Psychogeographical Project

Starting in week 8 we were given the opportunity to create our own psychologeographical project, this could include a video recording of a chosen route, or a description of the destination etc. It was all about recording different aspects of our surroundings and senses that we hadn’t noticed before (atmosphere vs. sensuous). I decided to test and try out something I had had in mind for some time, and had taken a look at in the past but had never really got round to. I’ve browsed ‘geo tagging’ on Flikr in the past and thought it was ideal to capture my journey from the Kimberlian Library on the Demontfort Campus to Highcross Shopping centre in town.

I go to Highcross pretty much every day and therefore as the days pass I no longer notice my surroundings as I robotically strut through the same old route. This time I took a different route to Highcross for scenic purposes for this project. Instead, I passed through one of the side streets which cuts cross Leicester Town Hall into town. I’d never taken this route as it’s a tad bit longer, so it was a new experience for me, an ideal opportunity to record something fresh.

I don’t have a camera so I was left with my own devices, although the camera on my Blackberry Curve doesn’t possess the quality of Carl Zeiss lenses, I’ve got to say the quality of the pictures aren’t bad! The 3.2 megapixel gadget captured my surroundings on the way to Highcross, occasionally taking a shot of significant signs of events or objects that signifies Leicester. I wanted to take a record of artifacts, atmosphere, weather and color, basically things that I’ve become ignorant towards. It was really nice to be suddenly aware of objects that I would come across every time I walk into town. For inspiration on this project I checked out a link posted on Blackboard of an example of geo tagging on Flickr Maps, I checked out this site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyalisonlucy/map

Uploading the photos onto my Flikr account was a complete nightmare. Not because of the Flikr uploading program, but because I couldn’t remember the roads I’d taken the pictures on, so it took me double the time to work out the exact position of the photos. I used a great deal of Google Maps to track my route and note down the road names which took some time, but whilst on it I did learn more directions around town. But now that it’s all in the past it’s up for the public to enjoy, this is the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49365182@N03/map

This project was supposed to be fun by exploring and taking into account of our surroundings. I honestly enjoyed it as it was a nice hot sunny day I decided to do it on, which boosted the mood. I would definitely in the future use Flikr maps to upload photos from when I’m on holiday. I think it’s a great method for my friends and family back at home to see where and what I have seen on my holiday. I have great admiration for the growing conventions available on the Web 2.0 such as geo tagging.

My Avatar 3D Experience

The movie Avatar was released in December 2009, just a few days before the Christmas holidays. It was rated one of the most ‘enchanting’ movies of the year, and as it was done all in 3D it’s something different from the average cinematic experience. I was never caught in the surge of excitement surrounding this flick; but after a few weeks of hearing about how amazing it was I thought I’d finally jump on the ‘giant Smurf’ bandwagon, after all I did like Smurfs as a kid.

When I think about 3D cinema, the first memories that pop into my mind are the experiences I’ve had in American theme parks, where we would sit in abnormally large seats and wear these goofy white rectangular glasses, with the odd pane of red and blue lenses. That was back when I was aged 10, these days 3D glasses are technically advanced in quality and follow the Ray-Ban design (which are always in fashion-a plus). The major downfall to my Avatar 3D experience was that that after a while I started to get slightly dizzy from watching through a pair of ‘sunglasses’. When I think back at it, if anybody was to walk in halfway through the movie, the audience would all look like a blind crowd facing towards a fuzzy screen. Let’s just say I was not enjoying it in 3D.

3D flicks are becoming more and more popular, 3D cinema will soon conquer average cinemas and become the norm cinema viewing experience. It’s a new way the film industry is adopting to prevent movie piracy. So that means if I was to download the Avatar on my laptop or watch it online in 3D, the images would be fuzzy and the general quality would be pretty rubbish.

I think 3D and Avatar was so hyped up, that when it came to watching it I had such high expectations, as if I myself was going to morph into an Avatar at the end of this artificial journey. But in actual fact the 3D I was receiving were a few menial bits and bobs irritatingly floating about now and again. Although the picture was slightly more entertaining, there were a few scenes I particularly enjoyed, like the dragon flying session, where I felt like I was also flying around on my invisible dragon. Agreed that the image was enhanced, but it was definitely not worth the headache and the price (and we weren’t even allowed to keep the glasses!)

