The Beginning of Beiber Fever...

“There is an absence of producers, distributors, or consumers, and the presence of a seemingly endless string of users acting incrementally as content producers by gradually extending and improving the information present in the information commons, the value chain begins and ends (but only temporarily, ready for further development) with content.” Bruns (2008)

If you’ve ever made a video and posted it on YouTube, or edited something on Wikipedia, then you are a produser. A produser is a user who re-creates an already existing product. Now no longer are users just viewing the product but they can actually contribute to the editing or manipulation of the product.

Wikipedia is form of produsage where the text and images can be edited. This makes it hard for users to actually trust what is on the page about the issue. Anyone who has access to the internet and have used or come across Wikipedia can add or delete items on the page about any topic. If the topic does not exist on the website, again, users can add to the topic. This can be a problem, like when former Prime-minister, John Howard, had his biography edited with false information. It can ruin reputations and put jobs in jeopardy (and even academic assignments).

Produsage is popular among videos for music and re-creating certain scenes from TV shows or movies. On YouTube alone, there are thousands of known music videos which have been “ripped off”, or movie scenes that have been manipulated, particularly with the script (some of them really funny actually!) go search your favourite music clip, or TV/movie scene in YouTube and see what you find.

It has opened up a new way for amateurs to be found. Particularly among the music industry. No longer do people need to sign up with agencies and find a manager, they can do it all on their own. And if they don’t have the confidence or initiative to do so, maybe there mum will, like Justin Beiber, who rose into fame almost overnight. Singer and producer of the music industry, Usher Raymond and Justin Timberlake, found the young talent on YouTube and actually bidded against each other to have him sign up with their agency! So, it seems agencies and producer are doing the leg work of looking for new talent rather than the talent looking for the agency or producer. So it has in way, cut out the "middle-man" out of producing as Bruns was saying.

So if you’re a struggling singer, don’t disregard being a produser. Give it a go and who knows, you may be the next Justin Beieber...

Sexy Time...

What do you think of when you think of cyber sex? Porn? Adult online chat? Chatroulette? Have you ever thought of it as an addiction?

According to Ryan Singel’s article Internet Porn: Worse than Crack, it is the new crack cocaine, leading to addiction, misogyny, pedophilia, boob jobs and erectile dysfunction. This is a good point cause if you think about it, the industry is not just about sex, it is about how it looks and how the people look (kind of like Hollywood). Almost certainly the most popular pornos for a good “release” involve decent looking people. Though there probably are websites with the weird, the ugly, and things (or people) that make you want to vomit but really, who gets turned on by ugly fatties? (who are probably enjoying a better life on Second Life?).

“The internet is dangerous because it removes the inefficiency in the delivery of pornography, making porn much more ubiquitous than in the days when guys in trench coats would sell nudie postcards” The internet makes a good ground for such addictions. It makes it easily accessible and you can almost view anything for free. This can be quite disturbing for parents as adult content may pop up in front of their children. Luckily for them though, there are programs and software that can filter them.

So is cyber sex as bad as it seems? Or are some people just over-reacting? They are explicit pictures where some people may seek err... pleasure from, but at least they don’t get anything else from it (like AIDS or other diseases), so I suppose, there is a silver lining to everything.

Men are stereotyped to be the ones who feed this industry, but it’s not only men, or even adolescent teens high on hormones that check out porn, it is also...women! You would rarely think of females being users of any cyber sex as their behaviour is often overlooked. Although, Women and the web: cybersex activity and implications, suggest that one of the reasons why women may welcome cyber sex is “courtship”. I guess everything is always linked back to emotions when it comes to females. Good excuse though huh?

Apparently, more than $83 billion is spent on internet sex every year! You wonder, how little sex people actually get in real life judging by that figure.

There are two options you have when you are caught watching porn; turn off your computer quickly, or pull up your pants.

Anyone, But me...

“People in virtual worlds build things, use them, sell them, trade them and discuss them. When another person confirms what I am seeing, places value on it, spends time working to pay for it, buys it, keeps it, uses it, talks about it, gets emotional about it, and then sells it – this tells me there is something real happening. The suspension of disbelief has become a grounding of belief” Meadows (2008:51)
To an extent, Meadows’ statement is true in today’s world. Technology grows everyday and nothing is impossible. To have an avatar and live in a “second life” is not as absurd now as it would have been a few years ago.

