Cyberhood vs. Neighborhood

In John Perry Barlow's Cyberhood vs. Neighborhood, Barlow writes of virtual communities in terms of how closely they can relate to real communities. Does a community is the virtual reality actually exist, and if so, how? He states that many people find links or shared virtual communities as a means to get out there, so to speak. many people share their feelings, thoughts, ambitions, etc to a wide array of none other than strangers and claim it is easier to do so than in reality - face to face. He claims he feels as if it's a new local of human community. People are fearless to login and dig into their true identites and feelings on a "body" with no arms, legs, or torso.

However he goes on to describe how his enthusiasm for this world has slowly decreased. With the exception of e-mail, he claims the whole internet community scene is missing something. He states that the breath and spirit from community and human interaction is msising from this world wide virtual reality. Where's the tone, body language, or beauty? None of that exists in such a world. Diversity is essential to a well rounded community and with the virtual ones seeming to take over, diversity and difference seems to be lacking.

Finally, Barlow concludes that it doesn't really amtter at all. In 10 years we're all going to communicate via e-mail or IM or blog, ironically. Maybe when we're all together in cyberspace we can recreate "human spirit and connectivity" again, and then maybe reinstate it to the next big thing. I mean, going to cyberspace allows us to stay where we are while exploring the rest of the world, right? Maybe worlds will just kepe being created inside and outside of 'reality.'

Deborah Tannen's "Connections"

Deborah Tannen’s “Connections” reflects on technological progress within the past 50+ years. It speaks of how technology has influenced our lives and the lives of the people we love. She writes of what can be gained and lost within the realm of technological advancement and speaks of how communication is affected in these ways.
Her father, when young, went through the alteration from the telephone to e-mail to instant messaging – the true enhancement of technology. He experienced the transition from the telephone to e-mail while he was away, across country. He mentioned that to his family, e-mail was accepted and appreciated much more, and he was surprised at this. He assumed the telephone was the most personal, the most connected. However, his family states that e-mail was easier for them to communicate with him. It could be at any time, day or night, and they state that they could enclose private information and personal thoughts when writing e-mail, something they felt uncomfortable doing over telephone.
Tannen writes, “E-mail makes possible connections with relatives, acquaintances, or strangers, that wouldn’t otherwise exist.” This statement insists that our technological advances has had and still does affect the people in our lives as well as our own. It allows for communication to continue and it creates a network for people to stay connected and close to the friends and family they love.
Whereas technology has enhanced the way we live, many argue that it also has hindered the way we communicate – that people hardly talk anymore because it’s all about e-mail or instant messaging. They argue, “How can anymore express emotions over a computer screen?” Can You? I believe that amongst the technological advances of our time, there are good and bad outcomes. Many can’t find a way to communicate at all whereas others believe it solves their problems of estrangements in their lives. Technology can save a family, whereas some believe it only tears them apart. I believe that with change come compromise and patience. With both, anyone can live happily.

Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis, by Sherry Turkle was an article reflecting the border between virtual reality and actual reality; your ability to adapt and change to a new and interesting world from the one you live in everyday. It's a chance for those to step into a new world and play actor, or actress as it may be. However, do the realities you can find online have an effect on who you are as an individual. Turkle goes into great depth about that and other inquiries targeted in the article.

I believe there are times when it's difficult to decide what exactly reality is. When you dive into a virutal world, who's to say what's reality and what isn't? Nowadays, game-makers and virtual artisits are coming up with new and improved ways to convince the player they're in reality, when in fact, they are actually in the opposite: virtual reality. It is exactly that, virtual. Unreal, fake, false. However, more and more players are getting involved in this virus of play.

There are conventions targeted around specific gaming systems and games of the sort that focus merely on the virtual world of that game. Anime is an example of this. There are those that dress up, change there names for a weekend, and pretend they are someone else. They eat different foods, play the games only of that genre, and put on a figurative mask for 48 hours. Although some may claim to understand that this is for mere fun and simply a hobby, others would beg to differ. Some would even argue it's ridiculous.

Regardless, the message Turkle puts out there is that the online persona can emerge into a psychoanalytic encouter with a different kind of reality, one that's not real at all. Can we seperate ourselves? Or do we just multiply into a series of people, all dependant on the "reality" we put ourselves into that day? Who's to say. I assume it's as you like it.