I never saw myself in an unequal position or found myself in a male-dominated community online (or at least I never noticed it in a negative way). I guess this is what made Alison’s text and insights so interesting to me.
Sexual harassment and stalking have always been gendered issues in the ‘real world’, with generally a lot more women being victimized and more men being the perpetrators. So it comes as no surprise that these phenomena, when taken to a ‘virtual’ basis (which in the end is really not so virtual anymore), show the same characteristics. I found it quite interesting that the presented case study about a man being a victim seemed to actually prove that to him it was more a question of winning a fight against the Internet Service Provider than anything else, whereas the stalked women had to fear about their (sexual) integrity and were very much put in an inferior position. While researching the topic online I came across a very interesting website[1], especially designed for helping victims of online harassment and cyberstalking. I especially want to point out the statistics about cases and victims, because they show and confirm very well that this phenomenon is clearly a gendered one.
I would now like to raise some central points of this text for discussion in the following, mainly ideas or concepts that I felt were worth thinking about more thoroughly. Firstly, there is the idea about liberal traditions as introduced by Adam: liberals usually vouch for a clear separation between the private and the public sphere and since the womens’ role has traditionally been more located in the private sphere, intervention or even simple recognition of a violation of the womens’ rights has naturally been a difficult matter. I would like to pose the question whether you think that this is the core of the matter? Since Adam claims that we need to know the reasons for women becoming victims and men perpetrators, could we maybe deduct that it is simply just too easy for men to violate womens’ rights without having to fear any consequences? Is this fact even made worse by the anonymity of cyberspace? Alison concludes that feminist ethics could be helpful to find a solution for that problem. Do you agree, and if yes in what way exactly?
[1] Htichcock, Jane (1996-2008). 'WHOA. Working to Halt Online Abuse'. http://www.haltabuse.org/resources/stats/index.shtml (accessed 25 August 2008)
First (well now second) Post
Hi everyone,
My name is Nikki. I am new to all of this blogging, shown by the fact that i have somehow entered myself twice to this blog. Sorry!
Hopefully by the end i will be an expert at this!
Critical Annotated Webliography
“From Frankenstein to the Visible Human Project, the body is continually reinterpreted as a limit to what it means to be human.” Discuss critically.
Typing the line ‘What it means to be human’ into the Google search engine yields a plethora of results, as most Google searches do. On the top of the list however is a religious database whose entry on the topic of what it means to be human focuses on utilising those tools which the “creator” has bestowed upon us and vilifying any form of technology that may aid in altering the “natural” function of the human being[1]. The significance of this is apparent as it was originally through religious point of view that humankind had a mode through which to understand the human body and what it might mean to be human. Of course with the advent and acceptance of science came a change in humankind’s perspective of the body and the specifics of anatomy. With the emergence of technology as central to a vast majority of the human population, critical literature that seeks to understand and theorise its (technology’s) importance to our functioning has become abundant. Much of the literature included in this webliography concludes with the notion that technology has become central to who we are and what we are.
Sterlac (1994) Sterlac. http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/ (accessed 25/08/08)
The home page of Sterlac, a somewhat radical Australian artist, provides a space that serves to display his work and ideas that centre on the combination of the human body and such technologies as “medical instruments, prosthetics, robotics, Virtual Reality systems and the Internet”[2]. Although not maintained by the artist himself, the site is comprehensive and forward about how the artist envisages the current and future roles/functions of the human body. From the homepage of Sterlac’s site where the words ‘THE BODY IS OBSOLETE’ flash on screen, a user can navigate to various summaries of experiments and ideologies held by the artist. For example selecting the link ‘Obsolete Body’ a small paragraph articulates notions of the body as technophobic and ill-designed to cope with malfunctions and the “new extraterrestrial environment”[3]. Through Sterlac’s visions of radical post-humanism we are presented with a view that impresses upon us the weakness of the body and the need to embrace the possibility of immortality through technological modification.
