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Socialization Across the Life Course: Society, Media and Technology Chapter 5 and 8 / ZOOM / BB CLASS
Read the following sections from OpenStax Text book
- Socialization Across A Life Course
- Technology Today
- Media and Technology
- Media and Technology in Society
- Global Implications of Technology
- Theoretical Perspectives on technology
Discussion Questions: Respond to any 3 of the following 5 questions.
- Is Gerhard Lenski right in classifying societies based on technological advances? What other criteria might be appropriate, based on what you have read?
- In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
- Do you believe that technology has indeed flattened the world in terms of providing opportunity? Why, or why not? Give examples to support your reason.
- Where and how do you get your news? Do you watch network television? Read the newspaper? Go online? How about your parents or grandparents? Do you think it matters where you seek out information? Why, or why not?
- How have digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connections? Defend your answer.
Participation
Respond to TWO different colleagues post on Media, Technology and Society.
Watch the following videos
1) How We Got Here: Crash Course Sociology #12
2) Socialization Across A Life Course
3) Intro to Sociology: Mass Media
4) The Impact of Social Media on Society: Good or Bad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO2onZwxBkM
6) TECHNOLOGY: Are we designing a less social society?
7) Introduction to Media Literacy: Crash Course Media Literacy #1
Alicia Moya
2. In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
Social media affects my day to day life by the ways that I communicate, get my news and information, shop and even eat. When most of the things you do are online it creates a reality within itself outside of actual reality. I am sure we can all agree that the internet world is different from the real world. People online will say and do things that they necessarily won’t do in real life. Often times, when people get their news and information online there are chances when you get false information that affects your views of the real world. Furthermore, the internet and social media can create a false reality and detach you from society therefore it is important to limit usage.
3. Do you believe that technology has indeed flattened the world in terms of providing the opportunity? Why, or why not? Give examples to support your reason.
I do believe that technology “flattened” the world in terms of providing an opportunity to anyone who has access to it. The key to equality is to give everyone the same opportunity and the internet offers countless support and educational tools. For example, people from all over the world who work from home or online are able to gain an income the same goes for disabled students who are unable to physically make it to class; the internet makes it possible for those students to gain their education. However, at the same time, not everyone can afford the tools to access the internet and that in itself will create a discrepancy in opportunity.
5. How have digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connections? Defend your answer
The nature of social interaction has changed as technological advances have provided new methods of contact. I believe that there a negative and positive effects of these changes. When interacting online we loose things such as normal human to human connection as well and misunderstandings with communication. Constantly interacting online can also cause feelings of isolation and social anxiety and we loose many social skills. However, the ability to talk to anyone anywhere through digital media and the internet allows many to interact and chat with family and friends who are geographically separated.
Taniyah Gray
I agree with your answer to the last question. You stated “the ability to talk to anyone anywhere through digital media and the internet allows many to interact and chat with family and friends who are geographically separated”. During this time period now, digital media has deepen tremendously. Due to the fact that we’re currently social distancing. So just a quick FaceTime , or even a zoom call, and your in contact with your family and friends less than 30 seconds.
Ihor Holubenko
2. In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
With the advent of the Internet, people become more aware of current global events. The Internet allows us to look at events from different angles, select more reliable facts and create a real picture of what is happening.
3. Do you believe that technology has indeed flattened the world in terms of providing opportunity? Why, or why not? Give examples to support your reason.
Technology helps in the development of rational thinking and thinking about progressive action. Modern technology is a training tool and a guide to action, which in turn freed the human brain from the primary stages of thinking. An example of this is distance learning.
5. How have digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connections? Defend your answer.
Digital media has completely revolutionized social interactions between people. Humanity has ceased to express emotions and show feelings. A striking example of this is social networks, where information is an irrefutable statement of facts. I am sure that this is the beginning of the destruction of human relations.
jennifer sosa
2. In what ways has the internet affect how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
There are many ways the internet has affected how I view reality. An example of how it has affected the way I view reality is that I can personally have a way of viewing a certain situation or topic and then go to social media and everyone has their own way of seeing that same situation or topic. Even though I personally may not always agree with everyones way of viewing that situation. It does help me see other peoples perspective I didn’t even think of before and this tend to give me a better understanding of that situation or topic it can even lead to change my views on that certain situations.
