Blog Post 3
Being that we are free to discuss any relevant course material for this week’s post, I thought it would be fitting to give my two cents on last week’s in-class screening of Eighth Grade. This film follows Kayla, middle schooler struggling to find her place and her journey to push personal social boundaries. Kayla regularly posts YouTube videos which make it appear as though she is socially ‘successful’, giving tips to those searching for similar answers. The film is chilling; Kayla often resorts to her phone but has difficulty communicating in person. This difficulty is emphasized in her relationship with her father, a man who feels as though he does not know his own daughter or understand the appeal behind mobile devices. Kayla is addicted to the sharing and consumption of data on social media. It gives her reassurance in a realm which is entirely separate from the hallways she sees her followers in every day.
This sharing of information is what was discussed by Nicholas A. John in our class reading for the week, The Age of Sharing. John explores the plethora of ways in which scholars have defined ‘sharing’ noting particular reasons for this seeming need to share or consume in a mobile manner quite often named sharing as well (car sharing is, in reality, car renting under a different payment plan). If you were to associate the necessary criteria with what it means to be sharing what would they be? What about the sharing of information, data, goods, services, hospitality, etc. makes it no longer sharing? In my opinion, in order to be shared, one must be sacrificing something which they would have otherwise consumed. This definition hales from the playground, sharing food at lunch we always consumed less that we would have if we didn’t share. The same can be said for house sharing, one sacrifices the time they would have regularly spent in their home by placing the listing on an app. When it comes to sharing of data, I would classify it as selling because those who harvested can still access and use as they please; they choose to ‘share’ with another at no consequence.
This sharing of information is what was discussed by Nicholas A. John in our class reading for the week, The Age of Sharing. John explores the plethora of ways in which scholars have defined ‘sharing’ noting particular reasons for this seeming need to share or consume in a mobile manner quite often named sharing as well (car sharing is, in reality, car renting under a different payment plan). If you were to associate the necessary criteria with what it means to be sharing what would they be? What about the sharing of information, data, goods, services, hospitality, etc. makes it no longer sharing? In my opinion, in order to be shared, one must be sacrificing something which they would have otherwise consumed. This definition hales from the playground, sharing food at lunch we always consumed less that we would have if we didn’t share. The same can be said for house sharing, one sacrifices the time they would have regularly spent in their home by placing the listing on an app. When it comes to sharing of data, I would classify it as selling because those who harvested can still access and use as they please; they choose to ‘share’ with another at no consequence.
Hi Liam,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I too feel that this weeks readings and the previous movie that we have watched relate really well to one another. I think that it is very sad that she has troubles communicating with others in person but when she puts herself behind a screen she has an easier time. This can be seen a comfort thing, however I do not think that it Is very healthy for someone to only be able to communicate if it is not from the comfort of their cellphone.
I agree with your definition of sharing. To share something means you need to give up your time with it for the other person to be able to have equal chances to have the item. Sharing of clothing means that one person is not able to have it for a certain period of time and the other person is able to have the item. When looking at data sharing there does not seem to be the concept of sacrifice, as you mentioned which is a key component of the concept of sharing. Data sharing is more the idea of giving away data without a sacrifice, a personal choice in some instances.