Chapter 1 Reflection: Mediation

Mediation. When I hear this word, I think of the several ways in which the definition of this word can be stretched. I think of multimedia visualizations about the lower class or those that are in poverty appealing to those that are more fortunate in order to create a sense of understanding of exactly how their consecrations separate them from the lower classes. I think of how these visualizations distance the viewer from reality. I think of a YouTube video that shows the sights of African jungles so one doesn't have to go through the lengthy travel process. I don't think of the ways we use the tools in our life to interact with the world, I think of how these interactions help us cut corners and rid ourselves of the middleman. Not particularly in a lazy sense, but rather a way that spares us the integrity of a reality-based existence. Not that this is a bad thing, but a good thing that could be world-changing if there wasn't a few other elements within the internet that keep these experiences from being intoxicated.

In the textbook, "Understanding Digital Literacies, A Practical Introduction," it states, "most of the things these tools allow us to are pretty mundane like sharing photos with friends, using a search engine to find a place to eat, or acquiring the 'magical power' that we need to reach the next level in an online game." I feel as though this form of mediation is not only the most abundant, but also the most dense.

Social media has become much of the balance in the digital world. With its application to many professional means in terms of business and any other form of intellectual recruitment, social media has become the default medium in mediation. This is something that scares me because it feels a bit too public to be applied to any sort of professional standards. I mean sure you can spot those that have the ability to use social media to rally a group of followers or seek out those that can use social media to create business contacts, but it all seems so remedial when one thinks of the educational and cultural benefits that the internet could be used for.

Now I'm not old-fashioned, I think it's good that the internet is steering society. In theory, the world should become much smaller and an easier place to live and understand due to what I like to call the "Tube Connection". A connection that allows other cultures to view each other without the need to jump to conclusions or stereotype because culture is become so digital-based. But I think new-aged social constructs are becoming the mediation that I don't want to be a part of.