Future-Gazing eCulture

You don’t need a crystal ball to see what the future has in store for the world of technology. Today’s advancements in digitalisation and communications networks give a vague illustration of how society could potentially operate and function in the years to come. Scientists have confirmed that to-date, there are many technological advancement works in progress; some being a little more than sparks of ideas, some being fine tuned, and some simply waiting to launch into the right market conditions. While each idea dreamt up and turned into a reality holds a promise of improving or transforming current technology conditions, no-one can be certain of the affects they may have on future endeavours.

Many of the most sophisticated and powerful technologies that are utilised in today’s society aim to improve people’s lives, from powerful medical imagery to new sources of energy. The decision to advance current technology forms was not made by the Government or other political bodies alone. A certain percentage of tax payer’s money goes towards scientific research, as well as funds that individual’s voluntarily contribute. While many of us hope that there will come a day where technology will dictate how people live their lives, some of us question where the line is drawn between technology helping us and technology becoming who we are.

There have been many ideas submitted for new technology reforms, particularly since the creation, introduction and success of the Internet. Although not all are realistic, these proposed inventions give us an insight into what people believe technology is able to achieve – if the right amount of time, effort and resources were implemented. While we should never underestimate the capacity and power of technology, the idea that we could one day have robots as slaves or flying cars as transport does not only seem impractical, but also demonstrates society’s dependence on technology and lack of motivation. The possible re-shaping of humanity due to advanced technology may also alter society’s current and established values and beliefs and as a result, modify or amend the attitudes and respect individuals have towards each other. We will no longer require the help or assistance of others, only our technological counter-parts; which has the potential to turn us into a cyborg – half human, half machine.

I personally, have no issues with technology undergoing the advancement process – but only if it is to be utilised in order to assist people in areas to which we have no natural control over. I do however; think it is inappropriate and unreasonable to advance technology merely for the sake of simplifying people’s lives. If we all became in possession of a flying car, it would not only not require us to drive it, but also encourage the notion that we can afford to be lazy. Realistically, the world isn’t like that and nor should it ever be. Depending heavily and solely on advanced technology has the potential risk of leaving us clueless if one day, it fails us and crashes. By then, there is good chance that people will have become unfamiliar with the traditional or old ways of completing simple tasks; due to a “machine” always being present to do it for them. I agree that advanced technology should be utilised in areas such as medicine and education, whereby such an implementation can have life-changing results; but don’t believe that it should be applied to current inventions that don’t need to be improved. The future may be uncertain, but definitely not bleak.

War Reporting As eEntertainment

The reporting of war has flooded our television screens, radio stations and internet pages for many decades. While many of us are not directly affected by the war itself, the images or footage that are publicised to us can often be quite descriptive and of a disturbing nature. Being regularly informed of nature of the wars that are constantly occurring in third-world countries around the globe is not usually due to public preference, but solely for the benefit of reporters and journalists within the media industry. Although considered to be “real life” news coverage, war often displays acts of violence and brutality, which can be disturbing to some people and as a result, decrease the number of viewers and war-related stories being published. Jordan Crandall (2004: 110) also believes that “the popularity of Reality TV has something to do with the change of attitude towards the reporting of war.”

Embedded journalists are responsible for reporting current war occurrences and are forced to abide by many various rules of engagement. These rules or restrictions require that details of military action can only be described in general terms, and writing about future possible missions, classified weapons, and sensitive information remain prohibited. When assessing the traditional ethical codes of conduct that journalists must follow – to seek and report the truth, to minimise harm, to act independently and to be accountable, it also becomes difficult to establish what kind of “power”, if any, these reporters hold. For privacy and confidentiality reasons, it is understandable that journalists are not permitted to release any protected or exclusive information in relation to the war. This however, has lead some of us to question the validity of the coverage we as viewers and outsiders are exposed to, and the degree to which journalists are producing inaccurate or misleading war stories.

