When reading chapter 12 from the book I came across the topic of Microcasting. Microcasting is an interesting topic, which could have potential for a lot of controversy that we have already begun to see. The book defined microcasting as sending a message to a small group of interested people. This is very handy in the society that we live in today.
Our society has become spread out as the Internet has allowed us to make relationships with people across the country and even across the world. Now microcasting (and the internet) are making it possible for us to stay close. The book used the example of how there is already a cite that microcasts funerals on the web. This makes it easy for someone to be there without actually being there. In most cases this could be a good thing, but I wouldn’t want to see people begin to opt out of going to things using the excuse of microcasting. For example saying, funerals are just to hard for me to go to so I will watch it from home, this would be disconnecting people more then connecting them. In my opinion this would lead to regrets, when in the situation it seems easy to opt out of it, but then looking back on it I would feel even more disconnected.
There is then the issue of privacy. What if there is someone that doesn’t want to be posted online for the world to see, but happens to be in a video being microcasted around the world. Now that there are video cameras in cell phones, making your own recordings and posting them has become even easier. Who is to say when we have gone too far?
2 comments:
It seems like the improvements of the internet drive people apart with the same force that it brings them together. I find it amazing that family all over the globe could participate in a first clarinet recital, but when funerals are done "via the web" it bothers me. It seems easier and easier to substitute technology based-interaction with actual inter-personal communiction. How strange for us to live in a world that doesn't require us to actually show up any where.
Well rounded post. I agree we must be very careful in that we don’t let technology isolate us. It should be uniting. I live very far from my family, so we use VOIP and webcams to communicate. It is wonderful. I feel like I’m still “in the know” on what’s going on with my family and my parents look forward to seeing their grandson on the screen. Microcasting can be a great tool at keeping people united, but as you said, it could lead to regrets if used for the wrong purpose.
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