Beyond the Physical Form

Beyond the Physical Form

Jordan Kulmar

Terms such as transhumanism or post-humanism are seldom thought to relate to the Facebook network. However, both can and do apply. However this does not mean that they are the same thing. Post-humanism focuses on cybernetics or, the combination of humans and intelligent technology. Function rather than form (LaGrandeur, 2014, para. 2-3). Vice versa there is transhumanism. Transhumanism focuses on fields such as bio-engineering and genetic engineering, with the goal of improving humans using technology (La Grandeur, 2014, para. 5-6). So with this in mind, how Facebook is contributing to post-humanism and transhumanism can be revealed.   

Transhumanism and post-humanism improves human functions. Retrieved from: http://www.igyaan.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Transhumanism.png

If Laurie McNiell is correct, modern humans can have two identities, one "real" and the other "virtual" (McNiell, 2012, p. 68). This is evident on the Facebook profile as you are not the only person constructing your identity (Kuttainen, 2017, pp. 6). So, by allowing users to choose what they would like to show the public, most users will disclose their positives, and not their "real" selves. On top of this, Facebook only allows a person to fill in fields specified by Facebook (McNiell, 2012, p. 69). This means that a person's virtual identity is designed in Facebook's ideal image, making Facebook a kind of co-author of the identity. Using this line of thinking, and applying the aforementioned definition of post-humanism, it can be seen that the interaction between the user (humans) and Facebook (intelligent technology), creates something more post-human than human.

Following the profile, the newsfeed consists of posts from the user, friends, and other pages or people the user has liked. Selecting who shows on the timeline however, is the extent of control the person has. Facebook predominately controls what appears on the new feed based on the user's "connections and activity" (Facebook, 2017) meaning, a person's virtual identity is created from the post-humanism interaction between the user and Facebook's software. This furthers the point that Facebook co-authors a user's identity (Mcneill, 2012, p. 73).

Now that it is clear that people have different "virtual" and "real" identities on Facebook (McNiell, 2012, p. 69), we can see that the virtual identity is certainly post-human. For it to be a cyborg like entity however, Facebook's software needs to improve a human aspect in some way (La Grandeur, 2014, para. 5-6). Consider a hypothetical situation where someone receives a prosthetic eye. This eye would allow the person to see further thereby, improving the person. Ultimately though, what the person sees is defined by the parameters set by the eyes' software. This would fall under the definition of transhumanism. Now examine Facebook. Like the prosthetic eye, Facebook allows its users to see further than they originally could. For example, they can read other countries news. But, also like the eye, the user is limited by the software parameters. So there is a degree of control and lack thereof, in both cases. But both would be considered a form of transhumanism.  

For more information on the difference between post-humanism and tranhumanism follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwvbzbJO4ow (Fuller, 2014).

References

Facebook. (2017). How News Feed Works. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/help/327131014036297/

Fuller, S. [Transhumanist Party UK]. (2015, October 14). Transhumanism vs. Post-humanism [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwvbzbJO4ow

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, week 6 notes [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

LaGrandeur, K. (2014). What is the Difference between Posthumanism and Transhumanism?. Retrieved from https://ieet.org/index.php/IEET2/more/lagrandeur20140729

McNeill, L. (2012). There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and posthuman auto/biography. Biography, 35(1), 64-82.https://doi.org/10.1353/bio.2012.0009

Zehra , R. (2015). Transhumanism [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.igyaan.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Transhumanism.png

“Café Tumblr”

The impact of social media can be seen from every Vantage Point. Online people use their various site accounts to Garner followers, receive support, learn, vent, and much more. The web has also become a platform for the touchier points of life such as humanitarianism and politics. Tumblr has become a site that aids such causes.

The "public sphere" a phrase coined by Jürgen Habermas, was described as a "theatre in modern societies in which political participation is enacted through the medium of talk." coffee houses were a good example of such spaces. People would sit and have a beverage, meanwhile discussing things of political importance and trying to reach common agreement. In the modern world we witnessed this "public sphere" has moved location and audience. People now have access to such discussion and ideas online, speak to a broader further reaching audience. This can be seen with the site Tumblr.

Many political and humanitarian blogs have been created and become quite prominent through the sites reblogging option. These pages game more and more power as their posts are shared.

" power is not a thing it is relational" (Kuttainen 2017).

One can see the power these blogs have simply by observing the effects on the material world that have come about. Mental awareness blogs for example, a popular on Tumblr. But beyond their posts these blogs have given support to people by contact through personal messages. They also raise material support via fundraisers and by inspiring people to act. One blog that I found named "Our Angel Olivia" holds fundraisers that raise money for different mental health organisations every few months, and this is just one example.

Picture of “Our angel Olivia” Homepage 

There is one obvious difference between the coffee shops of Old and the new online public sphere. Online, much easier to ignore opinions contrary to your own. Instead of being confronted by living people who have different opinions and views to you these people are instead behind screens and can be silence and edited out by the push of a button. In this way we edit out reality.

