SOC 479: Communities and Social Networks

Video

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:24:32 -0500

The Occupy movement has become a popular topic of discussion in...

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:24:12 -0500

The Occupy movement has become a popular topic of discussion in the last few months. People gathering in parks, refusing to move in order to prove a point. Although some people argue that this group of people lack a clear and concise point, personally I believe that the occupy movement represents a need for change, change in the way we as a society live and treat one another.

From my perspective and my own personal experiences, I have come to my own understanding of society. For me, society has become a rather cold and greedy place; neo liberal ideologies have created a society of greed and individualism, each man for themselves. Is this really the best way to live? A world were we care only about ourselves? Why should some people get the opportunity to live a life of abundance while others suffer? Perhaps it helps to hide behind the neo-liberal thought that if one works hard enough they “deserve” the benefits. How would you argue this point to a single mother working two full time jobs just to feed her child (not even herself). The world we live in is a strange place and I feel that the occupy movement is a step in the right direction to challenge the world and society we have become. Shouldn’t every person in this world have the right to live an enjoyable life? I mean, we don’t exactly get much time.

What I find most interesting about the occupy movement is the media coverage. What is interesting is the impact media has on society. I have found that a lot of the coverage that you find on mainstream news channels such as BBC and CBC is based on a bias and selective composition of clips and conversations that work to form a public opinion about the movement, usually somewhat of a negative opinion. When tuning into the news, we tend to find coverage on the occupiers who were caught doing drugs, or causing a issue. Rarely do you hear inspirational stories about the movement.

The clip I have chosen to share caught my attention. This clip is an example of how mainstream media feeds us stories in order to make the public feel that we live in a free and just society, when in reality this is false. It is interesting to see how the state sells the public on the idea of freedom by comparing to other corupt countries such as Egypt, when in reality much of the same goes on in North America, yet we are blinded by the information mainstream media feeds us. This clip is an example of the power of alternative media; alternative media is able to challenge the mainstream. It offers the public the opportunity to think, it challenges the unitary idea the mainstream media tries to form, it lets people form their own opinions.

Are we really an open and inclusive society? Why doesn’t the US sign on to much of the UN treaties, and why don’t more people know that the US refuses to sign on to many of the UN treaties? It is called greed. It is interesting to see how certain forms of media shape our understanding of what is going on in the world. Should we stand by and watch this take place? Should we just be quiet? Does mainstream media blind us from the reality?

A moment of transformation is taking place, we are witnessing history unfold, not only in Egypt but in North America, people have come together calling for change. A new generation want their voices to be heard, I think this is the real purpose of the Occupy movement.

Alternative media is a means of challenging the status quo,...

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:42:20 -0500

Alternative media is a means of challenging the status quo, giving a voice to those who remain socially marginalized, challenging mainstream media. Whereas the mainstream media have a tendency to emphasize the voices and interests of those who are privileged, alternative media set out “to offer a perspective from below and to say the unspoken”

Alternative media help to amplify women’s voices and the ideas mainstream media ignore. Above is an example of alternative media which has helped give voice to women.

The real value

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:25:34 -0500

In the past month I have had the opportunity to travel from Edmonton to Nova Scotia, and in each province I have come across the Occupy movement. It is quite interesting to see in each city how people have come together to protest against corporate greed. Globalization has produced capitalist society that has become consumed with money. What I find so empowering about the occupy movement is the ability for people to come together in the interest of bettering society. Personally, I find it very bothersome that a small percent of the population lives in access while the majority of our population lives in need. It is for this reason that I respect the occupy movement for challenging those who live in access. I find the power of social movements empowering in the sense that people from all different backgrounds are able to come together to challenge the mainstream not for simply their own interests, but the interest of a whole society.

Throughout my high school years I took part many volunteer trips, but the most influential trip was my trip to South Africa. I traveled to South Africa the summer of 2006 to a small rural village called QuaQua. In this village there was no running water or electricity. The impact of globalization had not yet reached this village. What a found so amazing was this communities ability to work together. People in this village did not look out for their own interest but the interest of the village. Friendships were built on trust, and the community supported one another. Everyone worked hard, and when someone was in need, the community would support them. It was extremely eye opening to see how a society could function in such a manner, where greed did not seem to exist. These people lived a full and happy life without the necessity for material things. Having had such an experience I find myself questioning the ways of life in the western world and the worth and value we give to such inadequate material possessions. Having had such an experience makes one appreciate the simple things in life, and makes you wonder why someone could live in such greed.

Globalization has proven beneficial to the first world countries while third world countries continue to be taken advantage of. Although developed countries remain economically advantaged I feel that developing countries benefit their ability to oppose globalization and form community of social cohesion and meaningless material possessions; they are able to see the value in social communities rather than consumer goods.

Two places at Once.