It has become evident that Reality TV has had the tendency to be “staged”, even though its aim is to provide entertainment that is spontaneous and unscripted. As a result, what we view in this context has often been discovered to be pre-recorded or rehearsed. The same has also been said about the reporting of war and the images or coverage released into the public domain. “Live” footage of the war has been known to be edited, altered and manipulated, in order to release stories that do not necessarily reflect on what has happened, but are merely what reporters deem to be of an appropriate nature. Bound by the guidelines of ethics, journalists are often left with no choice but to publish misleading war footage in order to protect the soldiers themselves as well as the citizens and residents in that war-stricken location.

It is the responsibility of reporters to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage to the public. There is ultimately no genuine reason why this shouldn’t occur, as journalists are given the ability to give viewers a front row seat to the war by being assigned positions alongside combat and support troops. Reporters are no different from the rest of human beings in society, and are well aware of their duty to respect those fighting for their country by providing a truthful representation of the current war state. This however, often goes astray, with many family members and friends of the soldiers discovering the stories being published are somewhat offensive to the situation. We are therefore left to believe that it is most likely that the truth will never be told behind what really happens at war, which is mainly due to the censorship of information reportage and ability for a commander of an embedded journalist’s unit to block the journalist from filing stories via. satellite connection at any time. As much as we would like to believe that all reporters and journalists have good intentions, at the end of the day they will publish and report anything that will get them more money, a good reputation and high ratings.

Bounded eCulture & Diaspora

Religion, nationality, ethnicity and cultural practices assist us in understanding the nature and background philosophies of bounded eCulture. The term “Diaspora” is an important concept that is also closely interrelated within bounded eCulture, and refers to people of any ethnic population that look for and pursue a connection with their places of origin rather than with the community in which they have settled in or migrated to. People that “disperse” themselves, either voluntarily or because they are forced to, often experience a sense of familiarity and comfort by doing so. Belonging to a Diaspora can not only influence an individual’s behaviour and the rules of social engagement they adopt (etiquette, manners, values, norms and beliefs); but also gives them the capacity to remain closely connected with their ethnic roots, while also helping them to become more aware of their heritage and cultural identity.

The convenience of the Internet has made it possible and easier for individuals to engage in Diaspora and remain connected with their cultural and ethnic roots. Like other interest groups such as gaming communities, fan communities and extremist groups, religious groups have been quick to colonise Cyberspace and utilise it to connect with others with similar roots or backgrounds. The electronic frontier has also provided access to church services such as live stream religious sermons and never-ending free GodCasts, which doesn’t intend to replace the traditional method of attending church, but simply aims to accommodate people in Diaspora. Many individuals have found that the freedom of being able to keep in touch with their place of origin at any given time is substantially adequate when they are unable to travel to their homeland on a regular basis. People of the younger generation that may have been migrated or uprooted to a country that is not their birthplace have found that practicing or keeping in touch with their religion via. the World Wide Web has made it easier for them to continue their process of cultural identity and construction. The interaction they also participate in with others of the same institution or ethnicity has also helped them to adapt into the country that they must now view as home.

Born and raised in New Zealand since my move to Australia in 2004, I consider myself to be part of a Diaspora. Now, 3 years later, I still consider New Zealand to be home, and this probably won’t change even if I remain in Australia for the rest of my life. Moving away from what was common and familiar to me at the age of 16 made me realise how hard it is to leave the things you are so familiar with at such a developed age. Undeniably, it was the Internet or “cyberspace” that allowed me to remain in touch with my friends, family and way of living – my established cultural identity, and something that can never be overshadowed or replaced by my time and experiences in Australia. Although I have since adopted a slight Australian accent and become a regular user of some uniquely “Aussie” terms, I still never fail to let the “Kiwi” side of me emerge and continue to get asked which footy team I go for – to which I still reply the All Blacks!

