Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id NAA04115 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 15 Jun 2000 13:55:31 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D31017458C6@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Cons and Facades Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 13:53:38 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
The internet is so unlike previous media that media scholars are falling
over themselves both to try and catch up with the new medium (and the
convergence of other media that is associated with it), and also to try and
work out how it fits into existing paradigms of media theory.
There are, to some extent, parallels with much of the popular use of the
internet, with how newspapers were first used in Europe in the 17th Century.
There is a lot of anecdotal, plainly inaccurate information, as well as
voyeurism. A very popular topic of early newspapers were Witch trials, for
example, the details of crimes and executions being the main focus of the
coverage (not unlike the penny press/penny dreadfuls of 19th century
USA/UK).
Like the internet, commentators at the time were both largely horrified by
some of the content of the early newspapers, but also often very supportive
of the potential that newspapers provided for information etc. (e.g. the
likes of John Locke and Samuel Johnson).
One of the core elements of evaluting media is how audiences use them (in a
general sense), i.e. what part in plays in their lives, and this is still
very much in the formulation stage for the internet. Clearly at the moment,
for most of us it remains a remarkable novelty with which to play around
with, but once it becomes common-place, as it undoubtedly is already to many
children growing up with it in schools and home, our relationship to it will
change (as clearly happened with television).
To that end it is difficult to comment on whether the internet helps or
hinders science, except in the broad sense of its interactivty allowing the
kind of interaction offered by this listserv, which I certainly think is
helpful.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Lawrence H. de Bivort
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 12:45 pm
> To: 'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'
> Subject: RE: Cons and Facades
>
>
> Vince -- interesting posting re. documentaries and science. What is your
> sense of the popular use of the Internet? Help or hindrance to science?
>
> -Lawrence
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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