Creativity

New media has the ability to foster creativity in the most unexpected of individuals.  People such as Mark Vidler a.k.a Go Home Productions, was once a graphic designer working for a company that made travel pillows (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/01/10/050110crmu_music?currentPage=all), and is now a mashup-maker on the Internet.  Mash-ups allow any individual with an ear for music to combine songs from completely different genres of artists into one "masterpiece."  Although this activity isn't absolutely lawful as of yet, these creations make classics sound amazing and modern at the same time, when combined with rap or hip-hop songs from the present.  The key advantages of creating mash-ups according to Mark Vidler are, “You don’t need a distributor, because your distribution is the Internet. You don’t need a record label, because it’s your bedroom, and you don’t need a recording studio, because that’s your computer. You do it all yourself.”
The term mash-ups doesn't just apply to mixing different songs, but also to videos and images.  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/business/media/24crank.html discusses the use of videos produced by Disney and Nickelodeon as parodies for recent rap songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in recent years.  Although there are pending lawsuits against Google for the pirated videos, they can be seen as creative remakes of the songs and videos.  And of course they are extremely entertaining, as I'm sure there is not one person out there that wouldn't find Winnie the Pooh or Bambi rapping and dancing to "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" utterly hilarious.  
With new media allowing the public access to whatever and whomever they want with almost no restrictions, using them for the creation of great musical combinations and/or funny videos on the net is simply creative minds at their best. 

Twitter

A Twitter discussion is severely different from any other type of discussion I am used to.  Compared to a blackboard discussion, we are limited to 140 characters and have to tag our class to make sure it shows up on the feed.  If we are responding to someone's tweet, we must reference their username with the @, otherwise, no one will have any idea what we are saying or why.  On the one hand, it does encourage us to be quick and creative since we only have limited space to say what we need.  On the other hand, it is very confusing if you're not familiar with it, or if you have more to say.
In-class discussions are much more personal and in depth than a Twitter discussion, and in some cases much more helpful.  Twitter doesn't seem to be the place for discussions, but rather spontaneous or necessary declarations that don't overload the reader with information or questions.

Social Networking Sites

I was once a member on MySpace, and have been a member of Facebook for a few years now.  As of recently, I am a member of Twitter and Google+  for the purposes of this class.  When it comes to social networking, MySpace is just about the oldest and least advanced site of the four mentioned.  The site only allowed you to add regular people to your friend's list, but members were free to view anybody's profile they wished.  The design of each and every profile was designed by its representative to reflect personal style and individuality.  In addition, privacy was not an issue as every member was able to see who the viewers of their profile were (whether they are friends or not).  There are no status updates, only places to put important or significant quotes if desired.
Facebook started the new generation of social networking, with the freedom to choose to accept or reject potential contenders for friends; stay connected to people other than your friends, such as celebrities or even companies; advertisements are welcome and even encouraged, and status updates are the most appealing aspect since we are allowed to document even the most insignificant of thoughts or ideas.  Pictures, albums, videos, mobile uploads, are all part of the exciting and multifaceted world of the social networking site that has been responsible for more media coverage than any.
Twitter is a quicker and more advanced social network that allows us "common folk" to follow the most famous celebrities and companies, that were unapproachable by the common man.  As a new user, i have been able to get updates about luminous fashion designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Emilio Pucci.  We even have the freedom to pose questions or comment on anything we want and may even be lucky enough to receive a response.  Status updates are limited to 140 characters and are the epitome of short but not always so sweet.  If you are disappointed with a product or a service, tweeting about it is a surefire way to get that point across loud and clear.
And last but not least is Google+, which seems to be a combination of Facebook and Twitter in one.  You can follow celebrities, update statuses, create profiles, as well as send feedback to whoever we choose.  While creating a profile, I was notified more than once that I am not following enough people on Google+ and may be lonely or not get the full experience of the site.  However, the site allows you to separate your friends from family and acquaintances and create "circles" that include specific types of members you are associated with.

Social Networking

Social networking can be used in a variety of ways stemming from personal interaction to corporate marketing.  Websites such as facebook and twitter have contributed to the promotion of millions of companies and brands that would not be able to gain such vast popularity in such a short period of time, otherwise.  However, social networking is not just about promoting and business.  On a personal note, these websites allow us to find our friends, classmates, co-workers, professors, etc. and establish a relationship with them.  It also gives us a chance to express ourselves as individuals and not as students and representatives of a particular entity.  In the New York Times article by Michael Barbaro, Wal-Mart Tastemakers Write Unfiltered Blog, employees of the famous chain created a blog where they are encouraged to comment on the products that are being sold in Wal-mart stores.  The most important aspect of this new creation is that the employees are not being punished for being honest and even criticizing a product being sold.  It gives these "tastemakers" and buyers a chance to tell the public as an individual whether these products are worth buying.  
Of course there is also a dark side to social networking and its tendency to expose.  In many cases privacy becomes an issue because these websites and blogs are not just used for communication but also for information.  Employers are free to check the facebook profile of any potential or existing employee; people we don't want are able to view certain information on us regardless if the page is private or not.  Hackers are another "dark" aspect of all social networking.  The age of information gives everyone access, and creates a possibility for destruction.  

Virginia Heffernan of the New York Times, The Medium: Being There, puts up a quote from her friend describing the appeal of facebook status updates; “Unlike ALL other walks of life, status updates are the appropriate places for spontaneous bursts of joy and being. You shouldn’t do it at work, you shouldn’t do it in the middle of a conversation, you shouldn’t do it on the street, you shouldn’t turn to a stranger on the bus, you shouldn’t leave it on someone’s cellphone. But on this grand constantly updating Christmas card that we are all free to access or withdraw from at any time, we FINALLY have a polite space for ‘My sponge smells like a hot dog.’ ” 
Now what does the future hold for the world of social networking?  At some point there will most likely be one universal site with everyone's profiles on display.  The whole world will have to participate in order to expand their horizons and communicate with people from other nations and cultures, all probably for research and business purposes.  

Social networking:better or worse than the real thing?

Watching the internet go from dial-up to wireless was probably the best technological advance I witnessed many years ago.  Nowadays, you can have an entire relationship without ever having to leave your computer chair or shaking hands with the other person.  Although social networking has contributed to the communication between nations and organizations thousands of miles apart, it has also helped personal relationships wither away.  Our thoughts are no longer deemed significant unless they are posted on facebook or twitter.  Every picture from the weekend has to be posted, otherwise the rest of your friends won't ever know that you had a great weekend partying or camping or just sitting home and studying.  Teenagers are online writing about their lives instead of going outside and living them.  Social networking may be a superb way to find people we haven't seen since high school or middle school, but it should not take away from meeting people face to face and having conversations that are not electronic.