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:35:27 -0500

Having to travel a lot this year, made me realize the how dependent I am on technology. Traveling back home to Nova Scotia frequently the internet has become my best friend. Social media such as facebook and the convenience of texting and skype has kept me in contact with class mates which keep me up to date with what is going on in class. The internet provides me with upcoming assignments and outlines and the ability to communicate efficiently with profs. Considering I have not always been able to be physically present in class this semester I feel that the speed of technology has proven to shrink time and space for me. I have been able to submit assignment, read lectures and even have discussion with class mates. The convenience of communication technology has made is possible to almost be at two places at once. While at school I am able to keep in contact with family, and while at home I have also been able to feel like I am attending to my school duties.

The acceleration of communication media has shaped every aspect of society today, and my example being just one of them. The modern compression of space and time has had a profound impact on the way people perceive the world and their own lives. Communication media has shaped our culture, economy, communication, travel etc.

I have found it quite interesting to engage in conversation with some of my older relatives on the subject of communication technologies, something that I see as somewhat natural. To an older generation I have come to find are somewhat overwhelming and complex. It is interesting to see how much my generation has been shaped by this type of technology and it is even more interesting to think about how future generations will continue to be shaped. Is it possible to time and space to be compressed even more? Although it may seem impossible to us today, it will most likely be second nature to future generations.

The language of texting

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:31:12 -0400

As discussed in chapter 6, “Language and Media”, Langue refers to the basic structure of language, the communal language system or the grammar that all of us use to generate sentences in our languages. On a similar note, Parole or speech, is the individual act of using language, this is, in any instance in which any actual speaker or writer makes use of language to produce a recognizable linguistic utterance.

As I sit here and communicate with my mother via text message I find it interesting how many time she has to ask me to clarify, “cait, what do you mean by that?”. Although the technology of texting makes it easy for us to communicate in different provinces, at the same time I find there remains somewhat of a disconnect in our communication. Texting has taken over the communication of young people today, it has become our main source of communication. Texting moreover, has evolved into a language of its own. Abbreviations and emoticons are common in the language of texting. Although efficient, texting by times can become a poor method of communication because it is a lot of the time misunderstood with spellcheck, incorrect grammar and punctuation.

Although my mother and I can communicate over texting because we use a communal language system, it is at the same time difficult to communicate because our parole is much different. Emoticons, abbreviations and sarcasm are not understood by my mothers. It is common for my mom to end up calling me to communicate because not only does she find it more efficient, she ends up calling to clarify what exactly “lol” means. As she becomes more comfortable texting she obviously catches onto the slang and the language of texting, but it is interesting to take into consideration that texting has become a language of its own.

Texting with my mom never seems to let me down, it is always a good laugh when she quickly becomes confused, gives up and calls me. And it is about that time, mom is calling.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:52:37 -0400

With the recent release of the new iphone, there has been a lot of hype about what new features it will offer. People counted down the days until the its release and are currently standing in massive lines just to get their hands on this newest piece of technology.

Although I may not be “technically literate”, my question is, “what exactly makes this new phone that much better than the one that was just released?” As discussed in the readings, society has come to confuse the “new” with “progress”. Society has become blinded by the flashiness of the new and has mistaken it for better, for progressive. Many people waiting in line may very well find themselves disappointed with the new iphone, or perhaps they won’t, but I question weather or not it is really a “better” product? Progress implies a movement toward a goal, it often expresses a belief in the advancement of humanity toward a perfect society. Although new technologies such as the new iphone 4s have made many things easier (with the multiple applications that cater to any need), a common misconception with this way of thinking, is that we often mistake the merely “new” for progress.

As a society, we privilege newer technologies over older ones and confuse the newness of a technology with actual progress even though an older technology may do a better job. Why do we have this mentality that new medias are revolutionary? Is it the influence of capitalism and consumerism which has implemented these ideologies?

Therefore, is the new iphone really that much better or is it simply an idea implemented through our capitalist society which had come to make us think it is better?

Remaining disconnected while staying connected.

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:10:00 -0400

One could suggest that our generation is addicted to social media. Addicted to the ability to multitask, to communicate no matter the time or distance, to be social with the help of new media and technology. What many do not realize is the fact that although today’s generation is very much socially connected, at the same time it is socially disconnected in the sense that we engage less in face to face communication. Text messaging and facebook have become new methods of communication replacing phone calls and letters. Texting offers non-stop communication without the hassle of social interaction.

Cell phone companies try and sell us much more than a phone, they attempt to sell us a package of social media. It is not about the phone, but rather about the social networks that come with it, the idea of connectivity.

Our generation has transformed into a social networking generation. Because we are a socially connected generation through social and cyber networks, we have become socially disconnected in the sense that we engage less in face to face communication and interaction, making us much less socially connected than we once were. We walk around with our ipods in, cell phones in hand, completely socially disconnected but also connected through the social networks we engage in.

Is there a consequence to this lack real social interaction? Or has social media come to make us more socially connected as a society? Only time can tell what kinds of effects this new sense of “social” will have on the way we interact, the way we choose to be “social”.