How Do You Know Nancy Baym to Be a Technological Determinist
Information technology is oftentimes the narcissistic tendencies of academics which alienates a much wider potential readership of their piece of work. A use of language and content that predicates a sure level of cultural capital renders many articles inaccessible to a number of those who may of found their work illuminating. A second trend that tin turn people off bookish work is a continual bullheaded belief in the 'truth' of what they are writing. Unable to encounter beyond their findings, they take much joy in deriding the opinions of others, and hammering dwelling their views.
While these qualities are often required in academic piece of work, it is in continually avoiding both of these pitfalls that makes Nancy Baym'southward study of human connections in the modern digital sphere such a joy to read. Baym diverts from both painting an apocalyptic image of the terminate of 'existent' communication and conversely avoids presenting digital communications as a new democratising, world changing force, as many academics have done. Instead, this book is thoughtful, moderate and draws sensible conclusions about the state of personal communication in the modernistic 24-hour interval. She stays in the 'everyday' in her book, not addressing questions of politics and business but instead roots her study in 'personal relationships' and the changes digital media has offered to 'relational life' (2010:2).
'Digital media aren't saving united states of america or ruining us. They aren't reinventing united states. But they are changing the means we relate to others and ourselves in countless, pervasive ways' (2010:153)
This quote neatly sums up Baym's attitude to digital media and the content of this report. From chapter to affiliate Baym myth busts many claims made by academics and digital commentators since the advent of the Internet while offer developed conclusions as to how she feels interaction has developed in the 'digital age'.
In the opening chapter she argues strongly non to come across digital communications as a single homogenous mass and feels to accurately report media one must place information technology strongly in context of what device ane is using to communicate and to look at who is using it. This section proved particularly useful for those studying the concept of the 'digital split up'. She goes beyond addressing this much-discussed concept in terms of political participation and career advancement and instead looks at information technology in terms of 'interpersonal connections' (2010:18). She pushes the study of the digital divide beyond those that do or do not take admission to the Net and instead looks at how use of the Internet varies immensely inside each given region and social grouping. She as well shows that digital technology is appropriated and facilitated in varying ways, especially within nations who are traditionally seen to be on the correct side of the 'digital divide'.
She continues to accost many anxieties humans take over the manner 'machines changes us' (2010:24). Baym investigates a range of claims fabricated by technological determinism theorists that digital communication is damaging humans by (amidst other affects) making the states dumber, making conversation shallow, ruining home life and corrupting and endangering our children. She attacks these claims by 'demystifying' new media and placing the contend in the context of developing technologies over the years, showing how anxieties most 'new media' on lodge is nothing 'new' at all. She makes a potent instance for the perspective of 'social shaping' in this debate and fixes many of her arguments in this schoolhouse of idea. She argues that both technology and society shape the use of advice tools equally they shift from being 'fringe' to 'everyday objects', a procedure which Baym calls 'domestication' (2010:45). In this context she believes that while a section of society adapts to the employ of a given engineering it is most visible and abrasive for some and hence widely debated. This department could testify a useful framework for anyone wishing to study a more social attribute of digital communication over the coming year.
Chapter iii affords an insight into the claims that quality of advice online is a much lower than contiguous communication. Instead of blindly comparison the two, Baym studies online mediated communication every bit fixed in order and richly steeped in 'cultural forces' (2010:71). She shows how gender, nationality, civilisation and the actual applied science in use mix together every bit the user finds creative ways to interact online. She believes that there is richness and complexity in the way advice is performed in the digital sphere. While her views were entirely sensible, she derides the fact that 'cultural identity' has non been discussed in depth by academics in relation to new media. I found the short following section frustrating every bit I felt she missed the opportunity to meliorate upon this supposed paucity in academia.
The 2nd half of this volume looks at identity formation and the ability of the Internet to piece of work as a base to forge meaningful relationships, both one-to-one and in groups. The most appealing characteristic of this department and also the report in general was the personal nature of it. At times verging on autobiographical, she talks virtually her own experiences and encounters to introduce the mode relationships develop using digital media. She oftentimes uses her pupils and their experiences as examples through the book and the description of how her pupil, Tom, managed to forge a marriage from online advice formed a useful starting block for this department. Furthermore, one cannot avert beingness enchanted by Baym'southward relationship with a Swedish musician she met online. Past using these encounters as an ballast to hash out the ability of digital communication to forge meaningful and long lasting relationships, Baym made the section relevant and absorbing. While many academics deride the Internet's ability to build relationships, Baym uses new studies to bear witness the positive potential of the Internet in that 70-75% of online relationships all the same exist after two years in the 'real world' (2010:133). Despite this unusual approach, Baym always manages to remain relevant and academic.
This book may not be suitable for a researcher looking to delve into the details of a particular nuance of digital advice but it does offering a wonderful overview of the subject, especially in the focus on the 'everyday'. It is indeed a valuable starting bespeak for someone seeking to learn virtually the range of arguments concerning the field of study and the major academics who have pb these debates over the concluding forty years. Information technology definitely is an nugget that her conclusions generally fall somewhere in the centre of an bookish argue on a given event. Whatsoever media student, peculiarly those looking to ignite an involvement in the subject area, could make a much worse determination than starting time here.
eight/10
Reference: Baym, Nancy (2010) Personal Connections in a Digital Age. Cambridge, Britain: Polity Press
Source: https://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/blog/2011/09/16/review-of-nancy-bayms-personal-connections-in-the-digital-age/
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