Humanism is explained as being a "philosophical and ethical stance; value and agency of human beings individually and collectively" by editing these parts we are in a way becoming posthuman. No longer are things real and genuine but filtered by our own view and the view of people we follow. In a sense the web both dismantles and sustains the humanist subject (McNeill). They do this by providing a place to discuss concepts and problems but making tools that we then use to remove anything not concurrent with our own view.

Ysabel Lancaster

References:

1)      An Angels Resting Place http://our-angel-olivia.tumblr.com/

2)      Jürgen Habermas on society and politics: a reader/ edited by Steven Seidman (1989) Beacon Press books, Boston.

3)      Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 6: Networked Narratives. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.

4)       auMcNeill, L. (2012). There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and posthuman auto/biography. Biography, 35(1), 64-82.https://doi.org/10.1353/bio.2012.0009

The Duality of Nature - By Elijah Weightman

The Two-Faced Nature of The Roar

What does it mean to be human? Does walking around and breathing the air make us human? Or is more required? In the words of anthropologist Samuel Hyde, there is a distinguishment between humans, and what he refers to as “NPCs” (Hyde, 2015). NPC, or non-playable character, is a term common to role playing games, meaning those characters in the game that the player cannot control. According to Hyde, a person can cease to be human, and therefore becomes an NPC. A person undergoes this transition when they begin to “go through the motions of life”, without second thought, or they fail to question why things are. According to Hyde, the majority of people in society are ‘NPCs’. Hyde uses the example of why Australia imported 189,000 migrants in 2016, when during the same year only 300,000 jobs were created. There were also roughly 70,000 university graduates during 2016 (Hyde, 2016).

According to Hyde, the majority of society is comprised of "NPCs". Retrieved from:

According to McNeill, a person can possess both a “real” and “virtual” identity (McNeill, 2012). Analysing this statement, one can interpret it as meaning that a person can express themselves differently via the internet medium. For instance, persons who are normally quite shy and reserved under their “real” identity can become knowledgeable, confident and frank under their “virtual” identities. Additionally, shrouded by the veil of anonymity, people can express their true thoughts regarding matters that do not fit the accepted “narrative” (Kuttainen, 2017). However, whilst one’s identity may be anonymous to another internet user, it is likely that Google and Facebook know their thoughts better than even they themselves do (Kuttainen, 2017).

Networked narratives is another interesting concept explained by McNeill (McNeill, 2012). Narratives which delineate from the accepted and comfortable narrative are often censored by those in control, as it does not suit their agenda. On The Roar, the prevalence of networked narratives can be witnessed firsthand. The Roar, which initially championed itself as a website where “your sports opinion” was valued above everything else, has since backtracked. Now only “some sports opinions” are allowed to be published. Opinions which tow the party line, so to speak, of being all inclusive, and benign. Some comments, no matter whether they be written by a guru or rookie, are universally blocked on questionable grounds.

For instance, one can pick any page and scroll through the comments. Raucous allegations are made, allegories to bestiality can sometimes even be viewed. One must wonder why such comments as these pass through the editor’s filter, whereas others, which are often articulately written and well-researched, are prevented from being published.

The contradictory nature of The Roar is alarming. The medium appears to quickly be alienating traditional commentators, who are now quickly finding that their opinions are being considered irrelevant, and unwanted. The Roar is in somewhat of an identity crisis. Because it is not mainstream enough to appeal to younger fans, it is jeopardising its relationship with old ones. Perhaps the Roar’s hierarchy should undergo an identity check, so as to reconnect with their true self.

References:

Hyde, S. (2015). On the subject of being and the mind. Richmond, VA. Royal Press.

Hyde, S. (2016). Concerning global immigration and the fall of western civilisation. Richmond, VA. Royal Press.

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 6: Networked Narratives. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

McNeill, L. (2012). There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and posthuman auto/biography. Biography, 35(1), 64-82. https://doi.org/10.1353/bio.2012.0009

We know your dreams. (2015). Dream interpretations - People. Retrieved from: http://weknowyourdreams.com/people.html. 

Signs and Wonders - By Elijah Weightman

Unaccountable Knowledge and Other Curious Stories

Different cultures perceive the world in alternative ways. Consider, for instance, the Dogon people, who inhabit the arid desert regions of Southern Mali. To the ordinary observer, the Dogon would seem indistinguishable from other West African tribes. However, the Dogon have closely protected information of the most profound nature, for several hundred years. The Dogon can accurately describe the so called “Dog Star”, Sirius B, in the Canis Major constellation, to Western astronomers. A star, which is invisible to the naked eye, and only discovered by Westerners in the mid-1800s. The Dogon, who claim such knowledge was imparted upon them by visitors from another star system, have passed down their learnings through the years via a combination of story-telling, and song (Temple, 1976).

The Dogon people are renowned for their colourful dancers and lively festivals, as well as curious knowledge of the Sirius system. Retrieved from: http://blissadventuretravel.blogspot.com.au/p/about-kent.html. 

Other societies impart tradition, teachings and lessons through song and stories. The Indian national epic, the Mahabharata and the Babylonian Talmud are such examples. Western civilizations achieve such through printed mediums (Kuttainen, 2017). Native American tribes, such as the Crow and Cherokee peoples, through feverish rituals and celebrations (Noorbergen, 1977).    

