CATFISH

        Because the Internet is so popular and easy to find and share information, it is becoming more and more easier to be connected with people. For example, you can find what is going on in the world or follow your favorite celebrities and find out their every move on Twitter. I personally do not use Twitter because I do not really care what is going on with other peoples lives and what other people are doing but I am aware of what goes on in the world of Twitter through my friends. Using these social networking websites, open up a whole new world or even fake world, to the users of it. 

Some may argue that it is nothing but a commodity in today’s society to be on all these social networking sites. Although many people may think this, there are not only flaws for social networking but online sites in general. Social networking and forming relationships online is the main concept in the documentary Catfish. Nev, a normal every day man thought it would be a good idea to meet people online through social networking. Little did he know what he was getting himself into. Nev entered a world of misconception and lies. Nev thought this whole time that he was talking to someone that he may have seemed interested in all through the Internet. As their relationship grew fonder Nev became more and more involved and in touch with not only Abby (the little girl and Angela’s daughter) but her entire family, this was someone who he found connections with until he started to dig deeper and realize that everything this girl was saying was an utter lie. Nev became intrigued with the story being made up and played along with it. Nev went to see Angela and her family. He then began to find out about the truth and lies this women has been saying to him. The extent to which this woman, Angela, went to in order to keep this story sounding true and legit was extraordinary. Even after Nev caught her in the middle of a lie, she kept up a different story and told Nev that all the people she had made up were just Megan’s friends and young adults that were in the neighborhood. 

So the problem is, how far will people go to believe something over the Internet is true or false? Why did Nev become so easily tricked into believing this family? This really goes to show you how many people believe things that they hear and see over the Internet. This is a great example of how easily tricked and soaked into the Internet people can get. What would have happened if Nev was not smart enough to realize something wrong was going on? How far would this relationship have gone? Nev got upset at the fact that he believed and was so naive about this circumstance.

The story and lesson behind this documentary was not made to look down upon the family and their lies, or even to make fun of Nev’s naivety, but this film, I believe was made to make people who watch this film and hopefully people in general to not always believe what you see or hear over the Internet. This documentary taught a good lesson in that people who you may meet over social networking sites may not be the people who you think they are when they are away from the computer. When you are on the computer you can be who ever you may want to be unless of course someone like Nev shows up to your house to find out you’re not who you say you are. Social networking may bring people together but may be not the people who you think they are. 

In the documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop provides us with a interesting and different view into the world of street art. It allowed us to see through real footage how street art is done. It also gave us a chance to watch the story of how the artist Mr. Brain Wash grew to its popularity today. 

I feel that Banksy created this film to create a sense of how this art really works. Street art is becoming more and more popular. I feel that Banksy thought it was time for us to realize and better understand the true meaning and effort behind street art. The documentary was very different than another other reality TV show. It had more of a story line than any other show I have ever watched. This documentary was all real footage from the lives of these artists.This film shows how street art was not just a hobby but a lifestyle for those who take the time to portray their work in this type of way. This type of art is very attention grabbing and very special which is why many of these street artists became known for their work. Documentaries are very different from reality TV because when I think of reality TV I think of the Jersey Shore where to me it seems like reality but it really is not. Documentaries are much more legitimate than some reality TV because you know it is real. This documentary gave me a new perception on documentaries and how they are really made. 

Because this art work is illegal I feel as though it gives it more meaning. I feel that since the art is constructed in a mysterious way and posted in illegal ways and forms it creates a “talk” around town. I feel the fact that its illegal changes the meaning from just a regular art work hanging in a galleria or museum into something much more spectacular and dangerous. I feel that because they are doing something illegal really gives me a sense of passion for the work that they are doing. I don’t think any other artist would be willing to sacrifice anything for their work to be out in the public and the streets. I feel that this really creates a statement. The fact that any type of street art is illegal almost everywhere goes to show what great risks these artists are taking. This time of art to me is thrilling and very attention grabbing. Many of their tasks were extremely dangerous because they had to climb to great heights while at the same time trying to avoid police. These artists go above and beyond limits to do what they love to do. 