4. Where and how do you get your news? do you watch tv? read the news paper? go online? how about your parents or grandparents? do you think it matters where yo seek out information?
The places where I tend to get mostly all my news is through social media, I do not watch the news . And when I find news out on social media I tend to look it up after and check if it is real news or fake news and I make sure the articles I read the information from is from are a reliable source like the New York times etc. My parents and grandparents find their news out through watching television and watching the news channels. I feel like does not matter where you get your news from as long as it is a reliable source. Even though the news channel seem like a more reliable source they tend to only tell you so much, that if you wanna get into the depths of the news it better to read about it in an article.
5.How has digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connection? Defend your answer.
The digital media has drastically changed social interactions with in society because now a days people are more invested and glued to there devices and are more focussed on what’s going on in social media then what’s going on around them. I believe that in one way social media has weakened human connection because people are more emotionally invested to social media and keeping up with the next trend. And because social media people may tend to create or promote this different persona wether it be about their economic status to their day to day lives almost as putting up a front for others to see. As well as making it easier to say whatever through a screen but in person you may not alway have that same connection as you thought you did through social media. but I also feel like social media helps people stay in touch with one another so in a way it hasn’t completely weakened interactions.
Taniyah Gray
My grandparents watch the news as well. I guess their generation is more comfortable with listening to what’s going on in the world, rather than reading all about it. Although, they have that option as well. I agree with you when you said “ I feel like it does not matter where you get yours news from, as long as it’s a reliable source”. As long as you can rely on the information that’s given to you, then it should not matter.
Ursula
1) Is Gerhard Lenski right in classifying societies based on technological advances? What other criteria might be appropriate, based on what you have read?
Gerhard Lenski’s idea classifying societies based on technological advances was sort of right because he had the right idea in what this world needed and what was yet to come, yet technology cannot advance anyone in making peace in this world and it increases global warming and other negative things that’s happening. It also increased inequality because ponce you advance in technology you also advance in inequality. Marx’s idea was also like Lenski’s idea, but he enforced revolution. Weber was the same, but he focused on the idea as a whole. Ideas and technology were crucial to modern capitalism. Durkheim was on a totally different head space he believed one hand washes the other, so they all needed each other to honestly create this world we live in.
2) In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
Internet has affected my reality in many different ways because on social media people tend to put on a certain persona and act like their lives are all happy go lucky but in reality, that rarely occurs. But in this epidemic the internet has helped us a lot in doing homework and communicating with one another, but the news has made us paranoid in many different occasions and have made us panic and loose sense of reality which internet tends to do a lot.
1. Do you believe that technology has indeed flattened the world in terms of providing opportunity? Why, or why not? Give examples to support your reason.
Technology has not flattened the world in terms of providing opportunity because now everything is honestly on the internet you can go in a fast food chain just about 5 years ago and were able to fill out a job application right then and there but, now the process is simply online. Throughout this epidemic everything has been through the internet working, gong to school and every day to-day has been made possible because of the internet. That increased opportunity because without some type of technology in this day in age we would not be able to communicate with one another.
Jayson Tirado
2)In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective.
I grew up right when the internet was made publicly available. So my life changed drastically as it was implemented to the mainstream. Today everything is available to you literally at the palm of your hand. You need directions? Google maps. You want to contact someone ? Text/whats app/ face time them. Your hungry? There’s many apps that deliver food right to your door. This was not the case 30 years ago. Back then you would have to manually do any of those things, whether it was getting a map or writing someone a letter or getting up to either cook or go to a restaurant. The internet has made everything simpler , quick, and convenient.
