Passively Accepted
A subculture is described as "a cultural group within a larger culture", often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture. Social media is a commercially provided product which has been passively accepted by the 'subculture' which actively sought a minority style in previous generations and now it seems the perceived social reality is to participate in accordance with the majority. So is social media actually the majority or the minority?
A subculture is described as "a cultural group within a larger culture", often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture. Social media is a commercially provided product which has been passively accepted by the 'subculture' which actively sought a minority style in previous generations and now it seems the perceived social reality is to participate in accordance with the majority. So is social media actually the majority or the minority?
Subversion to Normalcy
A subculture is subversion to normalcy and subcultures have been perceived in the past as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal standard. Subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity. Subcultures often use items for symbolism which are attached to clothing, music and other visible affectations and they are normally very distinctive and symbolic which will also include mannerisms and a special language.
A subculture is subversion to normalcy and subcultures have been perceived in the past as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal standard. Subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity. Subcultures often use items for symbolism which are attached to clothing, music and other visible affectations and they are normally very distinctive and symbolic which will also include mannerisms and a special language.
Cyberculture
Today it is not subversion to normalcy but a Cyberculture and this culture is a wide social and cultural movement closely linked to advanced information science and information technology. This development and rise to social and cultural prominence was influenced at its genesis by those early users of the internet, frequently including the architects of the original project or the early cyberculture and was based on a small cultural group, and its ideals. The modern cyberculture is a much more diverse group of users and the ideals that they adopt or support does not reflect a single unified culture. It "is not a monolithic or placeless cyberspace"; rather, it is numerous new technologies and capabilities, used by diverse people, in diverse locations all over the world.
Although originally this cyberculture was a subculture of society it is basically how our world functions now. Throughout history it has been shown that some subcultures do in fact become mainstream culture either with clothing, music, other art forms or even business and industry in regards to the promoting and selling of products.
Today it is not subversion to normalcy but a Cyberculture and this culture is a wide social and cultural movement closely linked to advanced information science and information technology. This development and rise to social and cultural prominence was influenced at its genesis by those early users of the internet, frequently including the architects of the original project or the early cyberculture and was based on a small cultural group, and its ideals. The modern cyberculture is a much more diverse group of users and the ideals that they adopt or support does not reflect a single unified culture. It "is not a monolithic or placeless cyberspace"; rather, it is numerous new technologies and capabilities, used by diverse people, in diverse locations all over the world.
Although originally this cyberculture was a subculture of society it is basically how our world functions now. Throughout history it has been shown that some subcultures do in fact become mainstream culture either with clothing, music, other art forms or even business and industry in regards to the promoting and selling of products.
Identity and Credibility
Cyberculture, like culture in general, relies on establishing identity and credibility. However, in the absence of direct physical interaction, it could be argued that the process for such establishment is more difficult. This relationship is two way, with identity and credibility being both used to define the community in cyberspace and to be created within and by online communities. In some senses, online credibility is established in much the same way that it is established in the offline world; however, since these are two separate worlds, it is not surprising that there are differences in their mechanisms and interactions found in each. |
Subculture of the Cyberculture
Instead of just having subcultures in society we now have subcultures in cyberspace as well and they go by many different names; hacker, troll, anonymous, cyberpunks and many others, but they are all small subcultures of the cyberculture and are groups of people that differentiate themselves from the larger culture to disrupt or interfere and keep their identities hidden. They often express a sense of rebellion, suggesting that one could describe it as a type of Cultural Revolution; there are even counter cultures to the subculture, which include the cyberdelic counter culture to the cyberpunks.
After the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s burst in 2000, the techno-utopianism that prevailed in the cyberdelic counterculture waned while technorealism grew. Most cyberpunks realized that the PC, the Internet, and other new technologies did not really bring the radical social, political, and personal changes they thought they would, specifically the "cyber society" - a post political, non-hierarchical society made possible by cyber ware, in which the computer-literate, super-intelligent, open-minded, change-oriented, self-reliant, irreverent free-thinker is the norm and the person who is not internet connected and does not think for him or herself and does not question authority is the "problem person".
