Every now and then the media, or someone I know, or (perhaps a bit ironically) social media users will put forward the argument that digital technologies are making us more stupid, more narcissistic, or less connected with each other. For many this theory might be founded in well-meaning concern for their fellow citizen, or based on articles they’ve read […]
When media theory pioneer Marshall McLuhan dramatically announced in the mid 1960s that the medium, not the content it relayed, was the message, he set in motion a conversation about how technology shapes who we are that has lasted until this day. Whether it was movies, advertising, the telephone or even a light bulb (McLuhan […]
A friend recently complained that Topshop knew exactly which pair of pants she’d looked at online at work, then advertised them on Facebook when she logged on at home. I mentioned algorithms to her, the ones which are at work every moment she browses the web, recording her every move and determining advertising campaigns for countless brands […]
The following is an essay written by Virginia Streit as part of course work for her Master of Communication degree. Virginia loves gaming and is particularly a fan of Halo and Knights of the Old Republic. The cultural myth that video games are played almost exclusively by males is perpetuated by game design and player […]
