Once upon a time, children grew up and learned about their world by listening to parents, family and friends (and other societal institutions like the church). If you were lucky you got to meet the people in the next village.
Thanks to Johannes Gutenberg, we added reading to that list: the world got a little bigger. Late in the 19th century, the Lumiere Brothers projected motion pictures, and in 1925 John Logie Baird’s television appeared up in Selfridge’s, and so it was that in 1969 they brought “the moon right down to our sitting room”.
We could see the entire globe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sundays-staticandsilence.jpg
Professor John Branch (2009) sees globalisation as an evolutionary process and key themes of interconnectedness, information dissemination and interdependency would have also been applicable two hundred years ago. Of the many definitions of globalisation, intensification is the uniting thread. It is the increasing speed, reach and involvedness that are major characteristics of this current phase of globalisation.
Thompson (1995 cited in Rantanen 2005) puts the question, “how do developments of media and communications affect traditional patterns of social interaction?” and to find an answer I interviewed Mr19 and Ms17 about their interaction with the global world.
(Image: M Stuart, January 2012)
He says now that “the global online world gave [him] a chance to get involved in communities that were not easily accessible to [him], but now are.”
Ms17 enjoys the variety of entertainment available in the mediated online environment.
“Currently I use it for downloading music, watching YouTube videos, sharing art and writing on deviantART. Browsing the Internet increases my interests" and "allows me to connect/ relate to more closely with some of my friends," she says.
The things that humans have always looked for, such as social relationships, identity and information, are still sought after, but it is clear that it is now the mediated world that is having a significant impact on social interaction.
References:
Branch, J 2009, 'Understanding the Global Economy', University of Chicago Centre for International Studies podcast,
https://itunes.apple.com/au/itunes-u/understanding-global-economy/id426476799 accessed 18 July 2013
Rantanen, T 2005, ‘Theorizing media and globalization’, Media and globalization 2005, Sage Publications, London, pp. 1-18
A very interesting analysis of the increasing influence of new media on social interactions in todays world. Linking the elements of "interconnectedness, information dissemination and interdependency" with the 'evolution' of globalisation provides an accurate overview of the reoccurring themes in the globalisation process.
ReplyDeleteYour interview with Mr19 and Ms17 contextualises the idea of 'connection' in the digital/online world, highlighting several aspects of the online environment I often find myself participating in. Social interaction is being increasingly influenced by online technologies but as you highlighted above; "social relationships, identity and information" has always been of key human interest.
Hi Mary-Anne,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I would like to congratulate you on delivering such an effective blog piece. From the very beginning you grab the audience’s attention and engage with the topic in an creative way. The set out is clean and easy to read.
I liked your focus on how new media has affected traditional patterns of social interaction. The interview with Mr19 and Ms17 illustrates how there can be different types of social interaction online and also different reasons for participating. Everybody has their own ways of communicating and connecting in the now mediated world so it was nice to see that the blog reflected this.
Finally, the way you were able to draw similarities between traditional and new forms of interaction (i.e the desire for social relationships, idenity and information) was very well done.
I look forward to reading more of your posts.
HI Mary-Anne.
ReplyDeleteI think you have done a fantastic job of pointing out the ways in which our interconnectedness plays a large part in media and globalisation. I too believe that our current existence is heavily mediated by the media. Globalisation has played a significant part in the way in which we communicate both internally and externally in this day and age.
I found it interesting that your interviewee pointed out the fact that he utilises his virtual space by "using the online world to combat a sense of isolation and otherness.” It's funny how we as humans create these virtual realities to communicate, and also separate ourselves from reality simultaneously.
Hi Mary-Anne, I really enjoyed this blog post. I like how you open with a little bit of a history lesson and then move on to the present day and how your children (I hope I am assuming correctly here) interact with the global world. The post is referenced really well, each reference complements your arguments accordingly. The grabs from Mr19 and Ms17 are relevant to the overall ideas behind the post. However you could have perhaps included a little on your own personal experiences in comparison to Mr19 and Ms17. This may have added a little more depth to the piece. That said it was an enjoyable and easy read.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary-Anne, this was a very insightful post. I really enjoyed your opening summary of globalisation and its evolution as a learning tool, very interesting points to contemplate and phrased really well.
ReplyDeleteThe Professor John Branch podcast you linked was really well thought out and specifically relevant to your opening in defining globalisation as humans evolving.
I loved the format you used in jumping ahead in time to Mr 19 and Ms 17, the quotes you used were relevant and specifically assisted you in smoothly linking your conclusion to your original idea in a really well thought out way.