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The People’s Platform: A critique

Taylor states in multiple ways that the patents and copyright laws need to be reformed so that they aid in creation as oppose to hinder it. In order to accomplish these tasks, “would [essentially] mean destroying the village in order to save it” (Taylor, 222). The concept of destruction and creation go hand in hand in almost every aspect of life so why not within the field of technology. Taylor would argue that this idea of destruction for the greater good is important due to the dyadic tensions that creatives currently face. Typically, creatives have to choose between creating for personal reasons or creating simply for financial gains. The financial gains aspect is most notable because as it became more and more prominent, ideas that supported the concept of art as a free commodity eventually became intertwined with the negative aspects which embodied the societal archetype referred to as “the starving artist”. “The starving artist” archetype is a causal factor that in part stems from the mindset that value is simply the price...something can command on an open market, and if something is free than it is simply not valuable” (222).  This mindset also mirrors a concept called the “paradox of value” in that art and culture are “vital...to human” existence and an abundance of it can reduce the value of an item on the open market (126). Taylor believes that through “the privatization of the cultural realm” the world is poorer seeing that the world can only be “richer when art and ideas spread” (127). Taylor's mindest contrasts the privatization of art mentality in that she has  “a perspective to which...the value of art and culture [are] intrinsic, transcending the material and economic altogether; price is irrelevant” (Taylor, 222). Taylor is not alone in this type of thinking. He mention of pirate parties are an example of free culture idealists within politics.

Another idea that I found interesting was when Taylor mentioned that “private ownership that limits access to ideas and information thwarts creativity and innovation” (224).  She notes that the privatization impacts the innovative capabilities of the creative commons and goes on to state that corporations should place content into the commons because it will allow them to “discover new pools of creativity inside and outside of the organization” (224). The aforestated outcome is better than the path “the average copyright infringement lawsuit [takes]...it is more affordable for the accused to settle out of court, even when their projects are likely permissible” (223). This statement is supported by other authors such as Lessig, Jenkins, Ford, and Green who would all agree that there is value in remixed media so much that spurs the same if not more engagement than content created for the sole purpose of going viral. Major corporations stop their content from spreading throughout society by overly enforcing copyright infringement cases. Within an era in which a society's primary form of communication involves utilizing a piece of technology requires companies and governments alike to take a look at the laws that govern innovation in an effort to see how citizens are negatively affected when copyright laws are abused. 

Jenkins, H., Ford, S. & Green, J. (2013). Spreadable media. New York: New York University Press.

Lessig, L. (2009). Remix: Making art and commerce thrive in the hybrid economy. New York: Penguin

Taylor, A. (2014). The People’s Platform: Taking back power and culture in the digital age. New York: Metropolitan.

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Transnationality: A Case Study

Airbnb is an online-based company recently only the rise mastering in helping ordinary people find alternative places to live both inside and outside of America. More specifically according to google, “A‌i‌r‌b‌n‌b‌, ‌ ‌I‌n‌c‌.‌ is an online marketplace for arranging or offering lodging, primarily homestays, or tourism experiences.”  Airbnb relates to spreadability in that it is an online form that provides homeowners and renters a place to “ share content for their own purposes, sometimes with the permission of rights holders, sometimes against their wishes” (2). When logging into Airbnb the consumer has already solidified the fact that they are looking for another place of residence during a particular timeframe, the consumer utilizes that information coupled with personal statements written by homeowners and past renters to make informed choices about where to stay. This information is key especially if someone is traveling outside of the country, which is where the transnational flow aspect comes into play. 

Transnational content is formulated by, “processes of adaptation and localization and this flow which sees reciprocal paths of influence as formats and content cross-cultural borders demonstrate how impure culture is inevitable as content is continuously relocated and localized” (284). The hospitality market was dominated by Western ideas such as having premier living conditions and continental breakfasts. Hostiles, homestay, “bread and breakfasts” all became niche communities marginalized within the context of hospitality management. until Airbnb was founded in 2008. Jenkins, Ford, and Greene (2013) state, “much like the creations of independent media makers, these cultural goods often still operate from a position of marginality, unable to compete directly with dominant media industries” (46). Issues that Airbnb faced within the hospitality marketplace dealt with limited financial support for advertising, as well as building cultural capital in the form of trust. Trust was primarily important because Airbnb is a broker that unites two outside parties for the common purpose of renting out a home and if for any reason the trust between company and employee or consumer and company is broken then the deal will completely fall apart. “Yet there are signs that [these marginal goods] cultural and economic impact is increasing, thanks to their ability to travel through grassroots media channels” (46). Grassroots media and trust go hand and hand because it typically employs word-of-mouth techniques usually from a reputable personal reference. 