The Australian aborigines impart their knowledge in a manner similar to the Dogon. Australian aborigines perceive the land, and existence, through song (Chatwin, 1987). They believe that each feature and distinction of the land is explained through some ancient story, such as the ‘rainbow snake’ and ‘champion kookaburra’ (Indigenous Spirituality, 2017). Each region had a different language group, considering the fractured nature of indigenous society, there exist many variations of each story. Most involve similar elements, however.

Stories and places can be difficult to explain, and can be even more challenging to interpret. The world outlook held by and indigenous Australian would be difficult to perceive by a European person, and vice versa. Anglo Australians perceive the world in a more grounded, scientific fashion, whereas indigenous peoples see it on a more conceptual basis.

On The Roar, stories are imparted through contributors. Contributors come in the form of professional sports writers, or non-professional fan writers. Great stories, known as ‘features’, are imparted by only the most championed authors, such as father of The Roar, Spiro Zavos, and prince of The Roar, David Lord. Cautionary tales are sometimes devised by fans in the comments sections, generally regarding the demise of certain sportspersons. The tales can also apply to the fall from grace of sporting clubs that once stood like shining beacons upon a hill, but have since tumbled into obscurity from mismanagement and greed. Rumour and myth are perpetrated by unsavoury types, their whispers generally only garnering the attention of the naïve, foolish or incompetent.

As Terrance Pratchett said, “stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.” Such would explain the contempt that most Australians regard Aboriginal myth with. 

References:

Blogger. Retrieved from: http://blissadventuretravel.blogspot.com.au/p/about-kent.html. 

Chatwin, B. (1987). The Songlines. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au.

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place. lecture five: Stories of Place: Story Lines. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au.

Noorbergen, R. (1977) Secrets of lost races. United States. TEACH Services, Inc.

Paulson, G. (2017). Retrieved from: http://australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/indigenous-spirituality?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiqTNBRDVARIsAGsd9MpJI6iy-3v1-bYfejNE14VzG3ZCNecm1s9IYbcrN6WvKf1JhOV_8u4aAtu2EALw_wcB

Temple, R. (1976). The Sirius mystery. Lincoln, Nebraska. St. Martins Press. 

Who are you?

Who are you?

Jaime Ogston

                                                Figure 1 - The All Seeing Eye (2017)

If you think that social media is some benign concept created purely for the social satisfaction of its users, then you are not alone. Thousands join Instagram every day around the world with little thought into the true objective of its creators.

Instagram, a photo sharing platform, provides the opportunity for users to upload the highlights of their lives and share them with their community of followers. Your page, your story, narrated by you. From a humanistic perspective, there certainly are elements of individuality, authenticity and agency evident (McNeill, 2012, p.67). But dig a little deeper and you may just find a whole other realm that will have you questioning who it is that is really telling your story.

According to the Four Corners episode – Cracking the Code, aired on ABC (Greste & Cohen, 2017), Facebook has a wealth of data on millions of people globally. Through its myriad of algorithms, Facebook is able to track your network of friends, judge your interests and even tell what mood you are in. This data is then used to tailor you page according to your data. Instagram, now owned by Mark Zuckerberg, founder and creator of Facebook, also collects and has access to this bank of personal information. According to Adam Helfgott, who appeared on the Four Corners episode, you don’t even need to be a Facebook or Instagram user for Facebook to be able to create a profile on you. And opting out, well that’s just not an option.

If we then go on to look at the ‘liking’,’sharing’,’tagging’ and ‘commenting’ aspects of the Instagram site, we need to question how this impacts our social media behaviour (McNeill, 2012, p.71). What does being socially acceptable in the virtual world entail? And does this then put the humanistic ideal of authenticity in question? Bringing to light the social media features and software that have the power to ‘silence’ unacceptable narratives and persuade you to present yourself in a certain way (Kuttainen, 2017), then one would have to argue that we are indeed not our authentic selves.

So, if our humanistic ideals are being challenged and we are unknowingly complying then doesn’t that then make us posthumanistic in the virtual world? Our narratives are no longer our own but rather are networked according to cyber the world (McNeill, 2012, p.78). The influences of the network itself with all of persuasive software directing us to be fit a certain mould accompanied by the influences of the virtual community further shaping our behaviours renders us incapable of maintaining individuality, authenticity and agency. We are being stripped of our very own identities and edging closer to resembling a community of cyborgs.

References:

·         McNeill, L. (2012). There Is No “I” in Network: Social Networking Sites and Posthuman Auto/Biography. Biography, 35(1), 65-82. Retrieved from http://www.muse.jhu.edu.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/article/480243

·         Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place, week 6 notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au

·         Greste, P. (Writer), & Cohen, J. (Director). (2017). Cracking the Code [Television series episode]. In Neighbour, S (Executive producer), Four Corners. Sydney, NSW: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

·         The All Seeing Eye [Image]. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/149260337@N06/33736294501

Are You Who You Say You Are?

Are You Who You Say You Are?

(That’s a lot of “you”)

Katelyn Gilchrist 

When sitting at home, feeding your face, and watching an hour-long compilation of your favourite Viner, it’s fair to assume the last thing you’d be questioning is their authenticity.

