I want to be a cyberanthropologist. I want to study Internet subcultures and figure out why they mimic real-world constants in culture, without any conscious effort from the members of that subculture. But I'm haunted by a question: What purpose would it serve?
There's a growing branch of psychology, technological psychology. I hypothesize that it is named this because psychologists lack imagination, but I digress. There's been quite a bit of study in this field recently, especially concerning my generation. Previously, a generation was defined as 20 or so years. Now, it's being shortened to about six. People of my generation have been studied because of our unique temporal position: We were about when the Internet came to into its own, en masse, during our tertiary educational period. Developmental psychologists divide our stages of education into four periods: primary (from the time we are born until the time we enter school at ages 5 or 6; this is where most of our enculturation takes place), secondary (kindergarten to mid-middle school, where we learn the basics of social interaction), tertiary (where we learn to define ourselves as a person, and begin to cement our ideas of worldview and identity, ranging from high school to mid-bachelor's degree), and beyond (everything following, where our concepts of what a person is and what they should be become better defined, our worldview becomes more concrete, and we become less flexible). Because we happened to be in our tertiary educational period during the Internet Boom, where Internet service was finally getting to more outlying areas of the country and becoming more ubiquitous, we are in a unique position. Those that came before us still tend to learn better from a hard-copy text or manual than from a web page; those that came after us will find the information they need, retain it long enough to reproduce it on a product that they desire, then almost immediately forget it. But we few have some unique traits. We have an almost innate ability to perform data searches -- we can take search parameters and refine them almost instantaneously to get to the exact tidbit of information we need. Other generations have a slightly harder time of things, because this is, indeed, a learned skill. But we also process data differently. While the previous generation doesn't necessarily absorb information from the web in a complete sense, and the generation following us forgets it as soon as they regurgitate it, people of our generation will find, digest, interpret, absorb, and learn these sorts of information with little effort. Theories as to why this is include the fact that the previous generation does not trust current technology and thus will not learn from it "properly", and the later generation will not learn it because, to them, it is always available. But we -- members of my generation -- understand that information on the Internet is impermanent, and as such we should learn it while it is available to be learned, lest it be lost forever. We've been through many data wipes from many different information and media services since the true dawn of the Internet, and that has served to condition us; we know that, in the blink of an eye, anything and everything can be lost. (Does anyone other than me remember the Wikipedia Catastrophe of 2004, or the Youtube Conflagration of 2005?)
While interesting, this information yields a slightly different question in my mind. Despite my anti-humanitarian leanings, I do want to help people. I want to solve problems, right wrongs, make life easier for people the world over. Anthropology, at its base description, is the study of everything that humans do and everything that does to humans. It's very broad, and as a general rule encompasses everything. Cyberanthropology, then, is the study of everything humans do on the Internet and associated technologies, and everything those technologies do to humans. As the Internet and associated technologies become ever-more ubiquitous, more and more people rely on it to give them necessary information and networking that they need. I want to study the cultural aspects of this, as mentioned.
Will I be solving any problems? I can't say for certain. I know I can solve one problem for Google, who I'm hoping will bankroll me. They're trying to create demographics and search criterion for different Internet subcultures -- that is, they're trying to profile the Internet at large. And to the best of my knowledge, they don't have any anthropologists on board. A few sociologists, yes, but no anthropologists. I won't say that there isn't any chauvinism in science; I for one feel sociologists are doing it wrong. Granted, there are some things that sociology would be better suited to studying (high-profile things such as prostitution in major metropolitan areas of the United States), but sociologists aren't trained to interpret and hypothesize about their data; they err more on the side of 'make a statistic, quantize it, and move on'. Anthropology, especially on the cultural side, is set apart by the concept of the participant-observer. Anthropologists do their best to live the life while still observing the life-ways of a people, attempting to boil these patterns down and categorize them so they can be studied cross-culturally. As the number of real life cultures diminishes at an alarming rate of 20-50 cultures per year, new Internet subcultures appear at an alarming rate, with the same cultural items (thoughts, feelings, and actions) as their real-life counterparts. This is fascinating to me. It doesn't seem like it would solve much, however; I might be able to provide a new and interesting insight to Google in their search to create nothing but demographics out of the Internet to refine their searches.
But will it be anything more than that? Unless we develop some major cyberpunk technology in the next decade, likely not. I don't enjoy second-guessing myself, especially with my chosen field and professions; it will be a hard enough life as is. Am I doing something worthwhile? Perhaps only time will tell.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Bleak and Beautiful Future
Click.
