What the Internet Consists of

The internet has many different purposes.  It is a way to connect with others or a way to enhance one's knowledge about almost anything.  It is a tool for good and evil and an information haven for people all around the world.  The internet makes new information almost too easy to access.  "The peoples right to know is much more easily fulfilled than it has ever been in the history of the world. We've come a long, long way and the information revolution is coming." (Culture and Communication)  In other words, because information is more accessible to the average person than it used to be, it has a greater affect on society in many ways.  One effect is mass fear.  This is caused by media showing people the horrors of the world that they may not necessarily otherwise.  For example, when Princess Diana died, people from all over the world were fearful and sad but also intrigued. "The Internet which became a bona fide news medium by the end of the 20th century, also proved to be a successful vehicle for covering the story of Diana's Death." (Culture and Communication)   The internet can be a way for millions to connect and come together.  In this case, people could mourn the loss of Princess Diana together.  With situations like these, the internet is constantly becoming bigger all the time, "research also showed that hundreds of thousands of internet users around the world turned to chat rooms and message boards to express their shock and share grief together.   Princess Diana's death is a prime example of how the internet is used to bring together groups of people to share the human spirit through a virtual way.

Technology Is Great. Or is it?

Many old questions can still be debated today. What comes first? The chicken, or the egg? This question can be taken into consideration when thinking about different kinds of art, like music, literature and film. For example, some say technology is assisting music too much, but what came first, the technology, or the musician?  Bill Drummond, an artist says, "The technology always comes first, then the artist comes along. The artist always comes after the technology." Bill Drummond, PressPausePlay.  In a very basic way this statement is true, with arguably every artist throughout history. VanGough could not paint his masterpieces if paint was never invented. However, can the artist overuse or mis-use the technology?  Evidence points to the answer being yes.  Nick Sansano, a music producer says, "Younger musicians and some older ones that I've seen rely too much on the technology. They give a subpar performance and expect the technology to compensate for it."

Nick Sansano, PressPausePlay.  Although  technology may make these musicians sound better, it leaves out room for human imperfections, that give art creative expression.  Moby, a well known artist says, "I like listening to Billy Holiday because there is vulnerability.  I get really almost intimidated and bored by perfect digital art." Moby PressPausePlay.  Perfection is something that is unnatural to humans.  If one feels "intimidated" by listening, one must feel "intimidated" or worse by creating it.  Technology may have always come before the artist, but does the artist create technology that can be considered art itself?  Time can only tell.

As the internet changes and evolves, so do people.  When someone uses the internet it leaves an electronic footprint thus building a larger picture called an (e)dentity.  In an article written about (e)dentity, Stephanie Vie explains what her definition of an (e)dentity is, " "(e)dentity, an electronic identity composed of the digital traces left behind as we participate in virtual worlds." Stephanie Vie, Your (e)dentity.  One can choose what kind of persona they would like to become in a virtual world. Someone may portray an (e)dentity online who they may not truly be.  Another problem with an (e)dentity is that it is a violation of privacy. "When the news feed feature was introduced in September 2006, thousands of users were outraged, concerned that changes in their relationships, conversations with other users and so on were now immediately visible to everyone else in their network." Stephanie Vie, Your (e)dentity.  People feel their privacy is invaded.  It is almost like living in a big city -vs- a small town. In a city people don't really have an idea of what is going on in the life of people around them however in a small town people know every detail about each other's lives.

(E)dentities, of course, can also be good.  For example, if a music group is just starting their career and needs to promote themselves, it could be used as an effective promotional tool.  (E)entities can also represent a community.  It can  be used to send a message, "An event that clearly illustrated both the power and the limitations of social media was the flood of rapid reactions to the shooting of U.S. congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords."  When people form a community to send a message through social media, it makes a massive virtual footprint, and an even greater (e)dentity.

Forgiving Forgetting

Humans are forced to pay for what their ancestors have given to them.  Why should one have to pay? Why should one want to forgive themselves or their ancestors?  As Thomas says in the beginning of the film Smoke Signals;  "How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever."
Born into pain.  People cannot simply choose their lives. Thomas says in Smoke Signals "You know, there are some children who art really children at all. Theory just pillars of flame that burn every thing they touch. And there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that they fall apart if you'd touch em. Me and victor, we were children of flame and ash. Someone that is born into pain is typically very weak. and as a result of that, they may feel like they destroy every thing around them or get destroyed by every thing around them emotionally.  One way to heal from this situation is to simply not take anything that has happened in the past or is currently happening too seriously. To recognize it, but not pick at it. Thomas is a good example of this, because even though he lost both of his parents, he does not let it get to him. He understands it happened, but does not focus on the facts too much. "Sometimes its a good day to die, sometimes its a good day to eat breakfast" He is starting out by saying something depressing and serious, but ending with a way to bring things back to a lighthearted place which his mind is in. There is a time in every ones life, when they must come to understand an emotional wound and why it happened. That is where the journey of healing begins.

It has been proven that Human communication is the hardest thing people do on a daily basis. Why? Several reasons. One being that it depends on the outlook that person has, meaning their mood. When someones outlook is bad it projects on someone else, giving them a bad outlook, the cycle continues. It shows a great example of this in the film Smoke Signals, Arnold Joseph has been racially profiled his whole life giving him a bad outlook "Back then Arnold Joseph was a hippy but that was ok because back then most hippies were trying to be Indians any way!" Therefore projecting these thoughts on his son Victor Joseph, and eventually leaving his family as a result. This makesVictor bitter, and gives him a bad outlook on life. Victor is usually trying to spread his outlook on other people like Thomas for example but he can seem to get through to him. Thomas says "Hey Victor Hows your Dad?"  Which only seems to make Victor's outlook even worse by binging back  memories about his father he wanted to vanish. Why would Thomas do that? he simply did not know. This is another reason why communication is hard. People simply do not know what other people will get offended by. Although Victors father was an alcoholic, that is something he did not pass down to his son. Victor says "I don't drink, never had a drop of alcohol in my life, not a drop." His father taught him not to drink by being a bad example. This is important, however still leaves him with emotional wounds. There are reasons why Communication is hard for Humans, but the benefits outweigh the negatives. By communicating, one can heal.