I do not feel that Mister Brain Wash is a legitimate artist who created meaningful art considering it was not his. He hired other artists with imaginative skill to pursue something. Anyone can just come up with ideas but it takes a true artist to complete the entire task. Mister Brain Wash is brainwashing people to believe that he is an actual artist. I feel this way because Mister Brain Wash did not have a legitimate art background because he did not study any techniques or did not know any styles of art except for his own. Overall I feel that his work was good but I do not think it would be OK to call his work his own. I do believe that he did not create anything and did not originate the ideas as he stole them from other artists. 

Democratized Media

1) Any media, news article, song, film, that is produced Keen defines it democratizing. Wikipedia is a great example of this. Anyone at any point on any topic could post something on this information data base. So how do we know what sources are reliable is anyone can just post any information? Keen believes that democracy could potentially and is starting to change everything we now know about the media. Keen believed that all content, media, information, and audience would be democratized as well also by Web 2.0. It turns our Keen was right, the Internet would change because it is open to all opinions, and ideas. This information the people post does not necessarily have to be right information. 

2). 2) Our modern society is becoming way to over dependent with using the Internet, both Keen and Rushkoff may agree with this statement. Keen believes that the web 2.0 is corrupting peoples ideas and thoughts. Rushkoff does not exactly believe with Keens idea but instead Keen does believe that people who are being exposed to the web 2.0 is not a good idea. I do agree with both aspects. I do believe that having web 2.0 and all sources of information and how easy it is to access information even if it is not right was destine to happen. It is up to the individual to believe what he or she sees on the Internet. 

Essay Blog Question 2

Whither the Individual?
As we join groups and social networks from affinity sites to Facebook, are we extending and expanding identities, or increasingly conforming to the cookie-cutter profiles demanded of these interfaces? Is the loss of "personal space" and "reflection" so many users complain of merely the necessary surrender of "ego" as we learn to participate as members of a more evolved "collective organism" of "hyper-people?"

         Many people question the thought of Social Networking. Are we expanding and extending our identities? Is the human population losing their rights to privacy? What must we do to protect our privacy rights? Because of the internet blooming and becoming so popular, we can only assume that these problems will be brought up. With Web 2.0, people can interact with each other on every website that they are on, which allows people to be more social. Even before this idea and the many different networks and Internet there was pretty much only one way to communicate, which was face to face with the other person. Nowadays, the web has made it that much easier for us to communicate with each other and interact with the world. So the question is: is this such a bad thing? Are we increasingly expanding and extending our identities? The answer is, yes, we are definitely expanding and extending our identities. 
       The Internet and social networking has allowed us to all be interconnected. It is makes communication much easier. It now allows us to E-mail, access all types of information, shop online, online chat, pay bills, and download software. It is not only an easier way to communicate with the world, but it is a much faster way of communicating. One of the many websites that allows us to extend our identities is Facebook, and many positive things may come of this. Facebook today is one of the most visited sites besides search engines such as Google. By signing up for a Facebook, you are not necessarily conforming society but you are generally just joining the network. Although Facebook does have its flaws, it nonetheless allows you to have your own individual page; every page is different. While the setup of Facebook for each person is generally the same, it allows for you to write and share information about yourself and how you identify yourself as your own person.
       Facebook allows you to share personal information such as your birthday, status updates, favorite quotes, pictures, and allows you to share what other people write on your wall. If someone were to look at my Facebook page, however, they would not have enough information to know a lot about me. I do not share my pictures with people that I am not friends with, and I do not share my birthday, where I live, or the names of my family members. That is the good thing about Facebook, you do not have to share information that you do not want people to know about. You have the option of sharing or not sharing any type of information; nothing has to be public. Facebook, along with other social networking sites such as Twitter, Blogs, and Online Dating, allow you to write the information that you only want people to know. 
     So, the answer to our main question is yes, social networking sites do increasingly make us conform. We do in fact expand and extend our personal information. Although I do believe that we extend ourselves, I do not believe that this mean that we lose personal space, because the privacy settings available on these social network ing sites allow us to chose. You can share just about any information and hide just about any information from the public that you do and do not want people knowing. The idea of Web 2.0 and the idea of social networking has become a part of life, and who knows what the next big idea will be. Emails were made out to be just as crazy as Facebook is today. People slowly became accustomed to the idea of quick and easy communication with people. Not only is social networking a good way of keeping in touch with family and friends, but it can also be used in other positive ways such as advertising and business. Social networking and Web 2.0 are still new to us, but people will get used to the fact that this is the simplest way to keep in contact with people.