Ok so this time I think I have understood the reading much better and can write a post without sounding like a fool.
I'm going to take a look at Section 2 of Chapter 3. The part where Dean is speaking about how there was a blog surge in 2008 and an estimated 80 to 120 million blogs were being used. That continues on to say "The overwhelming majority of these appear and die in a matter of months, having been seen by few if any readers." This is where Dean was making the point that blogs were around in such and overwhelming amount that they were unable to draw attention of readers because there was nothing separating their blog from the millions of others. The select few blogs that actually have readers and followers are so open to the public and the criticism that comes along with that. Dean sums that concept up perfectly when saying "Strangers and opponents remind us of our exposure, our visibility, vulnerability, and ultimate lack of control." Then Dean goes on to cite a neo-nazi who tore into her via a blog comment about how big of a moron she was.
This vulnerability that is associated with the internet and everything you say and do on it is very scary. Everything that someone has on their facebook or myspace is out there for everyone who has internet to see. That is an example of the lack of control Dean is writing about and I agree completely. Her points are spot on and I don't think enough people realize how much information about them are out there for the world to see.
Ryan--your emphasis on vulnerability here is insightful. It's weird how easy we slide into a way of thinking of ourselves as in control and invincible, as able to determine the settings in which our received. The whole neo-Nazi thing made me have to grapple with how someone totally outside my context could come in and condemn and humiliate me with impunity. Sometimes we all say things like, "no one forced us to put all this out there," which is of course true, but really not the point. We trusted enough to do say something and then get slapped down.
ReplyDeleteBlog access is back. Yeah I agree completely, it really makes me think about what I've said and put on the internet because it is so accessible.
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