1-What are some of the reasons for a surge in digital autobiographical production from “home pages” to “wearcams”?
– New Media is always changing, always making it possible for the impossible. When new documentary tools flooded the web, like webcams, Flash and QuickTime movies, and blogs became available, a revolution started. These tools make it easier for bloggers and family members wanting to share their lives and stories to all of their viewers. Autobotographies reveals relationships of individuals to their new contexts or communities of the Internet age.
2-What is the role of autobotography vis-a-vis technology’s “narcotic effect”?
– Autobotography provides us with images of who we have become in front of the new mirror. The most powerful autobotographies help us to see both ourselves and the mirror; thus they disrupt the new technology’s narcotic effect. What autobotography reveals are technological memes which describe how we are being inhabited by our latest tools and how our tools are embodying us.
3-Jennicam gives us an example of the pleasures of self-disclosure, Mann’s WearCams give an example of the dangers of surveillance. Are there dangers in Jennifer Ringley’s work (or similar projects)? And what might those dangers be? Conversely, are there any pleasures in Stephen Mann’s WearCams?
– Yes, there are dangers in Jennifer’s work. Since she shows her whole life, people can get to know her, even in a weird sense. There are stockers that will do anything to find people and not only that but revealing her who life on the Internet for anyone can see can cause a lot of physical and mental disruption in her life. And there are pleasures with the Wearcam. It could be used for a lot of different events and it is a very useful product to have. Plus, it looks like a lot of fun to use.
4-Explain how 2 of the blogging projects reshapes our sense of self, life, or writing.
– Jennicam shows us how a life of a student is really like. It started a trend of mass amounts of people doing the same thing. It provides entertainment for the viewers and it helps you get intact with both ourselves and the mirror. Another project, the Wearcam, was the start of something new. Something like this had not happened yet, at the time, and was making a huge impact. Not only did it help with surveillance but could be used for blogging your own life which turned this useful equipment into a hobby.
5-Pick one of the “moving self-portraits” and explain how the project evokes the mystery of our contemporary lives. What kinds of issues does the portrait raise?
– Blogging a Birth is a very useful spot to sit down if you have questions and find that answer. Not only can you find the answer that you were searching for, you can gain more from just reading posts. If you are a first time mother and do not know what to expect, you can witness someone’s whole pregnancy stage online to help you on your way.
6-Katherine Hayles speaks of the “post-human” in describing the cyborgian entities we have become. How do the artists of this chapter create autobotographies of this “post-human” cyborg? Consider, for example Life Sharing and [phage].
-These autobotography artists are like cyborgs. It is almost as if they are part human and part cyborg. They are sharing their lives using technology and only can be viewed from technology. This makes them seem half human and half computer.
7-How do digital artists examine the commodification of the self? How has the self become another consumer good, or how does a human being get reduced to a “consumer”? Which digital projects raise theese questions and how do they do it?
– When you are posted on the Internet and people pay you to watch your life or just watch animations of yourself in awkward positions, you are a product. It is like selling yourself to the computer age and you are a part of it. You become less human and are seen more of an object that an actually person.
8-Describe the autobotography of “invented selves” or avatars. How do Female Extension and Darko Maver raise questions about the nature of digital selves. Why do they use invented selves and what are the reasons for doing so and the effects of their choices?
– Invented selves are any alias you have with the Internet. Whether it is Email nicknames, chat-room handles, game characters, or an avatar. People create these because they can be who they want to be without the criticism of the world and how they should be in today’s society. It is a break from reality to do what you want. It is your world and you can create anything you want and be who you want without any rebacutions.
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