The Connection

In the late of 1800's, Thomas Edison invented the first phonograph for recording voice and music. The phonographic had lead to bunch people’s creation of radio. During the 1920s, radio had become a popular mass medium. Later on, Philo T. Farnsworth had created television at his age fourteen. The television mostly replaced radio. Most of Americans were watching television at home instead of listening to the radio. However, Bernes Lee created a great technology --- the internet. Now, almost every teenage will spend most of their times on internet. According to the Chinese newspaper I have read before, it indicated there are 64% of teenage cannot stay home without the internet. That is a huge number! The internet technologies strongly influence the society.
According to Clay Shirky’s definition of Mass Amateurization, he indicates that the internet is no longer only provides to the professionals, but almost everyone knows how to use the computer to access internet, “Mass Amateurization is a result of the radical spread of expressive capabilities.” (66) The internet has become more and more common in our society. This mass medium is taking over all others, such as television, radio and newspaper.
In Clay Shirky’s "Everyone is a Media Outlet", he describes the relationship between amateurization and the social group. He argues that since everyone knows how to access internet, then everyone can be expert of computer and create one media outlet. He believes everyone is a media outlet. The internet makes a connection from people to people. I believe everyone must be owns a cell phone or camera, they can take picture or record a video at any time of any interesting things. I also believe most of them would post of facebook or twitter if they do have one. In this case, it already proves that everyone is a media outlet since they have the ability to provide for the others. Therefore, I totally agree on Shirky’s statement of “Media is not just a source of information, but a site of corporation.”
Our world is between old tradition media and the new internet media. For example, our parents may choose to stay at home for a specific time to watch a TV show, but we, the teenage can download online for anytime we want. This is the differences. The new internet media is easier and more flexible for human. I agree on Clay Shirky’s idea of we are updating ourselves as long as the technologies are upgrading, “We don’t need to “unlearn” information, but rather learn more.” I think internet technology will take over all other media technologies soon or later. That is because everyone is using it and the internet technology does influence the society so much.
My own publisher amateur experience was the first time using Xanga. Xanga was very popular during I was young. I was so scared and confuse when I first time login Xanga. It looked so hard and complicated to me. Luckily, Xanga has the direction to teach people how to start. First, I created my own file picture and chose the skin color for my Xanga. Then I started to write a post, of course I was welcoming myself to Xanga. I was so surprised that it was that easy. I learned how to post within 30 minutes. I was so happy that how easily I became a blogger and drop a comment in my friend’s post.
The world is changing and we are following the steps to change in order to become a better one. As Clay Shirky illustrates his idea: “These changes will transform the world everywhere groups of people come together to accomplish something, which is to say everywhere.”



Work Cited

Shirky, Clay. Here comes everybody: the power of organizing without organizations. New York: Penguin, 2008. Print.