Vita-More, Natasha (2005) “The New [human] Genre – Primo Posthuman”. http://www.natasha.cc/paper.htm (accessed 25/08/08)
Vita-More’s article situates the body or the human form as one of the principal subjects throughout art history and it is through this medium of art that she looks at prospects for the evolution of the human body. Vita-More suggests that so far there have been three dominant expressions of the human body in art; “the classical image, the cyborg, and the transcendental entity”, and with these comes a progression in the concept of the human body. The reader is then presented with the purpose of her article – “I suggest a fourth approach to the artistic search for a new image, founded on scientific probability and inspired by technological prowess.” Vita-More then uses a discourse of technological design to describe the “Primo-Posthuman” for her reader. The figure of the Primo-Posthuman relies on a change in human perspective or an embracing of a different human nature and suggests that through collaboration, an artistic approach to the seemingly inevitable Posthuman revolution can be achieved. A table included at the end of the article offers a contrast between the human body and the “21st Century Primo Prototype” revealing an undoubtedly optimistic look at the future of the human body.
Taylor, T.L (2002) “Living Digitally: Embodiment in Virtual Worlds”. http://www.itu.dk/~tltaylor/papers/Taylor-LivingDigitally.pdf (accessed 23/08/08)
Taylor’s article makes a case for the avatar – a digital body that inhabits online, virtual worlds. Through interviews with online participants Taylor has been able to gauge some understanding of what ‘living digitally’ entails and the potentials it offers a user. Those functions that are largely considered traits of the physical world such as presence, social life, communication, socialisation and sexuality are all examined. Of particular interest (to myself) was the idea of the hybrid avatar. Here the human head can be supplemented with that of an animal’s if a user so desires and for some this has the effect of making them feel far more comfortable in engaging socially than if they were to have a “normal” human head. Limitations of the avatar body are also explored and can manifest in the form of inadequate software design which prevent a full range of functions. Taylor also points out that virtual worlds will often “reflect deep links with particular worldviews and value systems”[4] and therefore they are not suited to all persons.
Thomas, Angela (2004) “Digital Literacies of the Cybergirl”. http://www.wwwords.co.uk/pdf/viewpdf.asp?j=elea&vol=1&issue=3&year=2004&article=3_Thomas_ELEA_1_3_web&id=203.24.97.5 (accessed 25/08/08)
The initial part of Angela Thomas’ article uses the theories of Lacan, Foucault and Freud to situate the body as a product of linguistic discourse and ideas about the way the self can be viewed as the “other” in a mythical and fantastical sense. Such contextualising of the body then proceeds to correspond with her findings of interviews with teenagers (mostly girls) in an online chat forum and the association of online identity and self. What she suggests is that through the careful selection of language use, specific personas can be generated purely through words, as she says, “To not speak is to not have a visible presence in this context.”[5] Thomas also considers the use of avatars by the teenagers. Of most interest is the way that the girl’s (and again she refers back to those ideas she initiated in the beginning of her paper) self identify with the digital bodies they have created. The avatars appeared to allow a safe and private tool with which they could perform fantasies of the sort they cannot or do not want to perform ‘in the real world’.
Fausto-Sterling, Anne (1999) “Sexing the Body: How Biologists Construct Human Sexuality” http://www.symposion.com/ijt/gilbert/sterling.htm (accessed 28/08/08)
The premise of this article leans on the highly problematic and controversial employment of dualisms when trying to understand human sexuality, in particular the nature/nurture and real/constructed dichotomies. Discussing ideas explored by well known feminists such as Judith Butler and Emily Grosz, Fausto-Sterling articulates the problems that continually arise when aiming to isolate the body from a specific gender – thus, the body becomes a site of debate and confusion for modern thought on where our sexuality might originate or develop. Quoting from Butler the author’s main argument can be summarised as such; “we must look at the body as a system that simultaneously produces and is produced by social meanings, just as any biological organism always results from the combined and simultaneous actions of nature and nurture.” And it is with caution that we continue to understand and define the body, avoiding categories that seek to condense the complexities of anatomy and self.
As previously stated, these online sources lay their central claim in the rapidly consuming importance of technology and corporal developments and understanding. The last article however is an attempt to demonstrate the way philosophical perspectives and contentions are still very much bound up in our perception of the bodies of the self and others. The sources attempt to convey a variety of interpretations of the body, mainly through modes of present and future thought.
[1] “One big error that can never be allowed is that of a primary sacrifice. For example, in our day, scientists, out of pride try to play God, and create test tube babies.” Sistare, John (1999) “What It Means To Be Human!” http://www.cfpeople.org/SeminarianWritings/Sem006.html (accessed 25/08/08)
[2] Sterlac (1994) Sterlac. http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/biog/biog.html (25/08/08)
[3] Sterlac (1994) Sterlac. http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/obsolete/obsolete.html (25/08/08)
[4] Taylor, p. 58
[5]Thomas, p. 366
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