In chapter 7, Henry, Jenkins, and Greene (2013), “suggests that old debates about the homogenizing force of global communication do not deal with the complex interactions between diverse populations which shape the transnational flows of media content” (264). With the use of increased networks due to social media as well as implementing new marketing ideas (spreadability, grassroots methodologies) the flow of global communication is supporting smaller, marginalized corporations allowing them to gradually make their place more visible within society.  Although this will take time, Airbnb is one example of how with time and active diverse communication plans transnational content could aid in redistributing power to both marginalized countries and companies.

Jenkins, H., Ford, S. & Green, J. (2013). Spreadable media. New York: New York University Press. 

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A Conversation Between The Authors’: Lanier, Rainie, & Wellman

Lanier is an author that focuses the majority of his insights on how humans interact with computers and in turn the internet. He focuses on the idea that everything we see within digital media are simple copies or “representations” of other “real life” or physical objects (Lanier, 2010). The idea is further explained throughout chapter 9 in that as a society digital media has merely been works that were copied from another era, which ties directly into the idea of “the second-order”- a term coined by Lanier. To put it simply,  our society came up with all these cool ideas throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and afterward creativity sort of stopped - or more so - as professor Lackaff started, “we became stuck”. Now, if Lanier was talking to Jane McGonigal, author of Reality is Broken, then she would simply state that this is a major problem that could be solved via the use of gamification. She would simply state that part of the problems caused by the lack of creative innovation could be due to a lack of Fiero - or satisfaction within one’s career (McGonical, 2011). She’d theorize that maybe the music or “tech” game is not challenging enough or simply does not offer enough opportunities for practice (McGonical, 2011). This, in turn, would not force anyone working within this industry to think outside of the box and move these networks or sub-cultures forward. One could deduce that increasing challenges within the workplace would add “Fiero” and could be one of the sparks needed for these industries to break free of this so-called “static” mindset. 

Lanier further states that humans and their minds engage in computationalism - “the idea that a human mind works like that of a processing machine” (Lanier, 2010). This idea is not too far out of the framework that Rainie and Wellman purpose within their book, Networked. A prominent idea posited by Rainie & Wellman is “Networked Individualism” and it’s characterized as an “operating system” (2012).  This term was characterized as such because of the way information is disseminated throughout society via “networked structures” (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). If Lanier was in conversation with Rainie & Wellman I believe that on a fundamental level, the idea of communication as a structured process, in which a human encodes or decodes messages directly relates to how a machine processes information. As the conversation continued one could theorize that the conversation would move from an agreeable conversation to a slight debate due to the fact that their views drastically differ when it comes to anything else in relay to the internet and its effectiveness. 

Lanier would argue that the internet simply consists of several representations of other objects and would assert that everything created on the internet is not real. He would later add that due to the fact that these representations are copies that can then be re-copied; “every digital image can [in some way] be morphed and mashed up” thus cultivating the loss of the original sources’ “unique qualities” (Lanier, 2012). Lastly, Lanier would pull examples from both academia and pop culture to support his arguments. On the other hand, Rainie & Wellman would rebut Lanier’s ideas by stating that the internet was not simply made for innovation but also to form as well as facilitate social connections. Rainie & Wellman would argue that one of the greatest advancements that came from the creation of the internet is one’s ability to connect and expand one’s social network. To-date everyone’s social networks are person-focused allowing for larger social networks based on specialized interests  (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). They would also argue that the internet, “ empowered individuals and extended their reach by giving them the tools to create media, search for information that mattered to them, [and] project their voices…” - using this statement as a way to combat Lanier’s statements about everything on the internet being “not real” (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). 

Although Lanier would have a strong argument and certainly give everyone a run for their money, his argument is dated. I believe if these frameworks were allotted the ability to truly converse in a more in-depth manner a significant portion of Lanier’s arguments would prove dated in comparison to McGonigal, Rainie, and Wellman time and time again.

Lanier, J. (2010). You are not a gadget: A manifesto. New York: Knopf.

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken. New York: Penguin.

Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The new social operating system. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

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Super-Fandom!: A brief examination of how the triple revolution expedited the cultivation of the superfan.

According to Merriam - Webster, a superfan is simply “an extremely enthusiastic or dedicated fan.” Surprisingly, it is even said that the term was first used around 1918 (Superfan). Social networks within this time period were mostly “formed around large hierarchical bureaucracies and small, densely knit groups such as households, communities, and work- groups” (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). It is important to state that the connections cultivated within these social institutions were not unified or based solely on a niche, societal trend, favorite artist, or sports team; it is more likely that during this time period broader social characteristics, or even at times stereotyping was the unifying factor, and if someone did not fit into the proposed narrative then one may have been outcasted or even deemed a black sheep within the group. 