As human beings, our ties and connections with our cultural roots and those that belong to the same Diaspora can, unknown to some, be considerably stronger than the interests or personal likes/dislikes we may share with others. This is because culture defines individuals from birth, whereas interests or likes/dislikes are developed and adopted by the individual themselves at any given time. If Diaspora did not exist, people that are passionate on any level about their culture or heritage may feel lost and find it difficult to move on if have been dispersed from a place they could not come back to or keep in contact with. Cyberspace has enabled individuals to live their life in a country that is not that of their place of birth, whilst still being able to keep in touch with their cultural roots and practices that first established the person they are in today’s evolving society.

Cyber-Sex: Worse Than Crack?

Since its creation and introduction into the public domain, the internet has become one of, if not the most, convenient and preferred source for information publishing, receiving and sharing. The World Wide Web regularly subjects its consumers to offensive images and videos, both intentionally and unintentionally; which is mainly due to the lack of surveillance, screening and monitoring in place. This disturbing material usually takes the form of nudity and other R18+ rated content, and is so readily available and accessible via. the Internet that it has lead psychologists to believe that those who are avid participants in cyber-sex could potentially suffer from the same detrimental consequences faced by those that have experienced severe alcohol or drug abuse. Although not necessarily physically harmful, individuals that engage in or become obsessed with material or acts of an inappropriate nature can be affected emotionally; which in turn can bring or cause physical harm to another person as a result of that individual’s mental state and influenced actions.

As it has no life of its own, it is us as human beings and consumers that control the nature of the World Wide Web and determine whether it is safe or dangerous. As we become more familiar and aware of the Internet’s capacity, our ability to misuse this online environment increases. Our vulnerability, especially those in the teen and youth age group, can also be taken advantage of whilst engaging in what would seem like innocent online activities. This signifies the point whereby the distinction between cyberspace and reality can become blurred, with individuals tending to dangerously expose themselves to others they would never notice nor associate with in reality. As the Internet is a seemingly unscreened medium, what protection is available to those that put themselves in such a compromising position? The freedom to be who you want benefits activists or protestors, but becomes a dangerous risk to those that purposely or accidentally create and form bonds based on these false pretences. Although online relationships of either a friendly or sexual nature include everything but the risk of disease, the emotional attachment felt has proven to be significantly more overpowering compared with what individuals have experienced on a face-to-face or realistic basis.

The cyborg is an important concept that is closely interrelated within the world of cyber-sex. People become “cyborgs” when a part of them becomes undeniably tied to the computer as an extension of themselves. This joining illustrates the degree to which human and machine function and survive as one unit. As a result of this connection, the physical sex life of an individual diminishes and turns into “cyber” sex through the utilisation of words, images or live web cam and via. a chat room or instant messenger medium. Forming relationships and becoming attached to people in this way does not reflect on society’s common understanding of relationship commitment and loyalty, with many believing there is often no validity behind a bond between people that have never met each other. The Internet is at its most powerful and somewhat dangerous in terms of social expression through its adoption of three important elements: access, affordability and anonymity. As it never closes, people have the capacity to find free of charge sexually related websites that are open and available to users of any gender, age, background or sexuality. Although this degree of anonymity allows anyone to access websites of their choice and of any nature without feeling as though others will disapprove of their actions, the notion of deception incorporated within this ability makes it difficult to guarantee that who you think you are speaking to is really who they perceive themselves to be.

Cyber-sex is just one of the many “exciting” yet dangerous forms of hyperreality that can occur on the Internet. Pornography (child), online dating, online harassment, virtual rape, cyber prostitution, sexual empowerment, negotiating boundaries, exploring desires, addiction, false identities, deception and infidelity also have the potential to be detrimentally harmful to the individual concerned as well as others around them. Those that engage in such immoral acts are often unstable or insecure in their current lifestyle and often seek comfort in those that are unfamiliar to them and of whom don’t know them at all. It is here that the link between cyberspace’s sexual activities and an individual’s emotional state of mind and vulnerability becomes evidently clear and recognisably harmful. There have been many cases of crime committed by people who have been connected in some way to the evil side of the Internet, a concerning factor which leaves us to wonder why more hasn’t been done to screen material or monitor inappropriate activities that take place via. a service that is so easily accessible by anyone and most unfortunately, vulnerable young children and predators.

