looking back the posts

1) What are some of the themes that seem to be emerging from your thoughts? Are there any topics/ ideas that keep poping up in what you're writing?


Last 5 weeks, we covered many themes such as information society, computer-mediated communication, second life, Facebook. As I looked back my blog post, I found that I usually focused on identity in cyberspace. I’ve questioned about identity of on-line and off-line communication and how it different, and how people cope with those two identities.

For me, my identity in both real and cyber space are quite similar; rather I’m more careful when I communicate through on-line than off-line. I don’t know why but I think the dialogue and information, pictures, videos which exchange each other on cyberspace can last long or forever inside the database or internet server, so others who are not directly related to that communication could easily see it and it can spread with the meaning being twisted. So even though it is anonymous setting, I always hesitate to write and submit something, and it is hard to express my opinion easily. I think, in this case, I have somewhat different personality on-line space from off-line space. Also, as we looked up in the Facebook article, it was really interesting theme to research that self-concept founded on Facebook. It is nonymous setting unlike real life and cyberspace like MUD, so the self identity can be found on Facebook is ‘hoped-for possible identity’ which is self-images people want to be, but not yet now. Like this, I’ve been thinking about on-line/ off-line self-identity through these six weeks.

Also, I've tried to think the relationship between education and social communication on cyberspace. Especially I focused on the interaction between learners which takes place in cyberspace, and the role of the media (communication tools such as video, internet, Facebook, second life). However I actually thought about the positive influence of the social communication of the ICT to students like dynamic interaction can be possible; leaner can create, add, and expand information. So I need to focus more on the negative aspects of the internet so that I can have a balanced opinion about that.

2) Based on this, have your questions changed at all from the ones you listed in the first blog post?

My question was this in the first blog post.
a.Anonymity brings disconnection with people around them? and it brings new relationship with people they don't know? Can we call that as "relationship?"
b.According to the reading, development of technology and society are related to each other. As industrialism brings emergence of capitalism, technology sometimes lead the change of society. Then, what is next stage? What other new technologies will emerge and how can it affect our life? Technology develop gradually to artificial intelligence, and relationship between people moves from face-to-face to on-line environment, can it be a reality that machine really "using" people?

I can answer the question ‘a’ now. I think anonymity doesn’t bring disconnection with people around them. Sometimes it is possible that people can simulate their real life on cyberspace, and it can be a chance to improve the relationship and communication with others in real life. As I read the article, ‘Aspects of the self’ I realized that MUD can be used as psychotherapy. Until now, I doubt that it is a good way to treat people perfectly, but for some, that environment can be a kind of experiment setting for those who need to have confidence in relationship. So, sometimes anonymity relationship can be called ‘relationship,’ and it can be used to help enhance the relationship in real life.