Week 15: Online Presence and Technology

 

    I would say my online presence is very small. Mainly due to the fact that I really only converse online with close friends that I know in real life. I do not have a personal website and I do not give out my personal information unless it is absolutely necessary, such as for job applications. I also do not use social media that much. The only one I am constantly on is Instagram, and even then it is mostly just me looking at memes and liking some friends pictures here and there. I rarely post anything and they are almost exclusively for things such as my birthday, returning to school, or any little event I wanted to share. Beyond that, the only personal information I give on that page is that I go to High Point, and I do not consider that something I need to hide. That being said, I suppose someone could gleam some information about me from my Instagram, but all of it is stuff I am comfortable with people knowing. Well, my account is private so I am able to vet people who are trying to look at my page, and I limit it almost entirely to people I actually know. Besides Instagram, I do have a Facebook account but I have not posted anything on it and almost never open the app. In fact, I only made an account because I had to for some groups at school.

    I do not think social media makes people lonely, I do not really see how something like that can lead to loneliness. I suppose it could cause one to become a little anti-social because they always think the are safe behind their screen, but I rarely see that happen ever, and it is when much of their life is consumed by it. Now depression and isolation on the other hand, that is absolutely possible and I dare say common. Cyberbullying and a failure to make online connections can definitely lead to these things. We hear about it all the time about someone, usually teens, getting very depressed because their peers either cyberbully them or do not respond at all. So in that regard it is a problem. But overall I would say social media is a good thing. It helps us connect with people so much easier and much more freely. Though I do think we need to crack down on the spying and censoring many of these massive companies have been found guilty of.

    Many have attributed a large portion of these issues we face, to our overdependence on technology. Many say it has consumed our life and our relationship has become unhealthy and detrimental. I do not quite agree with this. I do think that there are quite a number of issues modern technology presents, both the hardware itself and how it can consume our lives, but I really do think the good outweighs the bad. There is practically sum of all human knowledge at our fingertips and as I mentioned before, we can connect with anyone anywhere in the world in seconds. But as with any good thing, there are those who will abuse it, and we should be working to fix that. But the amount of good modern technology has done for us as a species, I think is too great to be considered overly detrimental.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/308930/

Week 13: EOTO Part 2: Echo Chambers

 

    Dictionary.com defines "Echo Chamber" as, "an environment in which the same opinions are repeatedly voiced and promoted, so that people are not exposed to opposing views". These have become more than common place in not only the United States, but across the world. Whether it be public television or online, echo chambers are bound to be created if there is an opinion to be had. It could be the most insignificant topic in the world, but if people have differing opinions on something, then echo chambers will be formed. Most people are familiar with this concept in the mainstream media. CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, all echo chambers that preach and repeat the same opinions within their own circles to people who already agree with them. Another sources that is notorious for echo chambers is the online forum website Reddit. Whenever someone goes on and discusses and opposing opinion on one of the subreddits, many have described how the frequent readers get very heated when their ideas are challenged, are there are many accounts of hostility and very toxic behavior. This is largely in part to us as humans not liking having our ideas challenged. Especially today, when someone has their ideas challenged, they take it as a personal attack and do not want to hear it. This can be extremely detrimental to society as a whole. When no one is open to new ideas, or even to consider that somebody else may have a different opinion than their own, then there is hardly any room for progress. This is most evident in politics. So many people, not just the politicians, are unwilling to hear the opposing side of an issue, and therefore are not willing to reach a comprise that would be beneficial and appease everyone. Echo chambers only exacerbate this issue. You do not need to convince someone who already agrees with you. Not only that, but you are not gaining anything out of the conversation either. Now while it is good to confer with like minded people, completely cutting out differing mindsets is even more detrimental. If we want to advance this country politically and socially, we need to pull these networks and forums away from the echo chambers they have become, and push for more open discussion. Maybe then we will be able, or at least more willing to reach compromise, no matter how insignificant the argument may be.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/echo-chamber?s=t