As I was doing my reading for tomorrow's Method's in HCI class, I realized that I've never quite been able to figure out the translation of local culture to online culture. I understand that the internet connects the world and gives us memes and makes us all feel like we're part of one big thing. I understand that we're concerned about national/global movements and behaviors. I just can't shake the suspicion that we're missing something if we don't start asking more about how where we're from and who we spend our time with IRL affects the way we use social media.
Are there pocket communities that go against the grain? Are regional stereotypes upheld on the internet? Do they manifest in the obvious ways (the content we share) or in internet specific ways (the amount we share, the kinds of Facebook stickers we use, the ratio of leet speak to grammatically correct English)? How do different communities react to posts? Does it all depend on the person or on the community? I acknowledge that I haven't done extensive work to investigate these questions. I hope to readdress this topic sometime when I'm not scrambling towards an Iron Blog deadline. I just feel flooded with knowledge about the ways that our internet likes and sharing and language connects us back to our real world selves, but what of our community? I guess what I'm trying to say is... I didn't hear about Pizza Rat until last week, and that seems really unfair. Is it because I'm not from New York? Is it because I usually hate rats? Shouldn't my love of pizza counter balance that? What's the deal?
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AuthorI'm using this blog to practice writing and most of all to practice getting over my fears of writing. I'll figure it all out eventually, I'm sure. Archives
May 2016
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