Comments on: Toward a New Theory of Media http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/ McLuhan meets Raymond Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:51:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Robert K. Blechman http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-188 Robert K. Blechman Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:03:40 +0000 http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-188 I don't know if you are familiar with the Media Ecology Association. If not, I recommend you take a look at their website at http://www.media-ecology.org/. McLuhan and Paglia are considered patron saints of Media Ecology. At my own website, "A Model Media Ecologist," I address many of the same issues regarding media and technology that you discuss in your post. In addition, as someone involved in information technology management, I am keenly interested in the whole open source movement. My take on open source it is the ultimate expression of power that was latent in previous mass media. As Neil Postman was fond of pointing out, any new technology creates winners and losers. Some benefit from the new social and cultural institutions created by the technology and some are harmed by them. Prior technologies were able to harness the power of the mass audience in order to propagate cultural memes and sell consumer products. With two-way computer-based communication, the masses can take control of this power. Open source, as an expression of this transformation, will find expression, not just in software publishing, Youtube and wikipedias, but in every facet of life. Blogs, for example, represent the ultimate mass expression of publishing, one without gatekeepers. This lack of gatekeeping also creates issues with content verification. My take is that a new ethics is being created concerning truth in posting. Just as in oral cultures, a person's word had to be his/her bond, in the open source age, multiple contributors will insure the accuracy of what is posted. To post an obvious falsehood may discredit the poster (or the poster's avatar) permanently. I don’t know if you are familiar with the Media Ecology Association. If not, I recommend you take a look at their website at http://www.media-ecology.org/. McLuhan and Paglia are considered patron saints of Media Ecology.

At my own website, “A Model Media Ecologist,” I address many of the same issues regarding media and technology that you discuss in your post. In addition, as someone involved in information technology management, I am keenly interested in the whole open source movement.

My take on open source it is the ultimate expression of power that was latent in previous mass media. As Neil Postman was fond of pointing out, any new technology creates winners and losers. Some benefit from the new social and cultural institutions created by the technology and some are harmed by them. Prior technologies were able to harness the power of the mass audience in order to propagate cultural memes and sell consumer products. With two-way computer-based communication, the masses can take control of this power. Open source, as an expression of this transformation, will find expression, not just in software publishing, Youtube and wikipedias, but in every facet of life. Blogs, for example, represent the ultimate mass expression of publishing, one without gatekeepers. This lack of gatekeeping also creates issues with content verification. My take is that a new ethics is being created concerning truth in posting. Just as in oral cultures, a person’s word had to be his/her bond, in the open source age, multiple contributors will insure the accuracy of what is posted. To post an obvious falsehood may discredit the poster (or the poster’s avatar) permanently.

]]> By: James Kinniburgh http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-171 James Kinniburgh Sat, 25 Aug 2007 01:03:30 +0000 http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-171 My own work for the last five years has been focused on this particular issue. I think W.L. Bennett's model of the mediasphere provides a good starting point. (See http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/mit4/papers/scott.pdf). After five years of pondering the issue, I am convinced that any theory of the new media must necessarily describe, explain and predict the set of interactions between technological networks and human social networks, and the flow of information through them. Accordingly, I think a study of informational epidemiology, a la Malcolm Gladwell's work certainly should play a role, as should Jung's concepts of synchronicity and the collective unconscious. I am excited to have discovered this site, and hope to learn from and contribute to the discussions and ideas to be posted here. My own work for the last five years has been focused on this particular issue. I think W.L. Bennett’s model of the mediasphere provides a good starting point. (See http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/mit4/papers/scott.pdf).

After five years of pondering the issue, I am convinced that any theory of the new media must necessarily describe, explain and predict the set of interactions between technological networks and human social networks, and the flow of information through them.

Accordingly, I think a study of informational epidemiology, a la Malcolm Gladwell’s work certainly should play a role, as should Jung’s concepts of synchronicity and the collective unconscious. I am excited to have discovered this site, and hope to learn from and contribute to the discussions and ideas to be posted here.

]]> By: admin http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-3 admin Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:28:40 +0000 http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-3 I am honored by you being my first commenter Richard because I think your work clearly deals with the serious social consequences of media manipulation in a time of war. I hope we can work together in some mutually satisfactory way.I have noticed that you work is more empirical while recognizing you were thinking along similar lines. It is very late here in Perth, so I will write more when I am awake! Thanks again. I am honored by you being my first commenter Richard because I think your work clearly deals with the serious social consequences of media manipulation in a time of war. I hope we can work together in some mutually satisfactory way.I have noticed that you work is more empirical while recognizing you were thinking along similar lines. It is very late here in Perth, so I will write more when I am awake! Thanks again.

]]> By: Richard Landes http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-2 Richard Landes Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:55:56 +0000 http://newmediatheory.net/2007/06/04/toward-a-new-theory-of-media/#comment-2 this looks extremely interesting. i'm honored and delighted to have both my sites on your opening blogroll, since in my own empirical way, i'm calling for the same thing, if less theoretically focused. i read and greatly enjoyed norman o brown as an undergraduate (along with m. mcluhan, freud and jung (indeed i can trace back my interest in apocalyptic millennialism to brown's reflections in Life Against Death. i look forward to seeing how your project develops and participating if i can. this is not only a difficult task, but an enormously important one. this looks extremely interesting. i’m honored and delighted to have both my sites on your opening blogroll, since in my own empirical way, i’m calling for the same thing, if less theoretically focused. i read and greatly enjoyed norman o brown as an undergraduate (along with m. mcluhan, freud and jung (indeed i can trace back my interest in apocalyptic millennialism to brown’s reflections in Life Against Death.

i look forward to seeing how your project develops and participating if i can. this is not only a difficult task, but an enormously important one.

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