Movie critic and Dr. in film Mike Kermode is also no fan of 3D cinema. I’d come his video on YouTube commenting on the glasses, I agreed with everything he said. That the film has an overall great storyline and that is most importantly what made the movie a blockbuster. Kermode commented that; “occasional people pointed spears out of the screen, and occasionally people fell down at very great falls. And occasionally in those moments you’ve got the sense that the 3D is doing something, but you know what? Unless you’re making a movie about skydiving spear chucker’s, that’s a limited use of 3D.”

So the question is ‘would I go and see another 3D film?’ Answer is no, unless I was visiting an American theme park watching a short show reel of me diving off a cliff etc. I strongly believe that it’s the film plot that captures the audience, not the odd 3D butterfly sweeping across my face. Avatar is an epic film and one of my favorite plots as it’s undeniably fantastical. Arguably it does mirror the plot for Pocahontas, which is a childhood favorite; James Cameron has done a great job in trying to captivate a surreal experience, which unfortunately isn’t to my taste.

Is the Internet Killing Our Culture?- I don't think so

In week 8 we were separated into 2 groups, one arguing that the internet is killing our culture, and the other arguing against. Personally I disagree that the internet is killing our culture, and believes that the internet creates culture. My journey into adolescence was mainly dominated by the internet, and communication via the net was essential e.g. come straight home and go on MSN messenger, or go on online gaming sites such as miniclip.com, and later on social sites starting with HI5, Xanga, MySpace, and Facebook. I can admit that the internet is part of my lifestyle. It’s a routine and a system that I can’t abandon (sadly Facebook has integrated itself into my life) and I’m sure most of my friends can agree that the Internet is a ‘post modern’ culture today, growing stronger every day.

I took a look at the reading that our debate was going to be based on, an article from the http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/aug/10/andrewkeenvemilybell. Andrew Keen is the moody bloke that hates the internet and Emily embraces the creation of the internet. I was placed into the group arguing for Keens. I wasn’t too keen at first as I disagree with him, but this debate gave me the opportunity to explore and think deeper into how the internet is potentially killing culture.

The article was interesting, and at times harsh and vicious from Keen, but I did find myself understanding where he was coming from on some points; “Anyone with internet access can publish anything online, which results in the mob chaos of YouTube, the blogosphere and Wikipedia.” But I strongly feel that YouTube has made a huge impact on culture, the sharing of music and homemade videos have brought people together into a ‘cyber community’. MySpace have provided users with access to aspiring music artists (Lily Allen was discovered through MySpace). But I do agree that copying online is very damaging to the industry. Emily Bell did pick up that; “If the internet is so full of amateurish dross then it is no threat to the polished professional... is that it is full of people who are potentially as good as, if not better than, those who have been fortunate enough to reside in a distribution bottleneck - and that is why you are scared.” I will forever be grateful for P2P, although it’s damaging for industries, but nonetheless a guilty fan of illegal downloading.

In our groups we also talked about how the internet has made things very accessible and convenient. I am a fan of online shopping, and always buy gig tickets, DVDs, technical goods online. It saves me time to pop down to the store and mope about for ages looking for it, and waiting at the tills, when at a click of a button I can purchase it off the official site (easier when payment information are already saved-just a confirm needed. Easy!) Yes, it destroys the traditional sense of doing everything ‘manually’, instead of sitting by a desk, but that’s the trouble with the post modern culture!

Digital Divide

In my week 21 workshop we were set the task of researching into the fields of ‘digital divide’. Before attempting my research, the term ‘digital divide’ was very vague to me. I understood it to be along the terms of a ‘gap’ between people who had access to technological resources, and those with scarce connections to such resources e.g. Those who lived in a poorer country will ultimately have fewer technical connections to the web, compared to wealthier western countries. I grew up in a society with a rich range of technology and access to these.


Ignorant of me not to understand that there are factors that contribute to the divide, such as global, social, and the presence of digital migrants and natives. By tracing these factors to understand more about the ‘divide’, I found that I could personally relate to this. I even applied the theories of the divide to fully understand why my parents are wedged in such ‘gap’. I somehow started to base my research on my understanding of my mum’s use of technology, which made it quite personal and meaningful.