Instead of just having subcultures in society we now have subcultures in cyberspace as well and they go by many different names; hacker, troll, anonymous, cyberpunks and many others, but they are all small subcultures of the cyberculture and are groups of people that differentiate themselves from the larger culture to disrupt or interfere and keep their identities hidden. They often express a sense of rebellion, suggesting that one could describe it as a type of Cultural Revolution; there are even counter cultures to the subculture, which include the cyberdelic counter culture to the cyberpunks.
After the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s burst in 2000, the techno-utopianism that prevailed in the cyberdelic counterculture waned while technorealism grew. Most cyberpunks realized that the PC, the Internet, and other new technologies did not really bring the radical social, political, and personal changes they thought they would, specifically the "cyber society" - a post political, non-hierarchical society made possible by cyber ware, in which the computer-literate, super-intelligent, open-minded, change-oriented, self-reliant, irreverent free-thinker is the norm and the person who is not internet connected and does not think for him or herself and does not question authority is the "problem person".
Techno-Utopianism
This is a hypothetical ideal society, in which laws, government, and social conditions are solely operating for the benefit and well-being of all its citizens, set in the near- or far-future, when advanced science and technology will allow these ideal living standards to exist. This ideal was originally started on the West Coast, no surprise there, but this form of techno-utopianism reflected a belief that technological change revolutionizes human affairs and that digital technology in particular - of which the Internet was but a modest harbinger - would increase personal freedom by freeing the individual from the rigid embrace of bureaucratic big government. "Self-empowered knowledge workers" would render traditional hierarchies redundant; digital communications would allow them to escape the modern city, an "obsolete remnant of the industrial age'.
This is a hypothetical ideal society, in which laws, government, and social conditions are solely operating for the benefit and well-being of all its citizens, set in the near- or far-future, when advanced science and technology will allow these ideal living standards to exist. This ideal was originally started on the West Coast, no surprise there, but this form of techno-utopianism reflected a belief that technological change revolutionizes human affairs and that digital technology in particular - of which the Internet was but a modest harbinger - would increase personal freedom by freeing the individual from the rigid embrace of bureaucratic big government. "Self-empowered knowledge workers" would render traditional hierarchies redundant; digital communications would allow them to escape the modern city, an "obsolete remnant of the industrial age'.
During the late 1990s dot-com boom, when the speculative bubble gave rise to claims that an era of "permanent prosperity" had arrived, techno-utopianism flourished, typically among a small percentage of the population who were employees of Internet startups and/or owned large quantities of high-tech stocks. With the subsequent crash, many of these dot-com techno-utopians had to rein in some of their beliefs in the face of the clear return of traditional economic reality.
Anonymous versus Known
Many sites allow anonymous commentary, where the user-id attached to the comment is something like "guest" or "anonymous user". This allows anonymous posting about other people’s works without knowing who the person is or their entity. Sites that require "known" postings can vary widely from simply requiring some kind of name to be associated with the comment to requiring registration, wherein the identity of the registrant is visible to other readers of the comment. These "known" identities allow and even require commentators to be aware of their own credibility, based on the fact that other users will associate particular content and styles with their identity. Conversely, anonymous postings are inherently incredible. Note, a "known" identity need have nothing to do with a given identity in the physical world.
There has been for sometime a growing use of anonymous postings as well as comments on postings and articles. This culture of not knowing physical identities and credibility across the internet influences the behaviors of those who contribute. If the identity of the anonymous poster is kept private then their behavior is influenced and thus their credibility is questionable. Although there are those who don’t wish their identity known, it should be understood that anonymous post are typically harassing and serve little purpose other then making the anonymous feel important. Without knowing who the person is however, serves to only incite similar behaviors.
Many sites allow anonymous commentary, where the user-id attached to the comment is something like "guest" or "anonymous user". This allows anonymous posting about other people’s works without knowing who the person is or their entity. Sites that require "known" postings can vary widely from simply requiring some kind of name to be associated with the comment to requiring registration, wherein the identity of the registrant is visible to other readers of the comment. These "known" identities allow and even require commentators to be aware of their own credibility, based on the fact that other users will associate particular content and styles with their identity. Conversely, anonymous postings are inherently incredible. Note, a "known" identity need have nothing to do with a given identity in the physical world.