On Youtube, there is a cesspool of inspirational youtube videos that end with popular YouTubers saying things like “stay true to yourself”, “be yourself” and basing their success of their authenticity and originality, but how many online stars actually follow their own advice? 

Figure 1: Inspiration (Englert).

In the lecture, Victoria mentioned how in an online network we are not the only ones constructing our identity (Kuttainen, 2017). I believe that in the vine network, with everyone striving for popularity, there are many constraints potentially constructing users online identities. Certain traits such as attractiveness, wealth, humour, and youth draw in views more than others so many users may alter themselves to fit these desired qualities. Once vine began to gain status and popularity as a major network it wasn’t long before many Viners all began making similar content, acting alike and collaborating constantly. The ALS ice bucket challenge is a great example of this. Rather than researching and understanding the purpose of the challenge, many just jumped on board to hopefully gain popularity while the challenge was viral. However, this sheepish display could also be a demonstration of the embedded peer pressures in place for users to act a certain way within this network. Which young users are increasingly susceptible to.

Vine provides its users with the power to portray themselves as whoever they want to be. Shy individuals can express their comedic or outrageous side while the life of the party can have some down time and upload a cooking or art time-lapse. 

A great example of an alternate online persona is Viner Zach King. He rose to the spotlight with his skillfully edited videos of him performing magic. He is well known around the world for his mind-blowing videography and even appeared on the Ellen show and has had his abilities and popularity utilised by many advertisers. However, unlike other popular magicians such as Dynamo and Houdini, Zach’s tricks are purely video editing. The only thing that everyone knows him for, he is unable to do in real life, so does this make his online identity unauthentic? Or is vine just an outlet for him to show talents and express his true identity in ways he may be unable to in reality? 

While many content creators, identities are built around the videos they upload and how they represent themselves through that, users who don’t create content also build their own identity within the app. Despite lacking the autobiographical style profile of a Facebook account that Zuckerberg argues gives accounts their authenticity, I still believe the average vine user would have a generally authentic profile (McNiell, 2012, pp.68). Due to this identity being built around what they revine and like and who they follow. I’d assume it would be quite out of the ordinary for an individual to purposely like, revine and follow certain genres, vines and content creators just in the hopes of building an identity unlike their own. 

All I can say is, I'll be going to bed tonight very confused about which of my internet idols are and aren't "real".

Reference List 

Englert, A. (unknown). Retrieved from https://au.pinterest.com/pin/54184001744473025/

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 6: Networked Narratives. [Powerpoint Slides] Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
Mascheroni, G. (2015). "Girls are addicted to likes so they post semi-naked selfies": Peer mediation, normativity and the construction of identity online. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychological Research on Cyberspace, 9(1), article 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/CP2015-1-5

McNiell, L. (2012). There Is No "I" in Network: Social networking sites and post-human auto/biography. Biography, 35(1), 65-82. https://doi.org/10.1353/bio.2012.0009

Power of Language and Naming (Assasins Creed PSN)

POWER OF LANGUAGE AND NAMING

BY KURT TY

(Google Images)https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.GnimoaamqLOyOu-617itDgEsDY&w=230&h=166&c=7&qlt=90&o=4&dpr=1.5&pid=1.7

In regards to the topic ‘Space and Place’, I have linked my blog with Tuan’s reading “Language and the Making of Place: A Narrative- Descriptive Approach”. The topic will form around the idea of language and how it defines a sense of place, self or community identity. In the social network of PlayStation, the series of Assassins Creed games became global favourites in the gaming world due to its action-packed adventure platform based on historical events. The game forms in the life of Desmond Miles, who presumably had genetic memories of his ancestors which turned out to be assassins’ who fought for peace and free will centuries ago. In the game’s plot, Desmond is able access his memories through a teleportation device called the “animus” (Fandom, 2015) where he is able to experience the historical setting and occurrences from places like Italy, France and England. The game is also filled with characters that have played a part on their countries history like Leonardo da Vinci, Pope John Paul and Galileo.  

Assassin’s Creed uses the style of language and naming to further distinguish the space in which the character can be found during different scenarios of the game. For example, when Ezio visits the Vatican City in the game; the characters in the current virtual world consists of people speaking Italian and having a strong connection to the catholic church. Using the concept of language and naming within the game allows gamers to identify a sense of community identity and provide the help to identify key people or places in the game which allows them to have a better understanding of the objectives in the game.

In conclusion, language can be foreseen as a form of knowledge and “knowledge is power” according to previous lectures. Without language, the world we live in today will struggle in forms of communication. Language allows people from different parts of the world to be identified within a community and identifying which country or place in the world they belong to. Furthermore, the use of naming relates in the aspect of language as it provides identity on a place, thing or a being.  

Reference:

Fandom http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Assassin%27s_Creed_Wiki

Tumblr is (not?) Life

 Caroline Mercer

                When people think about curated lives on social media, they often consider Facebook or Instagram, where people commonly edit their life to show the positive side, leaving struggles to be dealt with privately. However, this sort of edited life appears all over the internet, including on Tumblr. As individuals set up their Tumblr, following a variety of blogs and adding to the content on their own, they choose which aspects of their own personality are to be emphasized. For some, this may be an authentic version of themselves, in which they display their struggles, their hopes, and their interests rather equally. For others however, Tumblr is a place to go for a certain interest, a certain aesthetic, or a certain version of themselves that may not match up with their self in the “real” world.