4) Where and how do you get your news? Do you watch network television? Read the newspaper? Go online? How about your parents or grandparents? Do you think it matters where you seek out information? Why, or why not?
I personally get my news from a couple of news websites. Just for the speed and convenience of it. I don’t have time to watch network tv, and as far as news papers I would read local ones as I would commute to work or school, A: cause they were free and B: crossword puzzles , they weren’t my “go to” source as far as news. My grandparents still read the paper and watch national tv just cause tha’ts what there used to. There stuck in there ways. I believe especially with the way information is ready available to people weather it be through apps or someone reposting articles on social media its EXTREMELY important to look at multiple sources for your news and information just because many news sources are biased in the way they spread news. Many tend to lean more to the left or to the right so i think seeing both sides of a story is important.
5)How have digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connections? Defend your answer.
Digital media has changed social interaction drastically. Now of days people can be heard all over the world. While i feel it has some positive aspects, specifically someone who’s normally shy and timid can go on a site like twitter , Reddit, Instagram or whatever and make his voice heard. It also has a lot of bad aspects to it. Online bullying is a huge thing now of days because people aren’t afraid of consequences due to being hidden behind a keyboard. You also have people pretending to be someone else (cat fishing) and scamming people. I believe this weakens human connections because were not getting a personal connection with people were communicating through a screen. Its harder to show emotion when not face to face.
Taniyah Gray
1.) Is Gerhard Lenski right in classifying societies based on technological advances? What other criteria might be appropriate, based on what you have read?
Gerhard Lenski is right in classifying societies based on technological advances because it shows how well these societies are changing and adapting with the current times. Lenski describes that if a society is more industrialized society, there is more control “over the impact of their surroundings and thus develop different cultural features”. But is control all we need for success? Yes with technology we are able to produce more, we are able to sell more, we are able to make more, but is industrialization all that makes up a society? I think there is much more to societies rather then how advanced our technology is. There are factors such as how big our population is, how much will the population continue to grow based on the health of our society, how culturally connected are society is to the values and beliefs of people. You can have all the machines and technology in the world but if you don’t have alive healthy individuals, you don’t have a society. However, one thing that I do believe should be pretty consistent in all societies is a stable economy. Whether it be from trading goods or producing manufactured goods, a stable economy will help keep a stable society. So overall, yes I do believe that technology does play a huge part in the classifying of society, but I don’t believe it should take credit for classifying all societies. Some societies are not advanced in technology at all. Are they not considered a society? If we ask people in contemporary society, some may say that they can not live without the internet, smart phones, and other everyday technology that we have become use to. However, we have lived and prospered without this technology for thousands and thousands of years. Some societies still live off of the hunter-gatherer approach to living. They live a natural and sustainable life. I believe that as long as societies are stable, healthy, and thriving in the practices that they have in their culture, whether is be centered around technology or not, they should be considered a healthy and successful society.
2.) How have digital media changed social interactions? Do you believe it has deepened or weakened human connections? Defend your answer.
Digital media is any form of media represented in machine readable form, for example Digital Images, Digital Videos, Software, Video Games, Web Pages, Web sites, Social Media Sites, Databases, Digital Audio, Digital Books, Digital Libraries, etc. The advancement in digital world has brought many changes in the way people interact now. Social Interactions have changed drastically. People are now more busy in their digital world than in the real world. People interact less in real world and interact more in the digital world. In my opinion, the Digital media interaction has weakened the human connections. No doubt, it has allowed people to interact with new people form any part of the world, but it has drastically lessen the amount of time people spend with each other in real environment. I personally believe that the use of digital media should be restricted in order to have more interactions between people who are sitting next to each other, rather than getting busy in the digital world through their handy gadgets everywhere they go.
3.) Where and how do you get your news? Do you watch network television? Read the newspaper? Go online? How about your parents or grandparents? Do you think it matters where you seek out information? Why, or why not?
