Marshall McLuhan, a celebrated New Media thinker claims that humans experience technology as extensions of our bodies, and as one part may be augmented by a specific technology, another may get amputated.
Let’s ponder this give & take.
Augmentation: First, list 4-5 specific ways that current digital technology empowers you and/or your community. For each list item, given an example and an explanation. Then find a quote from the reading to support your claim.
eg
- Social Media (Texting/What’s App) keeps me connected to family and friends who live far away.
For example, my sister is living with a Dutch family, and I text her a few times a week to all her persona; & family news; and my German friend (we met during high school exchange) and I also stay in touch via What’s App. [“Technology has transformed life in a myriad of ways, changing the ways we work, live and relax. It has benefited society in many ways such as advancing education, entertainment, communication and health” Source]
Amputation: Next , make a similar list of ways that digital technology reduces a skill, or capacity for you or your community. For each list item, given and example and an explanation. Then find a quote from the reading to support your claim.
Most of your quotes should come from the class reading, since our goal is to develop a common language and reference point to start us off. However if you have other sources, you may also use them. As we move ahead, you will be encouraged to add more of your own sources and research.
Create a post on the class website with your response, with the following post settings:
- Post Title: Journal 1 FirstL ( First=first name, L=last name initial)
- Post format: Standard
- Post category: Journal
- Featured Image: Find a relevant free image online and use it as a featured image
- Hit PUBLISH button to save your work. If you crash the browser, there’s usually an auto-save version from a few minutes before. Look for it under the sidemen under “all posts” and find your name.
- Optional: For any images you want to use in you post, use the “Add Media” button )with this option–but not for the featured image) you can use a URL for an image online rather than uploading one. The Media Library will have an “Insert from URL” link, so you can use any image online without copyright violations this way.