The ‘global digital divide’ links back to how the wealthy and poor countries in the world have significantly different levels of I.T resources. The first country that popped in my head was China to research the ‘divide’ with a wealthier country America. I’ve seen from family members living in China due to the lack of funds, it’s difficult for them to connect with the web.
Pippa Norris writes on the paper for the Annual Meeting of Political studies Association Uk, that the global divide can be due to the ‘structure of opportunities’ where there are available I.T education and investment in technology. My relatives in parts of China aren’t given this exclusive opportunity therefore the divide is embedded, linking to a digital divide in education. My mum who was brought up with no education in I.T is then not fully equipped with the knowledge for ‘deeper’ uses of the technological resources. This reflects a digital divide in education. of education thus will not progress to ever catch up and understand newer technologies.


I identify myself as a ‘digital native’, as I’ve grown up with technology, and I’m confidently able to use the technological resources available, whereas my mum is a complete ‘digital immigrant’. She is incapable of searching for basic information online such as recipes (something I tested out over the weekend).
I don’t think the digital divide can be abolished, there can only be improvements. The rate of new technologies and the strengthening of societies aren’t parallel, and despite my mum taking I.T lessons, it’s still very difficult for her to catch up, as there are always constant new ones coming out. There are charities such as One Laptop per Child, which hope to give less advantaged children an opportunity to access technology.


I came across Mark Warschauer article ‘reconceptualising the digital divide’, I agreed with him in his conclusion that; ‘those who popularized the term "digital divide" have helped focus public attention on the important social issue of technology and inequality’. This term can only help society in the future to gain equality in the technological world.

Copyright

I handed in my second digital media assignment last week. The essay I decided to cover was...'What's at stake if copyright was to reform’. Up till this assignment I hadn’t considered the outlining factors of copyright, I was aware that in my personal time I was breeching copyright protection, such as watching movies illegally online, downloading music, and copying pictures online. Cory Doctorow’s question really made me think deeper into the issues of copyright.

First steps...
To begin the process of exploring how copyright affects us individually and the society, I researched into a few academic sources such as web journals and books. I interestingly came across Andrew Keen’s ‘The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’ Internet is Killing Our Culture and Assaulting our Economy’. In this Keen expresses his negativity towards ‘open source’ sites such as Wikipedia, and revised versions of original texts e.g. annotated and translated versions of Charles Dickens novels. My initial reactions to his argument that ‘revised and annotated versions of the original sources, is what destroys the meaning of its original creation’, this links directly to copyright. I completely disagreed with his views. If copyright was stricter and that an original creation cannot be remixed/revised, then we can only personally reach a certain understanding/connection with text. Amateur annotations and recreations can lead the consumer personalisation to the product.
I also read Doctorow’s online journal which gave me a new and better understanding of the influences of copyright. I devised an equation from his theory. Culture=creative work=copyright. Majority of creative people post their products online which gets picked up and copied. It is important to share a creation in order for the work to grow. I found an interesting quote that ‘if culture loses the copyright law, the reason for copyright dies with it’. The internet will simply weaken and struggle if P2P sharing was to disappear, as sharing itself is a culture.

‘Liquid version’ is what Kevin Kelly suggested as a way to digitally share material online, e.g. scientific journals and research. I found myself agreeing with this idea, although it throws out the ideas of traditional printing, but nonetheless my preferred option of receiving information. On the other hand sharing exclusive research online is vulnerable to fraud.

After this assignment I have learnt the significant reasons behind copyright, such as preventing recreation of original material, copying and promoting it as their own, and artist release rights. Overall copyright can be viewed as a serious and tedious issue. We as the audience may feel that breech of copyright are harmless despite committing an illegal act. But it’s a serious offence and very damaging for the media industry; it causes a major profit loss in the film and music industry.

I have always been aware of copyright issues surrounding illegal downloads and watching films online. But it’s a digital culture that I’ve grown up with; to scrap all illegal entertainment sources online would simply kill off majority of its audiences. Copyright will never disappear, and its powers will never be reinforced so that illegal downloads, copying, and sharing will come to an end. Because if this ever happens, a generation will die and cause much more damage than leaving copyright laws as it is.