All Hail The Digital Deity.

You can not see it nor can you hold it. It answers complex questions and enlightens the confused. Millions of people put their faith in it and turn to it in difficult times. And without it, the world would be a different place. It is a god but no reincarnate of Buddha or a supposed son of an omnipresent being. It is the internet, our new Digital Deity.

Religion and politics are synonymous adjectives for organised manipulation. The topic of digitalized faith mirrors the sudden freedom of information that was made possible by Gutenberg and his printing press in the middle ages. Before this original form of ‘new media’, only the monks and priests had the access to bibles and possessed the ability to read. This dissemination of control has only progressed further thanks to the technological advancements and the internets ability for instant content creation.

As Leung states, the increase in user generated content has given a voice to previously mute communities. Yet it has also amplified the voices of those who were already heard too loud.Prefacing this study is a quote which reads "The superficial act of virtual shrine visits threatens to erode the dignity of this traditional shrine-oriented faith...” But already, in many cultures new media has been exploited to assist in the degradation of a once sacred activity through hugely popular 'televangilism'.

Going further Online churches such as Church of Fools casually invites you to “key in some prayers” and is a prime example of what one article from USA Today discribes as ‘religious fast food’, cheap imitations of the real thing. Not surprisingly, digital faith is proving to be just as popular and addictive and in my opinion just as dangerous as the real thing.

Thoughts on Paper.

Ah, the daunting feeling that arises from the prospect of constructing a critical essay. Putting forth an opinion, a personal perspective, a deeply rooted belief stirs up something inside that can only be described as confusing excitement. Like dipping a toe into a great abyss, you throw your underdeveloped self into a world of big ideas and hope to stay afloat, make it to the other side with a better understanding and relief that it's over.

The final piece of assessment for New Media acts as an extension of this blog. It calls for a highly refined discussion and critical analysis of a suggested concept, supported by material that we as new media practitioners have uncovered and use to our ability to prove or disprove a polarizing topic. The topics, which include hypothesis that either Susan or students have submitted, range from the personal to the political while still remaining vague enough as to be navigated in any direction desired. After being initially drawn to topic 5 ‘The internet should remain neutral’ concepts and ideas were developed and noted. From here, the realization became apparent that this was just one sub-concept that would be better fleshed out under the topic 'New media creates a new space/style of democracy'. This topic allows more diverse ideas to be brought forward and discussed.

Man on a Mission.

Image Via

Hugely influential Henry Rollins is a man that defies classification. A one man army in a fight against, well, everything, anything and everyone. He is the honest voice screaming back at society when it turns towards the mirror. I owe a great deal to him and was granted the experience of listening to his rants in person only last month. Here, in two different mediums for two very different audiences, he continues to speak passionately and unabridged about our dependance on new media.

Henry Rollins as Doc in Johnny Mnemonic.

Henry Rollins as Mad Stan in Batman: The Animated Series.

Your Own Digital Playground.

Originally, I was weary of blogs. I backed away from what I thought was yet another outlet for the masses to vapidly banter on about trivial happenings. This was a neiave and ignorant outlook, and the addictive nature of the internet soon had me trawling through thousands of blogs that ranged from delicate photography, outrageous soapboxes, professional meeting places and musical hangouts. I learnt the more you dig through the dirt, the better gems you find. I have a select few blogs I check religiously but, understand my expedition is just beginning. With thanks to this class, I am slowly converting from personal opinion blogs to more professional, informative and journalistic blogs that further inspire and prod my knowledge of certain topics. In addition to this, I have learnt just how simple and satisfying the 'art' of blogging can be and have begun to put together my own meeting place of ideas, inspiration and information. If for no other reason than to act as a personal digitalized photo-book.

The issue of perception dissonance raised by Martin on Kerrer's post is valid and highlights a flaw in the way blogs are perceived in comparison to more traditional forms of media and communication. He says, "If I was to say 'I've spent all morning reading blogs', some people might think 'waster', whereas if I say 'I've spent all morning in the library reading journal articles' people will think 'ah, good solid academic." I see this as perhaps the most pressing issue facing both bloggers and their blogs alike. However, I do not believe is a cause for concern. Just as the humble newspaper, television and the internet its self were received with a fair share of moral panic and distain, so too are blogs. And as every form of successful new media has done before, blogging will emerge as an essential and revolutionary upgrade in the way we communicate and interact with our world.

I can confidently state that this class based blog has vastly benefited my learning within this unit. I feel I can communicate more effectively large ideas in a condensed format (even if some blogs do exceed the 200 word limit, sorry!). More so, it allowed me to understand firsthand the basics of blogging; creating, maintaining and writing for the new digital playground.