24 Hours Without Technology

Out of any class project I have done at Central Michigan, this one tested me the most.  Not having something in your pocket after it being there everyday for years on end is a strange feeling, let me tell you.  Personally I enjoyed my “day off” it is amazing how many things we notice when we are not glued to a device.  I felt abnormally calmer through out the day, but kept noticing my hand reaching for my phone, even though it was not there.  I learned that I am not one of those people who insist on knowing every detail on social media every moment of the day.  I use it purely for entertainment when I am bored.  It is sad to see people that are attached to Twitter and Facebook, some of them even depend on these sites for their social life.
     Not using my computer for personal entertainment was the hardest task of the day.  I use my laptop for listening to music and watching videos as well as research on a daily basis.  It was weird to not have that toy to play with in my normal day.  I can not imagine what the times were like before the technological revolution.  I believe that technology can be a great tool if used in the proper ways.  This assignment was a great learning and understanding experience. 

Looking Back...

From the beginning of the semester until now I am pleasantly surprised to say that BIS 315 with Dr. Melton was my favorite class yet here at CMU.  Everytime we had class it did not feel like a normal school day for me.  It felt like I was going to work for the day to actually test my knowledge and engage my skills and thinking.  The two class groups made the projects seem like real life situations.  I know what the business world is like, and Dr. Melton did a great job of incorporationg this class into what we need to succeed in the future.  Overall, it was a great experience and I learned more than I ever have from any class.  Thanks Dr. Melton!

The use of Social Media within my Internship

Easier to start...

As the people of our world become increasingly connected, new portions of the world are exposed to the technological revolution.  As more and more people become aware and concerned, it is likely that they have a better chance of taking action.  As individuals start to take action, new ideas will start developing all over.  The places that have the most "connectivity" will develop stronger personal relationships, and in my opinion; have the potential to be more efficient.  Schmidt and Cohen state that every society in the future will experience different forms of protest, in which communication technologies are used to organize, mobilize, and engage the international community.   

Progress Is Compulsory

People are coming out with new technology even though they do not consider the negative effects nearly as much as the benefits.  Humans are cracking the inner codes of biology, but at the same time they are undermining our climate.  Critical resources are starting to run out and it can become detrimental to societal development.  When something contains "new technology", it is usually considered more popular and appealing to consumers.  With new technology, people are always looking for the ways that it can make they're lives better.  What they should consider is that with new technology, there is always greater risk involved with using it.  This is potentially the harmful part of the equation.    

Technology for Peace

In Chapter 8 of The New Digital Age, the future of conflict, combat and Intervention it discusses how much more aware people are becoming of matters today.  This can even be looked at in a positive way because as people see more of the tragedy that is occurring in the world, it seems like most of them are turning away from violence and war.  Information such as photos and videos are extremely powerful weapons that are being used to combat violence and attacks today.  Hopefully people will use technology in a way that will deter war and violence instead of using it to further research and get away with war.   

The structure of mass collaboration

Chapter 7 of The Social Organization is very influential as well as informative.  The chapter gives examples of a massive organization and how they utilize Peer Connect.  It is evident that there are pitfalls when going about structuring a social organization, but the benefits are definitely expected to outweigh the risks involved.  What I thought was interesting about this section of the chapter is the model on Page 205: Figure 7-1; Flow of launch activities.  This map explains the reasons why people want to take part in massive collaboration, so the organization can target those specific areas.  The main goal within this model is to rapidly drive participation to the tipping point.  This section really caught my eye and I think that the illustration can be helpful for people that are not sure of the true meaning and purpose of mass collaboration.  The model in Chapter 8 regarding how collaborative communities do their work is also helpful.