In spite of the fact that the term “superfan” has been around since the early 1900’s it is noteworthy to state that “until recently the phenomenon has been a one-way activity, stimulating consumption but not participation”, which one could theorize was caused by a term known as the triple revolution (qtd. in Altschuler,2017). The triple revolution focuses on the shift of one’s social life becoming less collectivist and more individualistic in that to-date one’s personal network is more diverse due to factors such as social networks, the internet, and mobile phones (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). “Fandom” thrives off of the triple revolutions ability to enhance one's capacity to socialize and form meaningful relationships unrestricted by common societal norms via alternative channels of communication: apps, video games, social media platforms, chat rooms...etc. This concept is closely related to Raine and Wellman’s concept of “networked individualism”. 

“Networked Individualism” is defined as an “operating system” because it describes the ways in which people connect, communicate, and exchange information” and they have “networked structures that provide opportunities and constraints, rules and procedures” (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). Fandom is similar in the sense that an opportunity attributed to belonging to a community of people that enjoy the same television show, or comic book superhero “‘leads to higher levels of social and personal self-esteem and well-being, and higher levels of positive emotion’; fans are less likely to feel alienated, angry, lonely, depressed, or fatigue” (qtd. in Altschuler,2017). Some constraints that can be attributed to “fandom” is the formation of parasocial relationships or even a fan “blur[ing] the line between real and not real” (qtd. in Altschuler,2017). 

Altschuler, G. C. (2017, March 30). Superfandom and Its Contents. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/is-america/201703/superfandom-and-its-contents

(n.d.). Superfan. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superfan

Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The new social operating system. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

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Playing to Learn: Gamification in Education

By: Brianna Lawrence

Within the first six chapters of Reality is Broken, Jane Mcgonigal focuses her studies on happiness and more specifically the cause of said happiness. An overarching narrative that plays out throughout these chapters is that virtual realities are better than one’s actual reality because games provide its users with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, clear cut goals, and rewards. A few functions of games throughout society is to provide users an alternate world where they can engage in satisfying work, encounter success and failure in a more favorable way, connect with other users across the platform, and “become [an essential] part of something bigger” (Mcgonigal, 2010). Now, taking Mcgonical’s framework of happiness by gamification and applying it to the world of academia - more specifically for ages 9-13 - could yield promising results in not only increasing test scores but also aid in restructuring America’s educational system.

In fall 2018, there was a study published by “The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington” currently they rank America’s human capital as 27th out of 195 countries while in 1990, the US was initially ranked 6th (Willingham, 2018). This study is relevant because “the level of human capital is also a reflection of how much a country invests in its citizens’ education and health care” (Willingham, 2018). The institute attributes this dramatic decline in part to “a stagnation…[or] ‘a lack of improvement in the education attained’” (Willingham, 2018). Using Mcgonical’s framework one could argue that the stagnation of America’s education system is due in part because two prominent stakeholders within this societal institution are not happy - students and teachers.

Students and teachers are unhappy during the school day for a multitude of reasons but focusing on how to solve some of these problems through gamification will still benefit the education system nonetheless. Some common reasons for a student’s unhappiness is boredom, not understanding concepts, not having confidence in one’s ability to perform, unhealthy social interactions, as well as having a learning style that is different from the way a teacher disspells knowledge within his or her class. Two main causes of a teachers unhappiness is behavioral issues - which typically stem from a student not understanding course material and a lack of funds or resources to bring creativity or innovation to the classroom.

Using Mcgonical’s theory inside the classroom will combat all of these problems. To start, creating a game to use inside of the classroom will stimulate “satisfying work” for both the student and teacher alike. The student would not get bored because the game would engage them with interactive challenges. Repeated play would allow students a greater opportunity for success when it comes to tackling challenging concepts. “Justifiable optimism” would occur as another positive factor of repeated play because it would combat a students confidence issues when it comes to addressing challenging concepts. Unhealthy social interactions would be combated in part due to chats as well as dual player mode. These options in educational games can foster healthy relationships such as “battle buddies” or even close friendships. Differentiation can be attained in educational games by simply limiting the number of challenges in addition to excluding or breaking down certain parts of the course material into more manageable steps. Behavioral issues can be combated because you can use “game play” as an incentive or reward for students overall as well as all rules, objectives, and consequences are clearly defined. More specifically, game play will allow students the ability to interact with “hints” or “show me how” features to aid in answering more difficult questions thus limiting negative distractions - walking around the classroom without permission...etc. Gamifying course material can require little to no financial resources but can still allow creativity and engagement from all participants. To conclude, introducing games into the classroom can be the push America needs to get back on track with providing quality education to all.

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken. New York: Penguin.

Willingham, A. J. (2018, October 1). In 1990, the US was ranked 6th in education and health care. Today, it's 27th, a study says. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/01/health/health-care-education-united-states-27th-world-trnd/index.html