Lecture 10 - New Media Ecology? / Summary of the Course Themes

Lecture 10 – The Invisible Environmment

I found today’s lecture great. In the last two weeks my appreciation and understanding of the Internet culture has expanded. As Adam pointed out, the invisible world is something we rarely think about unless our attention is drawn to it. And this is how it was for me regarding the Internet. I had never really considered a lot of what we looked at in this course. I now feel more interested in the impact technology is having on our world and our culture. I like the idea that we need to study the media environment to make sure it is OK and healthy for us as a human species.

The Invisible World (Environment)
When you notice the invisible it is an anti environment event. The present is always invisible because it is environmental, because it saturates the whole field of attention. For example, the goldfish’s environment is imperceptible to it, because he is immersed in it. The water is the fishes medium (environment). Changes in the medium can have significant impacts on the environment.

LOL Internet Video: Theme was to create a video that encompasses the Internet. Winner of the Blog party
Online dating. Spoof on the potential for self misinterpretation on social media.

Media Ecology
Technology used socially becomes a medium. How do the media and our life fit together? This study can be defined as media ecology. Ecology biotics living stuff – abiotic non living (symbolic, abstract environment) Invisible factors shape aspects of our life. Our environment is invisible. Media ecology – looks at media. Is it healthy?

Marshall McLuhan – media are all the human means of expression and conveying meaning. Media is an extensions of man’s sensorium – e.g. camera is an extension of the eye. Further the circuit board is an extension of our nervous system. The PC an extension of our brain.
In media studies there are hot and cold medium. For example television is considered a cold medium because of the passive nature of watching TV. On the other hand the Internet is a hot medium – active.

Medium is the message
The content of the media is shaped by the media. New medium takes the old medium as its content e.g. Radio > TV
Society is ruled by technology we’d be helpless if technology was taken away.
Technology is bigger than the some of its parts
Medium is the technology within which a culture grows. That is to say it gives form to a culture’s politics, social organization and habitual ways of thinking.
If our language changes our way of thinking changes.
PC is very visually operated. What would a computer look like if operated by sound?


Laws of the media – Tetrad
By looking at and creating tetrads of our everyday technology, we increase our awareness of our surroundings and environment. By studying how and with what tools we use to navigate our day-to-day lives, we can come to a clearer understanding of how we shape technology and vice versa.

New medium – enhances prev. medium you tube
What does it retrieve from older medium
What does it make obsolete
What does it reverse or flip when pushed to the extreme

Again this exposed me to a different perception of technology. A very enjoyable and illuminating course.