                McNiell (2012) discusses an “authentic” self that was supposedly set up through the creation of a social media profile (according to Mark Zuckerberg). Tumblr, lacking a profile in itself, never promises such a thing. Yet the idea is there- that each person’s blog should reflect a unique combination of their own interests and therefore display aspects of the individual behind it. This is not how Tumblr manifests, however. Just as identities on Facebook are partially created through the interference of an algorithm (McNiell, 2012), Tumblr users find the blogs the follow (and reblog from) through a search function. The people we follow and the content we add to our own blogs (and our own identities) is dependent on the mechanisms of Tumblr itself, which edit what we see when we search. In such a system, the individual is not completely in control of who they present themselves to be- they can only reblog what Tumblr allows them to see.

                Identities on Tumblr are tricky to grasp. While there are some incredibly strange subcultures on the site, as Kuttainen (2017) discussed, in a network such as Tumblr some narratives are more dominant than others, and those that don’t meet certain standards will be grounds for deactivation. While Tumblr is touted as a space for individuals to find their own niches and explore new horizons, they have topics that are off limits. Some people are required to hide certain aspects of their personality to explore others through Tumblr, and aren’t displaying a truly “authentic” version of themselves. Others choose to highlight one of their interests over another, such as blogs dedicated to kpop stars, or certain tv shows. On the other hand, certain people choose to reveal large amounts of their personal life to their Tumblr followers, discussing their hardships, their happiness, and their day-to-day lives in addition to the exciting moments often shared on social media. Yet while these individuals may be said to be portraying their “real” identity on Tumblr, there will still be moments in which they will not speak, and activities they will not reveal. Although an idea of who users are may be gleaned from their blogs, it’s always appearing through a filter by which they can decide how much (or how little) of themselves they reveal. On Tumblr, that is just fine. 

Image 1. An excerpt from Tumblr's new(ish) Community Guidelines. (Moss, 2014).

References

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 6: Networked Narratives. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

McNiell, L. (2012). There Is No “I” in Network: Social Networking Sites and Posthuman Auto/Biography. Biography, 35(1), 65-82. https://doi.org/10.1353/bio.2012.0009

Moss, C. (2014). Tumblr Community Guidelines [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/tumblrs-new-terms-of-service-is-inspiring-and-funny-2014-1?r=US&IR=T

Tumblr in A Major: Communication Via Songlines

The Aboriginal people of Australia had a unique way of mapping the world around us. As they moved from place to place (to avoid over consumption of the land), they sang the terrain around them. This is how they found their sense of place and were able to navigate through the outback.

The name English speaking Australians gave these tracks and maps is “Songlines”. Within the Aborinal race there was around 500 different tribes. Each of these tribes travelled their own songlines and knew the ins and outs of them, the earth becoming closely linked with their own identity, and the identity of the group.

Indigenous Painting Representing songlines

The tribes also tended to keep to themselves for the most part, as they all spoke different languages.

Singing the maps during travel might seem more primitive than etching geographical locations onto a map but it was an intricate system that remained unchanged for hundreds of years. There are still remnants of Songlines to this day. This was an effective form of communication between the tribe members. Within the songs, the people would weave tales of how prosperous the land was and whether there was danger ahead. This was quite effective in keeping those who were within the same group safe and fed.

The exclusivity of each clan to their own songlines and areas was predominantly due to the language barrier but also had to do with something we call “Dreaming”. In ‘The Songlines’ (B. Chatwin 1987), the author explains the Dreaming as a kind of affinity to a particular part of nature. The example given was a wallaby. If their “totem” was a wallaby it meant they believed themself to be a direct descendant of the “Wallaby Father” and a brother to all wallabies and other humans who had the Wallaby Dreaming.

He continues, describing how the affinity leads them to their songlines. It is believed that their “totemic ancestor”, while travelling Australia, scattered a trail of words and musical notes to be followed.

“Suppose the man strayed from his songline?”

“He was trespassing. He might get speared for it.”

Like Songlines, the intricate networks within different social media serve as a way to find and communicate with peple who have similar interests or beliefs as you. This is represented well by Tumblr.

Reblogging posts on Tumblr, or even liking and commenting, can be seen as a kind of digital songline. People reacting to content they have in common with the poster. Thus, online communities or “tribes” are formed. Similarly, these people stick to their group, communicating in the specific dialogue that is expected from them (using exclusive language such as inside jokes or slang).

Tracing posts by individuals of the same group, it becomes evident how their language evolves and changes to fit in. Victoria Kuttianen summed this phenomena up in her Wednesday lecture, stating: “We are just energy, just blobs, until we learn we are coherent, that we are cognitive.”

In the same way, those that stray from their chosen paths and participate in another groups posts can become a receptor of a kind of metaphorical spear. They receive backlash for speaking on something they personally aren’t affiliated with.

