Distance beyond distance to eliminate distance, which creates more distance?

Let me start off by saying The Cybercultures reader kicks ass!!! At least for the most part, not all of the readings are fascinating and extremely insightful, but definitely enough to lead me to the conclusion that it is in fact a great book.

So anyways….on to the blog…….

I quite enjoyed the essay Against Virtual Community, For a politics of distance by Kevin Robins. This essay is about the underlying issues about elimination of distance as we move towards being fully submerged in the virtual technologies, communities, and as technology becomes more, and more advanced. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

Robins will show some key points from various people that argue both sides of this. Robins references William Mitchells advances in City of Bits and his belief that we will exist as “disembodied and fragmented subjects” and goes on to state that we will finally be “freed from the constraints of physical space.” Mitchell believes that we will become fully submerged in cyberspace by allowing ourselves to become completely engaged in the virtual world and its endless possibilities. Also by doing this we would be closing the gap of distance by means of technology, advanced devices, mobilization, data gloves, robotic prostheses, and new technological effectors and sensors. This would in end lead to the creation of us becoming “cyborgs”, where we could completely reconstruct our boundaries, where the outward is turned inward and vice versus. Robins agrees that this is the case, if we are fully engaged and open to the limitless boundaries of these technologies, which is only available in a virtual space. Robins also references Marion Young and how he believes immediacy is better than mediation and in the Rousseauist dream: we are transparent to one another, purely copresent in the same space, close enough to touch, and nothing comes between us to obstruct our vision of one another (Young 231, 233).

Robins understands and accepts their points, but believes that when trying to close the gap and live with no limits, no distance, no ends in a virtual space, we lose the world. He states that this a cultural retreat from Real Life, the real world, it is an extension of ourselves from a physical space and that it a place we have to question, be realistic about, and completely understand what it really is, and not what we merely want it to be.

I agree with both sides, but believe Robins has a full grasp of being cautious of being completely intertwined with cyberspace and knowing that distance itself is needed. I am well aware of the advances in technology and that some of them are marvels in their own right. We are able to have the accessibility to talk to people across country through a wireless device, or on a computer. We will have the option of experiencing things, places, people like never before without the hassle of flying, driving, etc., but then we are losing a lot about experiencing the experience itself. The smells, the touches, the scenes can in fact be replicated, but isn’t the same as having it firsthand. They are experiences someone else had and made available to us by the technological advances and cool gadgets and gizmos, that do give us more, but at the same time would take so much away. Agree with me or not, there are a lot of things that cannot be replicated in a virtual space. We have to understand that by completely eliminating the distance takes away from who we are as the human race, we aren’t cyborgs, we aren’t robots, we aren’t avatars, we are people. We have these technologies readily available to make life easier, simpler, to eliminate some of the distance of living across country, of having hectic schedules, these are conveniences.

Could we all really be okay with having no real life social interaction, no real life sensations, no real life experiences, I believe this would lead to no real emotions, and then, would this really be a life?

I could go on and on and on and on and this may not have got my point across….but due to lack of sleep and the fact that I posted this after the deadline, I will officially end this here.

VIRTUAL COMMUNITY, OR NOT....THAT IS THE ?

Let me see, where do I even start......

After our class discussion on Tuesday, or I should say before, I thought I could easily define "community". Though I still feel I can, our class discussion left me pondering more than I wanted to about the actual definition, and how much gray area there is still left for interpretation.

So when asked the question what virtual communities I am a part of, I came up with the following: Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Second Life, Angel, and Blogger. Here comes the tricky part, after the discussion I felt myself wondering if these really were virtual communities or an extension of the physical ones I am truly a part of.

So for the sake of those of you who may not know much about these places/sites, probably far and few in between, I will offer some insight, at least pertaining to my life.

