Poetic Thinking

In this week's reading, Shanken introduced David Rokeby and Lev Manovich.  There are two quotes I take to heart in this week's lecture.  Rokeby states, "A technology is interactive to the degree that it reflects the consequences of our actions or decisions back to us (223)."  Manovich claims, "In contrast, as a post-communist subject, I cannot but see Internet as a communal apartment of Stalin era: no privacy, everybody spies on everybody else, always present line for common areas such as the toilet or the kitchen (224)."

Both these statements were made in the mid 1990's when the Internet was just picking up steam but are still relevant with today's Web 2.0.  I'm not sure if these two men had any idea the direction society was taking the Internet to with its addiction to social networking but these two statements are definite prophecies of the likes of Youtube and Facebook.  Everyday there is a national and global story that depicts online etiquette and mob mentality that reflects the leery predictions of these two forward thinking techies.  They are like the millennial Nostradamus.  How many lives have been change for better or worst with participants of Youtube videos and its interactivity.  How many people freely give up there privacy for the sake of attention grabbing on Facebook, whom, by the way, treat their page like a public toilet; overflowing with non sense comments and photos, somewhat like a pissing contests.

I agree with Manovich when he says the Internet is good, the Internet is good, the Internet is good but it is real difficult to standby that affirmation when you read comments on any Youtube video.