Human nature hasn’t changed much over the years, and behavioural patterns, first established by our ancestors hundreds of years ago, can still be seen today. The only variable is the medium upon which they are displayed.

Ysabel Lancaster

References

1)      Queensland Rural Medical Education Limited (Oct 17, 2013) What are song lines? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVOG-RKTFIo

2)       B. Chatwin, (1987) The Songlines, London, Jonathan Cape Ltd

3)        Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place, week 5 notes

4)      Josephine Mick, Pipalyatjara (1994),KUNGKARANGKALPA: SEVEN SISTERS SONGLINE http://sevensisterssongline.com/resources/

Virtual Realm of Reality

VIRTUAL REALM OF REALITY

Jaime Ogston

Beyond the glass screen of your computer, tablet or phone there is a whole other world created entirely from language. This is a world of hash tags, communities, stories and followers. A world of going “live” and “tagging”. Where for some, the virtual IS reality. This is Instagram.

What was originally created as a photo sharing application has evolved into a realm where millions of communities made up of millions of like-minded people gather to express their self. A simple search for almost anything imaginable, from gypsy to gym junkie, preceded by a hash tag, will direct you straight to one of these communities. But it is your own personal Instagram page that is your springboard into truly immersing yourself in these conceptually created spaces.

Tuan (1991) discusses how the art of storytelling has the power to bring far off objects into the reality and that by adding certain elements to this story we are able to create more emotional attachments to place. This is just how the Instagram world works. Using the “stories” feature, one is able to narrate and edit their life according to the communities they’re aiming to establish an identity within. Upload a photo, add a few hash tags and you are introducing yourself to your chosen community. And if your content is well received then you will earn yourself some followers.

These followers are your very own tribe. Your Instagram page becomes a place in its own right. A creation of your narration. Tagging others will further establish your place. And going “live”, well that is just like having virtual coffee with your new-found friends.

Drawing on the week five lecture, in which Dr Victoria Kuttainen discussed the evolution of language, we can clearly see how the age of the internet is changing our culture (Kuttainen 2017). It is no longer a necessity that we even step out of the comfort of our pyjamas to socialise. Entire communities are just a click of a button away. And if we do feel the sudden urge to upload a “selfie” without having first applied our makeup, one of the many Instagram filters will render us fit for human consumption.

What a powerful tool the gift of language is. The ability to create places, both real and virtual, through communication is remarkable. Mark Pagel (2011) highlights this in a TED talk in which he discusses the transformations of humanity through language. Pagel further elaborates on how language is also used as a method of exclusion. Tuan (1991) provides an example of this very notion when, during the Second World War, the Japanese persuaded other Asian leaders to view the conflict as a battle of the East and West.

Throughout history, the mediums through which we experience language have changed but the power of it has never faltered. We are now inundated with ways of using that very power to create our own place and identity within larger global communities. This is the new milestone medium in the evolution of the human language.

References:

·         Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place, week 5 notes [power point slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au

·         Pagel, M. (TEDglobal). (2011, July) How language transformed humanity [vodcast]. Retrieved from https;//www.ted.com>talks>transcript

·         Social network analysis [image]. (2005). Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Internet_map_1024.jpg

·         Tuan, Y. (1991) Language and the Making of Place. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 81(4), 684-696. Retrieved from http://.jstor.org/stable/2563430

Pinning thy Place

Little Girl Holding a Bouquet of Balloons. (Magier, N.D.)

Words hold a power that people are often unaware of, it is a power that is hidden in plain sight. As normal as describing an experience may seem in everyday life we are creating spaces in which we are guiding others to think a certain way about a certain thing. Now, Pinterest is an online platform with little words, as images are its main form content, but this does not mean that words are completely absent. Captions for the images that are being posted create their own meaning on the image being shown.  Imagine this, an image, a little girl, big grin on her face, holding a red balloon behind her back, captioned ‘enjoying the fair; she loves her red balloon’ is what you imagined an innocent little girl? How about if the same image was captioned ‘Enjoying the fair; she stole a baby’s red balloon,’ what do you imagine now? The creation of attention catching captions could be described as a language that the users of Pinterest have utilised in order to create their influence over the space that they have inhabited.

It is stated by Tuan (1991) the construction and maintenance of place is something in which language is a component. This is through the ability of giving the focal object/place a meaning that is not only understood but clarified by those who gave it that meaning (Tuan, 1977). An example of place that is created within the Pinterest community is the user’s pin boards. Each individual board following a specific genre, captioned with specific terms and phrases that will draw others who are interested in the subject onto their page. These terms they use and/or names they give creating meaning for the place that is their pin board. Not only the individual but the public boards displaying all things that are relevant and interesting to you, the user, creates a sense of comfort and belonging in the online world of Pinterest.

Let’s look back to the image I proposed earlier; by changing the caption this allowed for two different views to emerge around the same image. This ability to use the words of a caption to change someone’s view of an image can be the same for changing someone’s view on an online Platform such as Pinterest as well. As Kuttainen (2017) explains, “fictional stories can reflect ways the author sees, visualizes, and experiences the real world.” Now, although Pinterest is not a fictional story, the user’s boards are just as much a reflection of the ways in which they perceive their world, using images and captions to send their individual views into the virtual space. Space in which meaning is created and a sense of place in formed and the community can come together to continue to preserve that place via the language that they share.