I must admit, at first glance, I thought that having an avatar in a program like Second-Life was a little bit lame for anti-socials. But another confession I have to reveal, is that I have in a way been involved in some-what a second life. I have played and enjoyed software programs such as The Sims. Although not exactly like Second-Life as it does not allow communication or buy “real” things, it allows you to build an avatar and live a life by having a career, relationships, and even children. Your sim can be thin, fat, ugly, beautiful, just like in Second-Life. The main difference is the emotional connection between the two “games”. The Sims is not as emotional as Second-Life as you cannot communicate or live as real of a life.

Since the release of James Cameron’s blockbuster hit, Avatar, in 2010, more people are aware of a “second life”. However, it may be a little too real for some fans who have taken it further than just a fantasy and experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after realising Pandora (the second world in Avatar), was not real.

There is strong influence for business people and marketers to take advantage of the type of people who are playing this game. Those who play this game and believe it is better than their own may suggest their lack of social ability in the “real world”. Almost, like preying on the vulnerable. Is this ethical? Either way, it is very smart on the business side of things.

There have been reports of “cyber-rape” and hacking to spoil another avatar’s life, so if this “second life” is going to be considered real, then how can any rules, laws or regulations be enforced? The internet is already very complex and at this point in time there are still no actual laws to enforce cyber crimes.

But anyway, back to the point of whether it is real or not, you have to ask yourself, what, to you, constitute as reality? Yes this game allows you to communicate globally, yes it allows you to buy things, yes it can make you emotional. But if you could step back and watch yourself behind that desk, in front of that computer, what would you think?
Owning a “second life” is real to the point where an individual is immersed in the “second life”. However, to actually live through this life is no life at all.

Grow up!

Extremism - a tendency or disposition to go to extremes or an instance of going to extremes, esp. in political matters: leftist extremism; the extremism of the Nazis.

Extremists are usually individuals or groups who violate “common moral standards”. It particularly applies to politics or religion.
We live in a society that accepts most cultures and with so many races in our country; you can look around and see this. I am of Chinese background. One of my best friends is Caucasian, and the other, a mix of Indian and Scottish. My boyfriend is half Aboriginal. So you wouldn’t call me racist or xenophobic.

But, generally, is Australia accepting of other cultures? When Pauline Hanson started the “One Nation” party, was she being racist? We know now she was unsuccessful at gaining an “all white nation” but she still had an influence, and so started other “right wing” political parties with anti-elitism views though not as populist as “One Nation”.
The Australian First Party was formed in 1996 to “unite Australians” and “abolish multiculturalism”. Their eight core policies can be found on their website, but be warned, if you live in Australia, you may find this site appropriate at first glance, keep reading and don’t be fooled by their clever words such as protect, regain, secure [for Australians]. They encourage supporters of their movement and have even provided extra websites to attract more memebers.
However, it is just as easy to say that other cultures do not respect the Australian way of life as much as Australians do not accept their culture, it goes both ways.

Before I started this blog, I ignorantly thought to myself “I don’t have an opinion about extremism. Why should I care, it doesn’t have anything to do with me?” But after much research, I found that I am very much involved in this issue. Coming from Chinese background, you may think I have a biased view, which in a way is quite true. Yes I believe in multiculturalism, and am against racism but I think to an extent most people are. And xenophobes probably do not regard themselves as racist, rather they are traditionalists.

It is safe to assume, the infamous hate group, Ku Klux Klan (KKK), are not just portraying themselves as traditionalists. Their aim is “to protect White Americans of Protestant faith” through violence and intimidation. They are against African Americans, Jews, Catholics, immigrants, homosexuals, and other minorities. Would you consider them an extremists group or a cult?
What about something a little less political, would you consider Scientology a religion or a cult? (... or just f***ing nuts?) The way Tom Cruise depicts his beliefs seems beyond extreme. The media has criticised his way of life and suggested that he has brainwashed his wife, A-list celebrity, Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri.

It is apparant that these extremists groups are using the internet to re-inforce their movements. They are able to reach supporters globally and thus increase their member numbers.

There are many groups out there who others believe they are extremists but doubtfully, the group itself sees themselves that way. Extremists or extremism is usually a title given to individuals or groups rather than the group applying the title upon themselves. We all put a label on others in society just by the way they look. Even if you are not part an official group, society judge “fat people, emos, typical blondes, homeless people, etc” don’t even try and say you haven’t.