There has been for sometime a growing use of anonymous postings as well as comments on postings and articles. This culture of not knowing physical identities and credibility across the internet influences the behaviors of those who contribute. If the identity of the anonymous poster is kept private then their behavior is influenced and thus their credibility is questionable. Although there are those who don’t wish their identity known, it should be understood that anonymous post are typically harassing and serve little purpose other then making the anonymous feel important. Without knowing who the person is however, serves to only incite similar behaviors.
Technocapitalist
This is a new type of organization and refers to experimental type organizations that are deeply grounded in technological research, as opposed to manufacturing and services production. They are also heavily dependent on the corporate appropriation of research outcomes as intellectual property. The corporations that control technocapitalism are involved in new forms of accumulation involving intangibles such as creativity and new knowledge, along with intellectual property and technological infrastructure. |
Bubblenauts
This is a gathering similar to a flash mob, where strangers and friends alike gather with their computers, which they connect to a local wireless network within a "wifi bubble" set up by the organizers. With a range of about 30 metres (98 ft), this bubble is completely autonomous; it is not connected to the Internet and can therefore be set up easily anywhere. Participants (bubblenauts) are connected to each other inside the bubble via a chat room, where they interact both physically and virtually. Participants are invited to partake in creative actions, discuss theme-based topics, exchange documents, pics and videos, or simply get to know one another.
This is a gathering similar to a flash mob, where strangers and friends alike gather with their computers, which they connect to a local wireless network within a "wifi bubble" set up by the organizers. With a range of about 30 metres (98 ft), this bubble is completely autonomous; it is not connected to the Internet and can therefore be set up easily anywhere. Participants (bubblenauts) are connected to each other inside the bubble via a chat room, where they interact both physically and virtually. Participants are invited to partake in creative actions, discuss theme-based topics, exchange documents, pics and videos, or simply get to know one another.
Inforgs and the Infosphere
These are informationally embodied organisms, entities made up of information that exist in the infosphere. These informationally embodied organisms are also called natural agents. The usage of the word describes organisms that are made up of information rather than "standalone and unique entities". This description of inforgs allows them to exist in the infosphere as natural agents alongside artificial agents. Inforgs can be part of a hybrid agent that is, for example, a family with digital devices such as digital cameras, cell phones, tablets, and laptops.
The subcultures to our cyberculture could go on and on, but we will simply stop here and let your imagination go, you know that these do in fact exist and they continue to grow in their diversity and complexity, how they are used and supported is of vast importance to all of us.
These are informationally embodied organisms, entities made up of information that exist in the infosphere. These informationally embodied organisms are also called natural agents. The usage of the word describes organisms that are made up of information rather than "standalone and unique entities". This description of inforgs allows them to exist in the infosphere as natural agents alongside artificial agents. Inforgs can be part of a hybrid agent that is, for example, a family with digital devices such as digital cameras, cell phones, tablets, and laptops.
The subcultures to our cyberculture could go on and on, but we will simply stop here and let your imagination go, you know that these do in fact exist and they continue to grow in their diversity and complexity, how they are used and supported is of vast importance to all of us.
Books Above
Cyberculture Life in the Digital Age - The lifestyle of people around the globe has tremendously changed especially given that communication can now be done instantly and faster than what was characteristic with earlier communications. It takes seconds to communicate around the world and Americans spend a lot of their time in this new cyberculture. As more technologies continue to be created, so will the nature of interaction within these cyber communities.
Big Brother - Mark Dice details actual high-tech spy gadgets, mind-reading machines, government projects, and emerging artificial intelligence systems that seem as if they came right out of George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell’s famous book was first published in 1949, and tells the story of a nightmarish future where citizens have lost all privacy and are continuously monitored by the omniscient Big Brother surveillance system which keeps them obedient to a totalitarian government.
Cyberculture Life in the Digital Age - The lifestyle of people around the globe has tremendously changed especially given that communication can now be done instantly and faster than what was characteristic with earlier communications. It takes seconds to communicate around the world and Americans spend a lot of their time in this new cyberculture. As more technologies continue to be created, so will the nature of interaction within these cyber communities.
Big Brother - Mark Dice details actual high-tech spy gadgets, mind-reading machines, government projects, and emerging artificial intelligence systems that seem as if they came right out of George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell’s famous book was first published in 1949, and tells the story of a nightmarish future where citizens have lost all privacy and are continuously monitored by the omniscient Big Brother surveillance system which keeps them obedient to a totalitarian government.
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