The Machine is Using Us
January 16th, 2008 Richard Posted in web 2.0, web and new media, web-research, web-transformation |
Eleven months ago, Mike Wesch, an Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University created a video called “Web 2.0 .. The Machine is Using Us” and posted it on YouTube. As I type, the video has been viewed more than 4 million times.
There are a number of interesting and provocative points about the web brought up in the video, but the thing that makes it so interesting (and popular) in my view, is the way he presents the information which, of course, supports his points, in that he is using the rich media and wide distribution enabled via the web.Some of the most interesting issues he touches on in the video are: the nonlinear nature of hypertext as relates to traditional linear text; the notion of separating content from form via xml/xhtml, and its implications; automated data exchange via xml, affording sharing of information among diverse sources; and, finally, the inherent social nature of the web.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:19 am
The first few seconds of the video are extremely compelling to me and speak loudly to the changes technology has made to our lives in general. I am referring to the first seconds where the author is writing with a pencil and erasing, editing, and erasing again to get his message across. I think I find it so compelling because the pencil and paper seems so archaic now. I am sure this was his point, which he illustrates beautifully. It’s rare for me to even write up a grocery list by hand anymore.
As an old-school-trained print graphic designer, I have a unique understanding to what he presents about the mobility of electronic text versus traditional linear text. The world of technology has changed even the way design students are trained today. The transition from 3-dimensional to 2- dimensional was difficult for me. (designing for the web versus print).
January 21st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
It’s funny how we forget, at times, that we transitioned from one medium to another. To Holli’s point of difficulty, I can’t remember if it was difficult or not. It seems like one day we were writing things down, drawing them out, etc., then the next we had this new world called the Internet.
I myself came up doing print graphic design, but, I found the new medium to be exciting (probably cause my skills on the computer vs actual illustration were much better). As the video progresses, calling out the coding methods reminded me of my growth in design coding, like life passing before my eyes.
I think we all can say that if we didn’t have computers and knowledge this new world of ours, we’d freak out (then try and figure it out).
January 21st, 2008 at 10:58 pm
In my profession of nursing I still am in a strange way living in both worlds. Many facilities that I work in have paper/pen models of documentation others have sophisticated computer systems. One issue I have encountered with new technologies used in nursing documentation is the lack of standardization of what is presented. It is hard to be as descriptive as you want to be about someone’s current state of health, that may include many complicated issues when your trying to select a narrative that has already been predefined. In the paper/pen world documenation takes longer and is not as easily accessible for quality assurance purposes; but the desriptions are more powerful and meaningful. This is definitely important when trying to communicate about your patient with other staff members.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Another thing as I watch this video. It is extremely hyper; hard to keep up with. Hard to comprehend the amount of data that is displayed in the short 2:30 seconds. I suppose that is part of the intent of the video; to remind us of the data explosion that is occurring. How are we going to organize it; put it together; make it seamless and meaningful?
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
The crash of the old-media-paradigm with the new media freedom that consumers are afforded is something that is really compelling for me - will the new freedom change how we do things or will the companies that fear the changing market be able to strip that freedom away and put the genie back in the bottle..? The future trends survey had some interesting scenarios around this - will a ‘new and improved’ Internet controlled by corporate entities emerge?
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
Greg, interesting to hear your perspective and I would be curious to hear more. I have heard people talking about electronic documentation for several years (I used to work for a PT school) and I found out at my annual pulmonology appointment that their office switched over to patient files on tablet PC’s. I can see some advantages and disadvantages (e.g. easy to find something if it’s coded to the right slot, hard to find something if not, also that someone who has a long history isn’t going to have a 4″ file, and that some HIPAA provisions would be easier to enforce). However, not knowing much about inpatient settings I would like to hear more about your “trying to communicate about your patient with other staff members.” How do you do that now (on paper, on computer, etc.) and what are the pros and cons.
PS I didn’t feel the video was very hyper; it was just about right if it had been a little shorter, but I don’t watch video online every week because much of it feels tedious to me. I’m not sure why. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don’t watch TV/DVD’s casually? Like for me it’s a social or leisure in/activity, not how it was in my parents’ house in the 80’s & 90’s where the TV was on almost constantly.)
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
The video went a little fast but it had some interesting comments. It really shows how the web has changed over time. I also liked the ending where it stated the problems being faced today with the web such as ethics.