Word Count: 470

References

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place Week 5 Stories and Places. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Magier, I. (N.D). [Image]. Little Girl Holding a Bouquet of Balloons. Retrieved from https://fr.123rf.com/photo_34992956_mignon-petite-fille-tenant-un-bouquet-de-ballons-en-forme-de-coeur-rouge.html?fromid=R00wSzFrOGoydVMwcUVnLzNWYlJqQT09

Tuan, Y. (1991). Language and the Making of Place: A Narrative-Descriptive Approach. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 18(4), 684-696. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/stable/pdf/2563430.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A80e7c1e87eb2c56496e86a3b280395f2

Tuan, Y. (1977). Space and place. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

The name and the death star of Grand Theft Auto.

The name and the death star of Grand Theft Auto.

 by Ninan Kurian

Grand Theft Auto, as the name suggest started out as a motor vehicle theft game but over the years it has evolved by adding an underground business that sells drugs, forged documents, and recent guns. There are also various missions and heists that involve killing and stealing products for business and money. The aim, to raise your rank of the criminal underworld to the highest possible. It is one of the highest grossing and popular games in the world, as millions of players play it worldwide. As Tuan (1991, p.688). quoted “Naming is power”, if the name was stealing things instead of GTAV then it would reduce the power to identify the context of the game through the title. The name is what gives the place an identity. Further exploring the game and Tuan (1991, p.686) quote “storytelling converts mere objects ‘out there’ into real presences”, I have come to understand that language and names have the power within the game too (Kuttainen, 2017). People form gangs within the game, which requires a name that is appropriate to the game and people with names that stand out. If you went with your name or a fake name like The Nerd, King Arthur, or The Peace Keeper then you are likely to be on your own but instead choose a name like Hotshot, Bloody Ghost or Sniper007 then it will be easy for you to be part of a gang. In the case of gang names, names like Kung Fu Pandas, The Muffin Men, or The Step Dads, are likely to be laughed at then feared but names like Brotherhood of Horror, Nightmare Squad or Zeus Judgment will strike fear into thought who seek to challenge your gang. This shows that names can make things that are invisible, visible but also can turn imaginary identities into real presences. 

Picture 1: Life a Nintendo version of GTA V or Skyrim (wellthisjustgotinteresting, 2015)

Finally, the language and just as the death star of Star Wars has many ships within the star, the language of Grand Theft Auto has many sentences that contain bad words, and the game's atmosphere causes you accidentally to use those same words. In the game, if a person goes around saying taking and please they will remain a stranger but those who swear and use slang will be part of the family. So many, use these words to adapt to the place and survive in the virtual world but the language used there is being transferred to the real world and changing the lives of many people. Unlike the death star in Star Wars which was demolished, the language used in this game cannot be destroyed because, without its presence, the game would not feel real or fun to many gamers, which will cause the game to lose its popularity. So, the Rebel Alliance must now find a way to destroy, yet another death star, even though this time it’s not the Empires. 

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Stories of place: Story lines, lecture 5 [Lecture slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_84764_1&content_id=_2759359_1

Tuan, Y. (1991). Language and the making of place: A narrative-descriptive approach. Annals of the association of american geographers, 81(4), 684-696. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2563430

wellthisjustgotinteresting (2015). Life a Nintendo version of GTA V or Skyrim [Picture 1]. Retrieved from http://imgur.com/gallery/RvkmUkL

Once upon a time in a land far far away.....

Once upon a time in a land far far away....

By Nicola Battaglene

Image 1: Facebook media image (Pandagila, 2017)

The development and evolution of computer technology, has revolutionised the way people communicate with each other. Long before the invention of the internet and Facebook, people would come together and connect by sharing stories and information.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, have used yarning through stories or the ‘Dreamtime’ to pass on knowledge. Dreamtime stories have also maintained the links between the land, body and spirit. Sheppard states “Dreaming stories were told through methods such as rock paintings, dance and songlines” (as cited in Bacon, 2013, p. 137). 

Chatwin (1987, p. 13) notes that songlines were used by Aboriginal people to navigate across the land, songs acting as a map, created from stories passed through the Dreamtime ancestors. The shift from oral to written communication, combined with the transformation in technology, has created a transformation in culture (Kuttainen, 2017).

As a modern society, we embrace each new technological advance and method of communicating. It seems that a combination of globalisation, consumerism and the availability of the internet, has created a technology dependency.

The days of people coming together in the flesh, to share stories, are disappearing. Interacting with screens, the convenience of mobile text messages, emails and Facebook messenger, are favoured over face-to-face contact. Our relationships are becoming more virtual.

Facebook has provided us with a social media platform for story-telling. A virtual social network, where people post their stories, network narratives that are shared with other Facebook users. There are different ways of showcasing these stories. A variety of page templates, such as business templates for professional services or community pages, designed to target specific groups of people with similar interests.

When we tell our story, the words we use and the language we speak, determines what direction we will go. We can create a gateway that allows us to move across the virtual landscape, creating social networks and connections. Within the world of Facebook, we can create our own songlines.