Myspace and Facebook are social networks. For me, they are an extension of myself that allow me to keep in contact with friends that I've known since I was younger or attended school with. It also helps me find people that I haven't seen since I was younger or attended school with. I have even befriended my fellow peers from college, as well as some of my professors. I even have friends that I've never met before. These two places allow me to stay "connected", meaning, I get to see what my "friends" are up to on a hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, depending on how often my "friends" are on these sites and update their statuses. The basic interactions I have within these communities are simple. I talk to friends, I comment on their pages, I update my status (because in my mind I feel I am greatly important and that people really care to know). I like seeing what my friends, peers, and professors are doing. It may be profound enough to make a difference in my life, or just might be slightly interesting.

Twitter and Second Life I am still a part of, in the sense that my account is still active, but I never get on them anymore. I merely joined them for class assignments.

The last two, Blogger and Angel, I am merely a part of because my professors said to, and participate in, and are solely for academic purposes.

So with all that said, our class discussion has left me to believe that the virtual communities I believe I am a part of, aren't really virtual communities at all, but extensions of the physical communities I am a part of. For the most part, I see most of the people I interact with on these sites, in real life. I see them at school, some are my neighbors, relatives, real friends that I hang out with regularly, and some that I talk to on the phone. These sites just give me another way to do that. The only one that would be virtual for me, if I did participate, would be Second Life and that's because you are able to choose an avatar and interact with other avatars that people have created without knowing their true identity, or if I know them outside that world. But for a lot of people out there, this is a better community for them to partake in. It leaves out the social angst and anxiety that comes along with trying to fit it. It allows people to interact with people they never thought they could, or would, for that matter, in real life.

I believe most people are capable to enter and navigate through these sights, if, you are computer literate. You have to know your way around a computer, search engines, what links to go to, and have some knowledge of online "lingo". Some barriers for people for the academic communities, are that you must be enrolled in school, specific classes, etc. We did touch base on the fact that some communities are specific on invitation, and relevancy to your life, what your likes and dislikes are, as well as access.

I believe that about wraps it up.....and whew....with 9 minutes to spare! :)

Cyberspace Baby!!!

Though I agreed with all ten definitions of cyberspace listed by Michael Benedikt, and liked them all, the one that grabbed me the most was:

Cyberspace: Its corridors form wherever electricity runs with intelligence. Its chambers

bloom wherever data gathers and is stored. Its depths increase with every image or word

or number, with every addition, every contribution, of fact or thought. Its horizons recede in every direction; it breathes larger, it complexifies, it embraces and involves. Billowing,

glittering, humming, coursing, a Borgesian library, a city; intimate, immense, firm, liquid,

recognizable and unrecognizable at once.

I was laying in bed thinking about this assignment and what I thought cyberspace meant. In my own words, it means infinite possibilities. Anyone and everyone's ideas thrown out into open space for most or all, to do with them what they like. Ideas made to be reproduced into better versions, worse versions, even similar versions. Cyberspace crosses boundaries, pushes the limits of thought, interaction, socializing, accessibility, technology, marketing and has endless possibilities. We love it, we hate it, we are scared by it, but we embrace it. Its a place to advance our ideas, beliefs, thoughts, interests, and reach people we could never expect, or dream of reaching. Its anything and everything all wrapped into one, intertwined, becoming what it couldn't have been yesterday, what it is today, and possibly, what it could be tomorrow. And above all, and nothing else, it's a beautiful thing!!!

PHENOMENAL WOMAN....

Why hellllllllllooooo to all....

My name is Adriana Naccarato and I am in my last semester before I am a DTC major and two semesters away from my Psych major. I am also a single mother of two of the most beautiful children you will ever set eyes upon!!! I work part-time for the City of Richland and am a social butterfly to say the least.

I enjoy all things art and love expressing myself in anyway that I can! I am an extremely outspoken, opinionated, and unique individual. I love my family and friends and any chance I get to be with them, I take it.

I love music....I love to dance.....I love to sing (even though I can't carry a tune)......I basically make my presence known, and you know what....I am okay with that! Some might think I'm loud, or obnoxious, or maybe even both....but I don't give a s*@$! This is me!!!