eExtremism

Extremism refers to the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups that violate common standards of ethics and of which are outside the perceived political centre of society. Extremist groups are commonly driven by racial purity, anti-Semitism, political hegemony, anti-liberal and anti-government forces; with their dedication and energy predominately invested into recruitment and “immunising” their members from the effects of the mass media. Extremists demonstrate their faithfulness by being a firm supporter in the freedom of expression and speech. With the capacity to reach a broad range of individuals and groups, extremists frequently and regularly utilise electronic communication mediums such as the internet to spread or promote their messages, employ new members and protest against current policies, regulations, practices or beliefs.

Research conducted showed that the most prevailing and dominating type of extremist group is that of white Americans, although not all constitute a positive approach. The Hammerskin Nation and National Alliance are two largely active Neo-Nazi groups made up of individuals from the white race; of whom which practice “leaderless resistance”, are organised into cells like the Nazi SS divisions and place a strong emphasis on violence. As these groups are very much established upon the basis of immorality, why is it that they have the capacity to be significantly overpowering on the internet as well as over other non-white extremist groups that have more ethical intentions?

The vast degree to which extremism is publicised is mainly due to the introduction and utilisation of the internet, as it provides a “service” whereby propaganda or material of any nature can be posted and viewed. Web pages on this controversial topic are readily available and accessible at the click of a finger, which could provide one reason as to why Neo-Nazi organisations such as the Hammerskin Nation and National Alliance are still heavily present in today’s evolving society. Within virtually every white extremist group or organisation’s webpage, a link is provided to the National Alliance; which illustrates the extent to which Neo-Nazism still remains acknowledged and supported.

It becomes fair to say that each individual is essentially in control of the information they view and receive. While this is easily the case for adults or frequent users of the internet, the vulnerability of youths continues to remain at stake. As with any other detrimental or offensive material, adequate supervision or regulations should be placed on extremist propaganda; as it does have the potential to significantly influence the minds and thinking patterns of children. Unlike older generations that have already established their opinions, views and beliefs on various topics of concern, extremists can be a significant threat to younger people and even those that have not taken or adopted a particular stance in relation to these issues. For a majority of people however, extremists in cyberspace are not necessarily of any particular interest to them; which ultimately reflects on these groups’ continuous struggle to convince outsiders that what THEY believe is “constitutionally acceptable”.

Alternative Youth eCulture

When youth culture first emerged, it encouraged and supported the notion that being different made you alternative or superior to the majority. Being able to differentiate themselves from the parent or dominant subculture became appealing to many adolescents from all different backgrounds, both those that weren’t happy with their current lifestyle and those that simply wanted to try something new. As more and more teenagers in today’s society become accustomed to this latest and increasingly popular trend, it raises the question: where is the line drawn between alternative and mainstream?

Alternative youth culture has come a long way since the days when there was only one way to dress or one main genre of music. Nowadays, the tastes of young people have begun to drive many important industries such as fashion, music, film and literature. This ability to drive industries also reflects on alternative youth culture’s capacity to drive and influence other subcultures, such as that of older generations. Things that once used to reflect on youth or adolescent culture such as tattoos, body piercings and unnatural hair colours have now slowly become more predominately evident in adults.

As individuals of all ages move or adopt into an alternative youth culture lifestyle, music is doing the complete opposite. The popularity of music by alternative artists has resulted in their music gradually shifting into the mainstream industry, whereby its debut has landed it into the Top 20. Take the band Snow Patrol for example; they were situated in what was considered the “alternative” music section of JB-Hi Fi and Sanity until their theme song “Chasing Cars” became the theme song for popular TV show Grey’s Anatomy. Suddenly, people that listened to Snow Patrol previous to their song becoming a number one hit were no longer alternative music listeners but simply blended in with the majority that classified them as mainstream.