"And in tonight's news, the United Council of American Commonwealths has decided unanimously to endorse a 'zero-tolerance policy' regarding all things outside of a sociological norm. These include, but are not limited to, same-sex relations of any sort aside from strictly platonic, any indulgence in vice, lack of belief in a singular mono-theistic religion, decisions to educate children in safe-sex practices aside from abstinence, and refusal to participate in mandatory religious ceremonies at the beginning of every semi-official function. Further, they have begun to close down bor--"
Click.
"...a breaking story. Riots have begun spreading across the borders of the UCAC as disgruntled workers from other areas are barred from attending their jobs in UCAC-controlled territories. Officials say these riots have been fueled by recent talks of acceptance of the now-infamous 'Retoleration Act', an amalgamation of preemptive actions against codified law and the creation of what some have called 'the largest social prison in the world'. Union representatives have begun pursuing legal recourse for their contingents, arguing that --"
Click.
"...in Chile. Thousands have died in the latest 9.4 earthquake, which has submerged the lower half of the country entirely in the following tsunami. Countries, territories, and economic blocs around the world are scrambling to provide aid; the Buenos Aires Industrial Complex was the first to respond, air-lifting their employees from the affected areas after a BAIC oil rig was destroyed in the five-hundred-foot wave. Vast oil stores are beginning to seep into ocean water from the destroyed drilling platform, which many worry will have a serious impact on international economic standings. Early estimates predict a 4000% raise in oil price per barrel, to close to 900 dollars refined. Cities the globe over have begun --"
Click.
"...not harmed by the dog's actions. The Northern Eurasian Economic Bloc has begun imposing trade embargoes on other world nations in the face of a massive energy crisis as seven of the conglomerate's 43 nuclear reactors have failed. While smaller, personal reactors have come online to power individual city blocks, analysts worry that the increase in radioactive emissions from these generators will cause the emergency grid to face meltdowns as well. Berlin, Frankfurt, St. Petersburg and Moscow are currently without external power supplies, and most industry has ground to a halt, lacking the necessary energy requisites to power the factories. NEEB representatives have said that the embargoes will be lifted when aid arrives in the form of portable energy, allowing for the trade of automobiles, industrial products, and mechanical part fabrication goods to continue. Meanwhile--"
Click.
"...the Extranational States of Northern America have begun increasing their armament of military devices, sources say. This comes as a surprise to senators and constituents alike, who had voted for increased munitions stores but not increased use. 'We were looking to build up reserves in the event that UCAC began another expansion drive,' said senator Karl Reisling, representing the Southwestern Corridor States east of Fault Island. 'But now that the military has decided to put the additional weapons in the hands of soldiers, we're beginning to get concerned. Military intelligence has been very good for the last six years, and has been able to predict trends that would harm the ESNA, its people, and its interests. Now that they are gearing up, the people are beginning to get scared -- antsy, even -- and this is having an effect on the overall stress level of the people.' ESNA voted to support but separate military capabilities from the realm of politics six years ago, allowing for an increase in efficiency and a lack of wasteful spending, as well as protecting their people from restrictive agendas. Now, it would appear that this may be a mistake, according to General Cor--"
Click.
"...arrived finally to the people of the English Isles. The 'Black Decade' was officially ended around Winter Feast last year, though Allied Continental Entities across the Strait have not begun turning on the switches allowing for power flow back to the Isles until this month. After complications with the sunken conduits last month, it would appear that the first licks of electricity are returning to the people of the Isle, who have spent the last ten years without power after a disastrous attempt to become an economic superpower and force the rest of the Allied Continental Entities, formerly the Greater English Lands, to end practices of exportation of goods to other countries without paying the appropriate tithes. Due to their precarious island position, the other countries banded together and reduced power flow to the Isles over the course of several months, eventually pulling the plug entirely. Now that negotiations have finally concluded, we may see the English Isles trying to reestablish themselves in the global network by the end of the year. A representative from ACE offered this statement as to the reason for the delay--"
Click.
"And in tonight's news, the United Council of American Commonwealths has decided unanimously to endorse a 'zero-tolerance policy' regarding all things outside of a sociological norm. These include, but are not limited to, same-sex relations of any sort aside from strictly platonic, any indulgence in vice, lack of belief in a singular mono-theistic religion, decisions to educate children in safe-sex practices aside from abstinence, and refusal to participate in mandatory religious ceremonies at the beginning of every semi-official function. Further, they have begun to close down bor--"
Click.
"...a breaking story. Riots have begun spreading across the borders of the UCAC as disgruntled workers from other areas are barred from attending their jobs in UCAC-controlled territories. Officials say these riots have been fueled by recent talks of acceptance of the now-infamous 'Retoleration Act', an amalgamation of preemptive actions against codified law and the creation of what some have called 'the largest social prison in the world'. Union representatives have begun pursuing legal recourse for their contingents, arguing that --"
Click.