Aboriginal songlines are similar to the network narrative we share on Facebook. They are a navigation tool and way of engaging, communicating, and sharing information with one another. The difference is, they are not written and cannot be viewed in the same sense as stories on social media. I believe that songlines are so much more than a virtual social network can ever be. It is hard to think of something that could outlast a cultural belief system of oral stories, that has survived over forty thousand years. No one knows for sure how long computer technology will last.

Today, the latest digital technology is being used to access social media in Aboriginal communities. Smart phones that have internet connection, have enabled people in rural or remote regions without computers, to communicate on Facebook. It has been described as the modern equivalent of songlines.

In reality, we can see that engaging face-to-face with others is becoming rare. New generations of people are growing up, never knowing a world without the internet and social media. I think that if we can utilise the ongoing evolution of technology, we can maintain the connection with our history and carry our stories into future.

References

Bacon, V. (2013). Yarning and listening: yarning and learning through stories. In B. Bennett, S. Green, S. Gilbert, & D. Bessarab (Eds.), Our Voices: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Work (pp. 136-165). South Yarra, Australia: Palgrave Macmillan.

Chatwin, B. (1987). The Songlines. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au.

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place. lecture five: Stories of Place: Story Lines. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au.

Our Land Council. (2017). Social media and songlines: young people, land rights and identity. Retrieved from http://ourmob.org.au/social-media/

Pandagila. (2017). Facebook media image. Retrieved from http://www.pandagila.com/membuat-foto-liburan-instagram-anda-tampak-menarik/

The Accent of Tumblr

There are a plethora of words that can be used to describe the Internet, Tumblr, and its activities. Mellow, enraging, fun or puerile; all are viable words that turn the disconnected “space” into a more approachable “place”. However, depending on the meaning and emotion embedded in the word used, the ways of imagining this virtual space may be challenged and influenced.

In this week’s lecture, it was stated that narratives/communication establish a reality which “organises” or rectifies space and place (Kuttainen, 2017). Whether people are aware of it or not, the use of the linguistics allocates and modifies a person’s way of imagining the Internet (Tuan, 1991). For example, if I were to say that the Internet is filed with trolls and spammers, you’d automatically associate negative feelings toward the subject of my ire; the Internet. Alternatively, if I said that the Internet boosts creativity and innovation, you’d imagine the Internet in a more positive manner. The way we portray things through our speech ultimately establishes and shapes our image of place. Tuan (1991) best summarizes this idea through his comment of “a moral dimension to speech”, whereby language and naming can make or break a place (p. 684).

According to Tuan (1991), also, “language is a component in the construction and maintenance of a place” (p.694). This comment explains that, like the way concrete creates the foundations for buildings, linguistics is an anchor for the conception of place (Tuan, 1991). Language mechanisms in Tumblr are individualistic and unique to its platform. ANDC Researcher Jennifer Oxley (2014) studied the linguistics behind, what she calls, “Tumblr Speech” and discovered that it “is a mixture of Standard English (SE) and non-SE features…[,] borrowings from other languages…[and] new words and expressions, with their own unique spellings and semantic meanings” (para. 1-4). References to and mixing mainstream pop-culture has also become an integral part of “Tumblr Speech”, which can be seen in Image 1 (Oxley, 2014). Unlike Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or any other social media platform, Tumblr has created the virtual equivalent of a real-world accent through its jargon and exclusive intertextuality. An example of this can be seen here. Tumblr's language both makes and characterises a sense of place as it, despite the context, gives a sense of harmony amongst its users. Even if, say, two users were debating a topic, their shared sense of “Tumblr Speech” (Oxley, 2014) creates a mutual understanding between both parties.

Tuan (1991) states that, “naming is…the creative power to call something into being, to render the invisible visible, to impart a certain character to things” (pg. 688). Naming as a way of making place on Tumblr isn’t unique like its language mechanisms. In fact, its directory terms (such as “likes” and “followers”) are commonplace amongst social media outlets. However, while Tumblr’s sharing aspect, the “reblog” system, is essentially the same as Facebook’s or Instagram’s “share” mechanisms, its divergence from the standard “share” name creates a sense of place and a way of imagining this social network. If Tumblr had named "reblogs" something phonetically similar to “share”, the conception people have on Tumblr mightn’t’ve been as distinctive.

Image One: Mainstream Pop-Culture (The Titanic) mixed with the Tumblr "Shipping" Phenomena.  (ismirkymeerkat, n.d.)

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Ismirkymeerkat. (N.D.). Title [Image]. Retrieved from https://ismirkymeerkat.tumblr.com/post/26490460063/i-ship-love-love-over-everything-in-this-world

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place Week 5 Stories and Places. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Orsini, L. R. (2012). A Sincere Guide to Tumblr Slang. Retrieved from https://www.dailydot.com/society/sincere-guide-tumblr-slang/

Oxley, J. (2014). The Language of Tumblr. Retrieved from http://ozwords.org/?p=5759

Tuan, Y. (1991). Language and the Making of Place: A Narrative-Descriptive Approach. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 18(4), 684-696. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/stable/pdf/2563430.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A80e7c1e87eb2c56496e86a3b280395f2