Creativity and New Media

I created a collage of my favorite singers and rappers and posted it on Flikr. You can check out the college if you click here. Flikr is an online photo sharing social media website. Music is a very big part of my life and through social media sites I can allow others within my online community to understand me better.

Creativity

     With social media websites that range from photo and video sharing platforms to microblogging services, the creative side of individuals that use social media are bound to start trends and fads that become viral. Creativity can be seen as the way someone expresses themselves in a unique manner. This creativity may or may not develop into something greater than just an individual's thoughts. For example, the creators of the social media microblogging service website, Twitter, had many doubts about the infamous #s and @s that are used on their site to inform people of a conversation they were mentioned in or allow users to read topics of conversations mentioned in people's posts. According to the article "Twitter Serves Up Ideas From Its Followers", the man behind the idea of #s said "I begged and pleaded for them to support this feature, and they said, ‘No, it’s only for nerds, no one will get it." Little did everyone know that it would become a big sensation and Twitter users adapted rather quickly to this concept.
     Creativity found on social media sites do not have to come from the creators or the team of people working for the site, it actually can come in the form of users looking to find what would make their experience on the website more enjoyable and expressing that. Being able to post in seconds and have feedback just as quickly, makes it easy for ideas and thoughts to spread. Creativity can come in many forms when it comes to social media, whether it's making a unique collage on Instagram or thinking of a new hashtag. The simplest thoughts and words can be thought of as creative if no one has thought of the idea before. Social media gives many individuals the opportunity to foster creativity through this medium of interaction within the online community. Creativity spans across a vast array of ideas and thoughts and has no limits to what is considered creative and social media has become the new outlet for these innovators.

Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds

     Virtual worlds have become a means of escaping from reality for many. In the virtual world life tends to be less hectic, more exciting and more or less things go the way you want them to. In the article "I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life" by Dave Itzoff he writes "I walked a few blocks to my apartment on Avenue A, turned on my computer, directed a small, pixelated representation of myself to enter a small, pixelated representation of Cake Shop, and rejoined the show." Now, Dave can sit back in the comfort of his own apartment and still in the virtual sense, be a part of the crowd. Virtual worlds have become more advanced and have sparked the interest of many out there. They can be used for several different purposes such as interacting with people that are interested in the same things you are, help brands, musicians, and shops gain publicity, and fostering free spirit and creativity. In Mark Tutton's article, "Going to the virtual office in Second Life" he mentions that"Virtual community Second Life is seeking to tap into that market by creating a new tool that allows businesses to have virtual meetings on their own computer networks." Which is a more productive way of utilizing virtual worlds.
     Depending on who you ask the pros of virtual worlds will vary. I believe virtual worlds can inspire creativity and imagination by allowing users to create their own worlds and avatars that reflect their creative side, provide an escape from the hardships reality, and can build a unique community with which you find comfort and belonging to. A major con of virtual worlds is that it can be addicting and take over a person's real life. Virtual worlds that people create will always be better than reality because it is one's own perfect imaginary world. The sense that they can have whatever they want, when they want in that virtual space can be an addicting concept that can drive people away from reality. They can easily loose sight of the reality.
     The future of virtual worlds will most likely be more sophisticated and advanced than it currently is. It would be nice to see virtual worlds play more of an active role in people's lives in ways that will make their real lives easier. Meshing the two worlds and finding a balance would allow people to experience the best of both worlds, which I believe can be possible as more innovative concepts are introduced to society.

Blog About Twitter

Twitter, discussions on Blackboard and in-class discussions both have there similarities but mostly differences. Twitter and Blackboard discussions are both ways to communicate through posts. However, during Blackboard discussions you can write as much as you want unlike on Twitter where you are limited to 140 words per tweet. Blackboard discussions involve a lot more thought in each post but on Twitter due to the word limit, I usually post the first thought that comes to mind in order to keep the post short and simple. A more thorough discussion can be held on a discussion on Blackboard than Twitter. However, an in-class discussion is where people can fully interact and engage in real conversation which is usually a more effective way in getting your message across.

Social Networking Sites

Myspace, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are all social networking sites that have drawn in millions of users throughout the world. I have an account on all four of these social networking sites. Myspace is a lot different from what it used to be, it is now a social networking site focused on music. I find the site easy to navigate and has an appealing layout and design. I have used Twitter for a few months now and I find it very useful in receiving quick updates on current events and news in the music industry. I like how the Twitter feeds are continuous on one page and are short and simple to read due to the 140 character limit per post. Facebook has more going on in terms of their feeds that users receive on their homepage. It is a mix of posts, videos and pictures that all expand out, unlike Twitter where it only expands when clicked on. I've noticed a lot more advertisements on feeds than a few years ago when I started using Facebook, for this reason I do not use it as much. However, I do enjoy the Facebook private chat which is what I am usually on when I do go on Facebook. Instagram is an online and photo sharing social networking site. I enjoy going on Instagram because I find it interesting to see what people are doing through a picture or video rather than through words. Visuals are more enticing to me than regular posts. I tend to use Twitter and Instagram on a daily basis. Facebook I use in moderation and I have not used Myspace ever since it has changed into a social networking site that concentrates on music.

Social Net'g

     Social networking has become a new means for individuals to connect and communicate with one another. This form of networking has even extended to businesses and organizations as a way for them to reach out their target audience and new potential customers. Start-up companies that are not well known can gain publicity through social media marketing campaigns and frequenting social media sites to familiarize people with their company. Through social media websites, I have learned of companies that I otherwise would not have known about and have made purchases from these companies.
     Social media websites can be used in many ways to promote a company, brand or organization. They can gain a new market niche by creating social media ads that are targeted towards a specific audience. They can promote events, promotions and deals that are currently going on to attract more people to their activities. Aspiring artists, dancers or anyone in general who believes that they're talented and would like to gain recognition for this, can promote themselves. Singers such as Justin Bieber and Colbie Caillat have gained stardom from being found on YouTube. This also makes it easier for talent scouts to look for talented individuals.
     However, there is a down side to social media sites. When people are behind a computer screen they tend to become a little more brave and are more inclined to write or say hurtful and mean things, this is known as cyber bullying. According to Young, from the article "They're Back and They're Bad: Campus-Gossip Web Sites" gossip sites give "a chance to talk about the damage that sexism, racism, and homophobia can do." Another, down side to social media sites is the extent to which people share personal pictures, information and posts about themselves which can be damaging to their reputation in the eyes of their future employer. Which is probably why, according to the article "Who Cares About Facebook Privacy? Students Do", "researchers, Danah Boyd and Eszter Hargittai, report that most Facebook users modified their privacy settings at least once in 2009" a majority of those people being young adults between the ages of 18 and 19.
     I believe that social networking will only become more advanced as time progresses. Society will soon learn to adapt to new advancements in technology and social media sites will develop as well. I look forward to seeing what social media has in store for us in the future and how much more advanced it can get.