"...in Chile. Thousands have died in the latest 9.4 earthquake, which has submerged the lower half of the country entirely in the following tsunami. Countries, territories, and economic blocs around the world are scrambling to provide aid; the Buenos Aires Industrial Complex was the first to respond, air-lifting their employees from the affected areas after a BAIC oil rig was destroyed in the five-hundred-foot wave. Vast oil stores are beginning to seep into ocean water from the destroyed drilling platform, which many worry will have a serious impact on international economic standings. Early estimates predict a 4000% raise in oil price per barrel, to close to 900 dollars refined. Cities the globe over have begun --"
Click.
"...not harmed by the dog's actions. The Northern Eurasian Economic Bloc has begun imposing trade embargoes on other world nations in the face of a massive energy crisis as seven of the conglomerate's 43 nuclear reactors have failed. While smaller, personal reactors have come online to power individual city blocks, analysts worry that the increase in radioactive emissions from these generators will cause the emergency grid to face meltdowns as well. Berlin, Frankfurt, St. Petersburg and Moscow are currently without external power supplies, and most industry has ground to a halt, lacking the necessary energy requisites to power the factories. NEEB representatives have said that the embargoes will be lifted when aid arrives in the form of portable energy, allowing for the trade of automobiles, industrial products, and mechanical part fabrication goods to continue. Meanwhile--"
Click.
"...the Extranational States of Northern America have begun increasing their armament of military devices, sources say. This comes as a surprise to senators and constituents alike, who had voted for increased munitions stores but not increased use. 'We were looking to build up reserves in the event that UCAC began another expansion drive,' said senator Karl Reisling, representing the Southwestern Corridor States east of Fault Island. 'But now that the military has decided to put the additional weapons in the hands of soldiers, we're beginning to get concerned. Military intelligence has been very good for the last six years, and has been able to predict trends that would harm the ESNA, its people, and its interests. Now that they are gearing up, the people are beginning to get scared -- antsy, even -- and this is having an effect on the overall stress level of the people.' ESNA voted to support but separate military capabilities from the realm of politics six years ago, allowing for an increase in efficiency and a lack of wasteful spending, as well as protecting their people from restrictive agendas. Now, it would appear that this may be a mistake, according to General Cor--"
Click.
"...arrived finally to the people of the English Isles. The 'Black Decade' was officially ended around Winter Feast last year, though Allied Continental Entities across the Strait have not begun turning on the switches allowing for power flow back to the Isles until this month. After complications with the sunken conduits last month, it would appear that the first licks of electricity are returning to the people of the Isle, who have spent the last ten years without power after a disastrous attempt to become an economic superpower and force the rest of the Allied Continental Entities, formerly the Greater English Lands, to end practices of exportation of goods to other countries without paying the appropriate tithes. Due to their precarious island position, the other countries banded together and reduced power flow to the Isles over the course of several months, eventually pulling the plug entirely. Now that negotiations have finally concluded, we may see the English Isles trying to reestablish themselves in the global network by the end of the year. A representative from ACE offered this statement as to the reason for the delay--"
Click.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Of Idols and Men
There's a trend I've noticed, and it makes me fairly angry.
I don't watch a whole lot of TV; my entertainment needs tend to be quite a bit more selective than that. I can appreciate the production value, the time, the investment that these things bring, and sometimes I can even accept it. Though there's one genre I almost always shy away from: Reality TV. As a general rule, I'm just not that interested. Tonight, however, I got very interested, perhaps for the wrong reason.
Going upstairs for dinner, I noticed American Idol was on. Now, American Idol is a show I've always felt was some of the worst that we as a country could showcase, and a great example of our reliance on pop culture trends to define who we are and what we do. I'm not up with the lingo, but the latest episode featured 20 contestants -- ten men, ten women. Four people were to be eliminated. They started with the males. I wasn't around to see the first elimination, but I came in to see the black male singer be eliminated, "by America's vote." He had his final song, which I thought was soulful and spectacular and a fantastic call back to Motown.
After the commercial break came the females. The way these elimination rounds work is they separate the groups into two rows, each row housing five contestants. They move through the line, and call the final two in a row before the judges -- I'm assuming for dramatic effect. Before they had even started saying who was eliminated versus who was continuing on, I said to my parents, "The two black girls are going to be eliminated."
The sad thing? I was right. They prefaced each elimination with "from America's votes", and gave them a final song. I imagine the argument could be made that America really is that dumb and vocal, but I don't think enough people vote on that show (especially via text, which dings you each time you cast a vote if you aren't with the right carrier) to truly make a statement. I know people do vote, and I know they do count those, but to what degree? Where are these votes coming from? I'm willing to bet the raw data would show something else entirely.
