Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay

Topic: How technology changes personal connections/privacy through writing. Is technology bringing people in our society closer together or forcing them to drift farther apart?

Our society has changed dramatically as a result of the new revolution of technologies in regards to writing. Some people view the changes in writing as being negative because it affects personal connections and privacy. Others view the change as being a beneficial growth in the society by connecting people on a new level. The changes in personal connections through writing as a result of technology have brought people in our society closer together along with a lack of privacy. There are seven readings that discuss how technology changes personal connections and privacy through writing. The readings are “Wikipedia article,” “Electronic Literature,” Collins, "Friend Game," Rheingold, "Flash mobs," Hayles, “Hyper and Deep Attention,” "I ♥ novels," and Jay Bolter’s and Richard Grusin’s, “Remediation.”

Wikipedia is a technological space that invites everyone to contribute. According to Nicholson Baker in The Charms of Wikipedia, “It was constructed, in less than eight years, by strangers who disagreed about all kinds of things but who were drawn to a shared, not-for-profit purpose.” This statement shows how technology has allowed writing to become shared by “strangers,” by bringing them together for a common interest. On the other hand, Wikipedia also has a negative side, which is vandalism. Due to the openness of Wikipedia, vandals have the opportunity to alter any information a person writes on the space, which eliminates a sense of privacy. Nicholson states, “A piece of antivandalism software, VoABot II, reverted that edit, with a little sigh, less than a minute after it was made,” where he is commenting on vandalism to an article posted on Wikipedia about Bedbugs.

The Electronic Literature Collection is a space that includes various types of digital writing formats. There are a number of authors, all who create unique designs for displaying their literature. Once again, this space allows even strangers to be brought together to share a common interest. However, what you are reading is available to everyone else on the internet as well and you are no longer confined to your bedroom, under the covers with a flashlight type of reading.

“Friend Game” by Lauren Collins is a shocking article that explained the unfortunate suicide of a teenage girl due to online bullying. A thirteen year old girl named Megan Meier committed suicide due to several messages sent by a boy, “Josh Evans,” who became her friend on MySpace. Josh Evans was a fictional character created by neighbors of the Meiers. Social networking sites allow people to write their opinions and interests for all others of their choice to view.

Lauren Collins states, “On MySpace, and on other social networking sites, such as Friendster and Facebook, a person can project a larger, more confident self, a nervy collection of favorite music, books, quotations, pleasures, and complaints.” This statement seems to enhance the idea that technology has changed connections through writing by allowing them to be more open. Collins also states, “Unlike Facebook, MySpace does not require its users to identify themselves with a first and a last name, so there is little illusion, even, that a profile possesses any direct correspondence to a flesh-and-blood individual.” Therefore, MySpace and other social networking sites still allow privacy to their users; however, there is still the idea that the personal connections are dead because online social writing can be a means of hiding a person’s true individuality.

“Smart Mobs: The Power of the Mobile Many” by Howard Rheingold is an article that discusses how a small message of digital writing can be addressed to a large group of a people at one time. When people are informed about a flash mob, they receive a form of digital writing or a text message, which allows them to gain the needed information about the event, while being able to send that information to even more people. This in a sense is bringing people closer together because it is creating a big, fast connection. Rheingold states, “What if smart mobs could empower populations to engage in peer-to-peer journalism?” If this question became true, people would be able to create large amounts of connections with others across the world. However, the privacy factor still remains the same. There is no clarification that only a certain group of people will attend the flash mob at the required time. Anyone can gain the information, which therefore requires a flash mob to never be private or personal. Our society is being brought closer together, but with no personal stamina.

“Hyper and Deep Attention: The Generational Divide in Cognitive Modes” by Katherine Hayles depicts the ideas of multitasking, mindsets, and education. Multitasking has changed the personal connections through writing by opening up the imaginations of individuals and enhancing brainstorming skills. While people are multitasking they can do research, listen to music, talk to others, and much more, which is once again, allowing people to always stay connected with one another. Hayles states, “We are in the midst of a generational shift in cognitive styles that poses challenges to education at all levels, including colleges and universities.” The University of Southern California is trying new methods that incorporate technology to enhance the participation skills of students through writing. This is allowing the students to gain greater connections with other classmates and teachers, but there is still a lack of privacy.

“I ♥ novels” by Dana Goodyear is an article about how the use of a cell phone in writing has become a new genre. Goodyear states, “The medium—unfiltered—unedited— is revolutionary, opening the closed ranks of the literary world to anyone who owns a mobile phone.” Therefore, phone novels are allowing people to be revealed to the real, uncut world of writing. It is bringing anyone who has a cell phone closer together by connecting them through a small digital piece of technology. However, this leaves out the privacy and the old mindset of pen and paper writing, and instead of being personalized, it is becoming universalized.

“At the same time, even the most hyper mediated productions strive for their own brand of immediacy,” states Jay Bolter and Richard Grusin in “Introduction: The Double Logic of Remediation.” This statement concludes the idea about the ways technology changes personal connections and privacy through writing. Even the most advanced advertisements, music videos, movies, and other forms of media use technology to bring people closer together, while still maintaining a crucial need for intimacy.

The changes in personal connections through writing as a result of technology have brought people in our society closer together along with a lack of privacy. It is important for people to take advantage of technologies to enhance communication and ties with other people. However, there is still a great need for privacy and personalization. There is a great hope that people will continue to individualize their uniqueness without causing our society to drift farther apart from one another.