Drug use is also a practice that has not just become limited to youth culture and adolescents. While it is more commonly undertaken by teenagers at party’s or social gatherings, there has been a significant rise in adult drugs possession particularly individuals between the 20-30 age bracket. How many youths have we seen on TV convicted on drug possession or youth charges compared with famous faces such as sports players or models? This is not to suggest that people who are not in the youth culture bracket won’t ever participate in dangerous practices, however their adoption of “teenage” habits merely demonstrates youth culture’s ability to influence older subcultures as well as demonstrate adults’ incapacity to set a good example for youths that continue to engage in these harmful practices.

Activities that were once defined as alternative have now become so commonly and regularly engaged in, they are now considered to be of the mainstream nature. Whether it is for differentiation, change or attention, getting a tattoo, piercing your tongue or dying your hair bright pink is now considered to be the norm. Where does youth start and end? If being alternative gradually turns you mainstream, does this mean only one dominant subculture will ever exist? Being alternative may make you different, but how many individuals out there who take an “alternative” approach to life can say they don’t do it predominately for attention?

Culture Jamming: Art, Social Commentary Or Graffiti?

Culture jamming is a practice that is commonly recognised and used as a form of activism. It involves using its original communication method to create a contrast between mass media images and the realities or negative sides of that image. Although it does not adopt an artistic approach, culture jamming is often perceived as a type of art. It also does not incorporate the notion of vandalism, whereby the primary goal is to deface or destruct. Adbusting, performance art, graffiti and hacktivism are the main forms of culture jamming.

Out of all the culture jamming forms, I believe graffiti and Adbusting are the most influential and effective. They are also the two that individuals or groups most commonly engage in, while consisting of the most interest and attraction to both dedicated activists and outsiders. Graffiti refers to the application of images or letters without permission to publicly viewable surfaces such as walls or bridges. It is often used as a form of advertising or to communicate social or political messages. Graffiti is becoming more of a modern art form and less of an expression of youth anger, as some have previously interpreted to be. Its application to public surfaces reflects on its reputation as part of a subculture that rebels against authority while also demonstrating a broad range of individual artistic ability. Graffiti has the capacity to attract attention, protest and encourage changes, which has become evident in the continual success of spray-painted images, messages or slogans in public domain areas such as train stations and bus stops.

Adbusting is the practice of making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements in order to make a statement. Its aim is to cut through the hype of our mediated reality and reveal the truth within it. Although a new image can be used to get a message across, the alteration or editing of an existing image or slogan can ultimately be more influential or effective; in that people are often more familiar and interested in how a popular or well-known image can be “twisted” in order to change its original meaning. The Adbusters magazine is recognised as the Culture Jamming Headquarters, and regularly features a range of ‘Spoof Ads”. These images, along with the following example, demonstrate how ordinary images can be taken and manipulated in order to extract their true meaning.

This image of a hanging rope aims to illustrate the effects of regular or excessive alcohol consumption. With particular reference being made to vodka, it uses the brand “Absolute” in conjunction with the word “Hangover” and alongside the image of a hanging rope to assist us in becoming familiar with the message that this image attempts to convey – that drinking vodka or any other strong alcoholic beverage generally makes us feel sick and unwell the next day. The notion of the rope displayed in the shape of the absolute vodka bottle leads us to believe that being severely hungover also makes us feel like we are close to "death" with the negative effects that can accompany alcohol clearly overshadowing the “buzz” or excitement we experience from consuming it at the time.

Judging by its nature, is culture jamming a form of art, social commentary or graffiti? I think it would be fair to assume that it can be percieved as an art form, whereby the social commentary it incorporates assists in conveying its true meaning. Unlike graffiti, which defaces or destructs the canvas's origninal surface or meaning, social commentary utilises various ways to express opinions or promote change without destructing the existing image or landmark. Social commentary, combined with art, ultimately extracts the many various embedded meanings within the artistic works of culture jamming, and illustrates the degree to which images can be appropriately altered.