Unfortunately, I watch the News. Which can be very depressing, because 80% of the information that’s given to us is always negative. I do not read the newspapers because the same thing is brought up on the News. My grandparents also watch the News. Ever since COVID19 spreaded, my grandmother actually convinced me to watch it more frequently. Yes, I do believe it does matter where you seek out information. Why? Because wrong information can also get around just as quick as information that is actually true. For example, I don’t believe some things that are brought up on social media. People would listen to what someone said and tell someone else the information by adding their little “ input “ to it.
Yeuris Pimentel
In what ways has the Internet affected how you view reality? Explain using a symbolic interactionist perspective. If I never had the internet I would barely know about any other lifestyle or existence of other people. I wouldn’t even have much of my own opinion if it weren’t for other opinions influencing mine.
Do you believe that technology has indeed flattened the world in terms of providing opportunity? Why, or why not? Give examples to support your reason.
Technology has messed with a lot of opportunities like making some jobs worthless and replacing them with new ones. But with other opportunities like gaining information/news or meeting new people.
Where and how do you get your news? Do you watch network television? Read the newspaper? Go online? How about your parents or grandparents? Do you think it matters where you seek out information? Why, or why not?
I get my news from watching it online and rarely watching it on network TV. I’ve read the newspaper a few times and my mother also just gets her news from others and online. Where I search for information can matter because of possible bias within news or outright fake news.
Jessica Perez
HOW HAS DIGITAL MEDIA CHANGE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS?
Social media change social interactive as for example many now rather communicate digitally rather than meet up personally with each other.It change how many prefer to communicate now.Digital media has influence many for example staying updated and interactive with friends and family.It also influence connecting with friends and family that you can’t see because they far away from you.As well the benefit of having many people on your social media and not being limited.I believe in my opinion that Social media takes away the mean of creating memories many prefer to watch something live of other family members instead of being there.I also believe that it weakens the beauty of memories coming together and it weakens the beauty of verbally and emotionally communicating while you can’t do that over social media except now we have replace our emotions with emojis.As well it also brings people to be lazy, now many become lazy to leave they house so instead would prefer to now FaceTime or make calls and now all that does is express facilitates laziness.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE INTERNET AFFECTED HOW YOU VIEW REALITY?
In my own opinion i will definitely agree that Social media has affected in so many ways on my life style it has it pros and cons of advantages and disadvantages that it causes.One pro is that social media affected me as in it show me how much places there are to explore and the advantages of going to places and as well how people take time out there day to give they feedback.One con although would be that sometimes i can hate the internet because of graphic,violent,cruel videos that are allowed on social media.It affects me emotionally and mentally because it disturbing that another human being pain or violence of a person is allowed on social media and at times it makes me sick or could make cry to know that how in reality no one does nothing.As well as viewing disturbing comments or bullying has affected me emotionally because the internet is where you find anything and the fact internet takes a big toll on social interacting and not enough privacy or prevention is enable brings so many physically emotions to us today.An the ideal of how society reacts to the internet behavior is unbelievable many prefer to share or comment or react to violence and sexual conducts and disturbing videos has become the symbolic interactionist of today society.
WHERE AND HOW DO YOU GET YOUR NEWS? DO YOU WATCH NETWORK TELEVISION ?READ THE NEWSPAPER?GO ONLINE?DO YOU THINK IT MATTERS WHERE WE SEEK OUR INFORMATION FROM?WHY OR WHY NOT?
To be honest i think since i created social media i never watched the news and if i found out about anything it was through social media or through a relative or friend.It is bad but i can say for many social media has become the place to go to find news or to be alerted about something.I definitely don’t reads the newspaper and that is terrible because plenty of times we lean on social media for information and we don’t get the the accurate information we get false because we lazy to watch tv or pick up a news paper. My parents do watch the tv and they do not like to lean on social media because they feel many have the liberty to post whatever they want and cause many to react on something that not true.I believe it does matter where we seek our information from because spreading false information can cause you to worry about things that aren’t true as well it can build emotional thoughts that aren’t true. I believe receiving your information from legit source news station brings secure that the information is accurate and true.