For my comparison project, I have chosen the following social networks:
Jumo
Jumo is used by nonprofit organizations to connect people who want to get involved in activism to causes that they care about.
last.fm
This is a social media network designed around the individual music tastes of each user.
*Update -
Instead of Jumo, I will be using Google Hotpot.
Google Hotpot is a business review site that allows users to connect with friends and get recommendations based on past reviews.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Collective Intelligence
Within the space found within the internet, a vast variety of humans with individual areas of expertise pull together to create one massive collaboration that forms a resource of collective intelligence useful for the community as a whole. The internet has revolutionized the way knowledge is obtained, stored, shared, and expressed. Google's latest endeavor to digitize every book ever written into an online category is further proof of this. In Chapter 1 of Convergence Culture, many thoughts are proposed about the essential nature of a collective intelligence found in our social structure. The reading argues that seeing a convergence of major media outlets and public mediums is an inherent movement in the rapid exchange of information being traded, created, and stored.
Henry Jenkins cites the media philosopher Pierre Levy by stating, "No one knows everything, everyone knows something, all knowledge resides in humanity" (Pg. 26). The reading goes on to say that "what we cannot know or do on our own, we may now be able to do collectively" (Pg. 27). It may be premature, but one can assume that if this book could be updated to represent our current social make up, this excerpt could end with, "we now are able to [know or do things] collectively." With the wealth of information presented within our abstract virtual world, it is incredible that individuals can access the collective intelligence of our society by merely turning on a computer screen and connecting to an internet source. Wikipedia is a phenomenal example of the "user-generated" content of the web that comes together to form somewhat of a collective intelligence resource.
The reading states that "the new knowledge culture has arisen as our ties to older forms of social community are breaking down" (Pg. 27). This point strikes a particularly relevant chord in every human that knew communication before smart phones. It certainly is a sign of the times that one can attend a movie that has historical implications and then learn more about those implications on a hand held device while they walk out of the theater. The old barriers to obtaining and contributing to a public display of collective intelligence are coming down, and our progress a society will be bother better off and worse off for it.
The internet poses a threat to the well being of our society in that it allows destructive ideas to be transmitted to a broader audience. If they are distributed enough, they may become a part of the shared knowledge that Jenkins refers to. This shared knowledge is beliefs that a group believes to be shared by all. "Misinformation can lead to more and more misconceptions," Jenkins says, and "any new insight is read against what the group believes to be core knowledge" (Pg. 28).
The information we consume and contribute in public mediums must be checked and held accountable lest we find misinformation wiggling its way into our core knowledge. Allowing this to happen allows us to skew the way we perceive the world to include a dangerous perspective.
Henry Jenkins cites the media philosopher Pierre Levy by stating, "No one knows everything, everyone knows something, all knowledge resides in humanity" (Pg. 26). The reading goes on to say that "what we cannot know or do on our own, we may now be able to do collectively" (Pg. 27). It may be premature, but one can assume that if this book could be updated to represent our current social make up, this excerpt could end with, "we now are able to [know or do things] collectively." With the wealth of information presented within our abstract virtual world, it is incredible that individuals can access the collective intelligence of our society by merely turning on a computer screen and connecting to an internet source. Wikipedia is a phenomenal example of the "user-generated" content of the web that comes together to form somewhat of a collective intelligence resource.
The reading states that "the new knowledge culture has arisen as our ties to older forms of social community are breaking down" (Pg. 27). This point strikes a particularly relevant chord in every human that knew communication before smart phones. It certainly is a sign of the times that one can attend a movie that has historical implications and then learn more about those implications on a hand held device while they walk out of the theater. The old barriers to obtaining and contributing to a public display of collective intelligence are coming down, and our progress a society will be bother better off and worse off for it.
The internet poses a threat to the well being of our society in that it allows destructive ideas to be transmitted to a broader audience. If they are distributed enough, they may become a part of the shared knowledge that Jenkins refers to. This shared knowledge is beliefs that a group believes to be shared by all. "Misinformation can lead to more and more misconceptions," Jenkins says, and "any new insight is read against what the group believes to be core knowledge" (Pg. 28).
The information we consume and contribute in public mediums must be checked and held accountable lest we find misinformation wiggling its way into our core knowledge. Allowing this to happen allows us to skew the way we perceive the world to include a dangerous perspective.
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