Picture of IRC from Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986)
The film referenced in my blog title is the only reason I knew what Baym (2010) was describing as Internet Chat Relay Chat in her review of early synchronous chat technology (p. 14). In the film a bank associate (Whoopi Goldberg) gets caught up with a British spy stuck in Russia. Using the IRC function they conspire to get him home and the required hijincs ensue. This film gave me a healthy dose of paranoia about the internet at an early age, similar to other films that Baym describes in chapter 1 like “The Net”. I guess I have my parents to thank for having HBO when I was little.
Baym’s discussion of the dystopian visions and rhetoric surrounding new technology seemed timely to me after our first reading. When reading over the blogs from week 1 and the comments that followed, it seemed that at least of few of us in the class were of the opinion that all of this technology is degrading society’s ability to interact meaningfully in person. Baym argues, “the language and forms of evidence may have changed, but the concern that communication technologies make us dumber is as old as writing” (p.26). I’ve certainly had those thoughts, but I’m glad that this week’s reading challenged us to be more moderate and to look back and see that other technologies that we have come to take for granted have been treated with similar negative rhetoric. While I do think that these fears need to be explored and studied by scholars, I find it equally important that we base our voiced opinions on the outcomes of this research, rather than voicing opinions only informed by our fears. Not to say that there aren’t some alarming facts coming out of the research. In particular for me, tribalism is both exciting and frightening. As a person using the internet, its a definite perk for me to be able to connect with people that share similar interests as myself. On the other side of that, it troubling that as a result , I would be insulated from being exposed to those of differing opinions that could give me a more well balanced view.
Herring (2004) describes CMC as “slouching towards the ordinary” as the convergence of two conflicting trends: “it overestimates the novelty of much CMC, and underestimates the effects of social forces such as mass popularization, according to which mundane uses of technologies tend to co-opt their destabilizing potentials over time ” (p.27). In Herring’s conclusion she predicts that 5 years into the future (which was 2009) that internet technology would become further integrated into our daily routine and therefore would lose some of its luster. While I do agree that it has become more intertwined with our daily lives, I’m not sure that 5 years is enough time for it to become ordinary to us. I’m not certain that its become any safer either contrary to Herring’s prediction, but I’m no expert.
As for future research into this arena, I hope that scholars will look further into the etiquette that has developed around online interactions. I would like to know more about the “unwritten rules” of online and mediated exchanges. Apparently I’m supposed to text before I call to make sure its ok now? Also, is Herring correct, has the internet become safer? Maybe since those of us that spend more and more time online become savvier at spotting the spam. Perhaps its increased or reached a plateau as more and more people go online and those that take advantage follow?
Hello Meagan,
Very interesting and informative blog entry;especially, the introduction, I really enjoyed reading it. I feel the same way about using the internet. On one hand it connect you with all your freinds, family members, and maybe with new freinds that you share the same interests with. On the other hand, it ruin the face-to-face close relationships, and make you feel isolated. Therefore, we should not get addicted to one thing and leave the other. We must manage our time to have some valuable family time even if it was one hour a week. This way you will be using the latest technologly without feeling that it is taking us away from your loved ones.
I loved this movie! I agree I had the same thoughts regarding language. Also the fact that internet has become more intertwined with our daily lives. Due to the continuous change in technology I would have to say some things within the last 5v years has become ordinary such as emails and blogs. However, I cannot say that it has become safer actually worst because technology has allowed people to become more advance in the criminal aspect. I believe if more people called before they texted then vocal communication would increase. I feel since everything is going to hands free we will just have to think of something and the devices will do it.
Good point about tribalism. I certainly agree that it is a negative effect of CMC. It’s so easy to access information that aligns with our interests and views, that we can ignore anything that we don’t like or agree with. 50 years ago, everyone read newspapers and were forced to receive information based on how it was reported. Now we can go directly to our favorite newsite or news channel or read blogs that we prefer.
I agree with Meagan on the dual nature of tribalism on the Internet. While is can be exhilarating to find pockets of interest and a thriving niche culture, there is the potential to view an insular world.
Like Tim, I also immediately think of media choice and similar preferences that limit our worldview. Baym touched on the idea of tribalism (35). We have the ability to filter our worlds based around our specific bubbles of interest. We can choose information that speaks to our own beliefs and filter out the rest. We don’t have to face challenges, confrontation, or the expansion of a worldview, because we can find others that align with our perspective. The lack of exposure to more balanced information causes our understanding to become subdued. Also flies in the face of our hopes of the massive expanse of knowledge; what’s the point if you only choose to look for ideas that reaffirm your own? It has the potential to further the isolation and division of people.
I’m glad that somebody else besides me has seen that movie – I was beginning to think I had hallucinated it (although technically I think the chat they were using was probably some version of Unix’s Talk software, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_talk, since the movie pre-dates IRC, but anyway…).
I’m very glad you pointed out the importance of basing our opinions in research assumptions. For example, the media will often latch onto stories about the internet making people more isolated – but as Tim pointed out in his post for this week, when you look closely, what you really see is that internet use is a *symptom* rather than a cause of the problem (isolation). So the social isolation *pre-dates* their use of the internet.
It can be hard to look for the facts when the media inundates us with hype and opinions, but it is important to do.
And everyone should go watch Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Whoopi Goldberg gets towed away in a phone booth at one point. Talk about a blast from the past!
While I agree with you in that it has not become completely ordinary, I must admit that technology has been integrated into our daily routine. It has become far easier to take technology for granted. However, I am also unfamiliar with these “unwritten rules” of technology that you blogged about. I liked the point you made about texting individuals before calling them. This is a practice I need to begin. This is another of the useful things I have already learned in only the second blog in this class.