The goth chick survived. The weird hippy dred chick survived. The gay country star male survived. The metrosexual male survived. Their performances were not particularly stunning. And yet, all the people of color -- Asian male, black male, two black females -- got eliminated in one fell swoop.
Rupert Murdoch, international media mogul and current owner of Fox, has a well-documented history of bigotry, especially in "his" media of interest. In a way, I know I shouldn't be surprised, but this makes me feel ill. And it happens all over. To wit, the only non-white, non-country "artist" who's won American Idol is Ruben Studdard, and even then his runner-up, Clay Aiken, has far eclipsed him in record sales, popularity, and national appearances, even in the face of other difficulties.
Doesn't this point to something amiss? Certainly, I can't be the only person noticing this. I don't even watch the show, and yet the first night I sit down and actually take a gander (aside from the season opener gag reels) this blatant display of racism and bigotry is flaunted. America likes to tout itself as the land of the free. We like to think we're past the racism thing since desegregation; I would posit that we are still very much racist, just in a much more insidious way. This is all very well covered elsewhere, and I know that decrying the silent racism in American media is old-hat, but it still irks me to no end when I notice it. We should be past this, and yet all we seem to do is embrace it. We have a black President, for fuck's sake. Shouldn't we be past this by now?
Incidentally, predictions for the next semifinals round: Goth chick goes, hippy chick goes, metrosexual goes, and Barack Obama is voted out of the running by overwhelming majority vote. Thank (white) Jesus we have people like Rupert Murdoch to watch over us and ensure that the entertainment we get is safe, highly sanitized, and bleached all to Hell and back.
I don't watch a whole lot of TV; my entertainment needs tend to be quite a bit more selective than that. I can appreciate the production value, the time, the investment that these things bring, and sometimes I can even accept it. Though there's one genre I almost always shy away from: Reality TV. As a general rule, I'm just not that interested. Tonight, however, I got very interested, perhaps for the wrong reason.
Going upstairs for dinner, I noticed American Idol was on. Now, American Idol is a show I've always felt was some of the worst that we as a country could showcase, and a great example of our reliance on pop culture trends to define who we are and what we do. I'm not up with the lingo, but the latest episode featured 20 contestants -- ten men, ten women. Four people were to be eliminated. They started with the males. I wasn't around to see the first elimination, but I came in to see the black male singer be eliminated, "by America's vote." He had his final song, which I thought was soulful and spectacular and a fantastic call back to Motown.
After the commercial break came the females. The way these elimination rounds work is they separate the groups into two rows, each row housing five contestants. They move through the line, and call the final two in a row before the judges -- I'm assuming for dramatic effect. Before they had even started saying who was eliminated versus who was continuing on, I said to my parents, "The two black girls are going to be eliminated."
The sad thing? I was right. They prefaced each elimination with "from America's votes", and gave them a final song. I imagine the argument could be made that America really is that dumb and vocal, but I don't think enough people vote on that show (especially via text, which dings you each time you cast a vote if you aren't with the right carrier) to truly make a statement. I know people do vote, and I know they do count those, but to what degree? Where are these votes coming from? I'm willing to bet the raw data would show something else entirely.
The goth chick survived. The weird hippy dred chick survived. The gay country star male survived. The metrosexual male survived. Their performances were not particularly stunning. And yet, all the people of color -- Asian male, black male, two black females -- got eliminated in one fell swoop.
Rupert Murdoch, international media mogul and current owner of Fox, has a well-documented history of bigotry, especially in "his" media of interest. In a way, I know I shouldn't be surprised, but this makes me feel ill. And it happens all over. To wit, the only non-white, non-country "artist" who's won American Idol is Ruben Studdard, and even then his runner-up, Clay Aiken, has far eclipsed him in record sales, popularity, and national appearances, even in the face of other difficulties.
Doesn't this point to something amiss? Certainly, I can't be the only person noticing this. I don't even watch the show, and yet the first night I sit down and actually take a gander (aside from the season opener gag reels) this blatant display of racism and bigotry is flaunted. America likes to tout itself as the land of the free. We like to think we're past the racism thing since desegregation; I would posit that we are still very much racist, just in a much more insidious way. This is all very well covered elsewhere, and I know that decrying the silent racism in American media is old-hat, but it still irks me to no end when I notice it. We should be past this, and yet all we seem to do is embrace it. We have a black President, for fuck's sake. Shouldn't we be past this by now?
Incidentally, predictions for the next semifinals round: Goth chick goes, hippy chick goes, metrosexual goes, and Barack Obama is voted out of the running by overwhelming majority vote. Thank (white) Jesus we have people like Rupert Murdoch to watch over us and ensure that the entertainment we get is safe, highly sanitized, and bleached all to Hell and back.
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