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.