My Culture and Your Culture

There was a time many people remained distant in their own communities and only associated with people they knew. Men and women of their own cultures may only associate with others in the same culture. People went generations without speaking to anyone outside their cultures. During the days of Immigration to the United States, the only form of contact with outsiders walking down Main Street. People of their own "kind" would live together in the same neighborhood. Socializing beyond your own religion and ethnic background was nearly prohibited and frowned upon by members of your community.

Social.Networking@Ancient Greece.com

Greeks in Ancient Greek over more than 2,500years ago built their temples to face the sun. This form of architecture is acknowledged to be Greece's earliest form of social networking. The Greeks performed their sacrifices early in the morning, which brought together a significant audience. The audience would worship and praise with one another which made this Greece's earliest social networking. The ancient Greeks would meet in their temples, near Sicily, and sacrifice oxen and goats. They would burn the animals skin and bones. Their belief was the smoke would reach the heavens of the god for whom they worshiped.

Imagine what Buddha would do...?

We have discussed several things here... We have thought about why and what drives the need for social networks.  This is revolving topic that can discussed until it drives you nut (which we fully intend to do!).  So lets take a different approach, outside of why and what, lets think about where the world would be if we had social networks 20,000 years ago. 

Back when the Buddha was the big man on campus there was no computers to document his life.  Imagine if he had the resources we had today... HOLY COW Buddha would have been blogging and tweeting everyone to death.  Spreading his word faster and further than ever expected.  Think about what the world would be like today if the technology we have available now, was available then.  Things would be exponentially different; Christianity would most likely not be the largest religion, the Roman Empire may never have fallen, and the atrocities of the Holocaust may never have happen.   These are far fetched ideas, but think about what technology has done for us today, we know everything happening almost as it is happening.  One can not help but to think that if "tweeting" was available in the 1930's the Holocaust may never have happen to the extent it had.  People would have been able to let the world know what was going on so it could be stopped.

So here it is, the question of the semester... What or Who do you think would be changed, and how from the ability to use technology of today?  I look forward to seeing where everyone takes this... be creative and adventurous in your thinking.  You can not be wrong!

How About Another Round Aye?

What was the first chat room? No one documented when the first one was invented because it's always been a part of culture. How's that you might ask? Well, a chat room is basically a bunch of people getting together, having a few drinks, and talking. You didn't need a computer or Facebook to do that. Anyone who associates with others is chatting, and while you're at it, give 'em some good food and get 'em liquored up. It's much more social and enjoyable then sitting by yourself, burning a hole in your brain in front of the computer like I am doing right now typing this darn thing.

So, here's to getting outside, getting some fresh air, and throwing the computers away. Here are some pictures of "real" chat rooms, not the fake crap we get from the computer, even if we think we're so cool talking on the computer and updating our wall. That's just a bunch of bull crap, doesn't anyone have anything better to do? I wish I did, but I'm currently talking to you Blogger viewers.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures.

What Were They Smoking in 1984?

Whatever it was, it must have smelled like the future. This video is a big deal. It showed the change in computers, and the new age they were taking on. Now, this video doesn't show much about computers as a whole, well, quite frankly it says nothing about computers besides the fact that 1984 won't be like 1984 when January 24th comes up. But if you've never seen this commercial, then you have to watch it. It's an integral part of computer history.

It's obvious to say that without computers, there wouldn't be Social Networking. It's a no brainer, and goes without saying. But it was steps like the one taken in the commercial by Mac that would lead to the computers we know today, and eventually the Internet, and eventually Facebook or Twitter or whatever else you use. Now, Windows 95 might seem ancient and not very practical, so you might wonder what the heck could they have had in 1984 that was any bit useful? Well, quite frankly it wasn't much, but baby steps are all that count sometimes.

It costs $433.66 to make a call to California

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e601moNCA7Q

In 1876, Alexander Bell brought about the first telephone. Before you knew it, telephone lines were popping up everywhere. Phones went from New York to Chicago, and everywhere in between. Out West lines were put up in San Fransisco and up and down the coast. In 1915, just like the transcontinental railroad had met up in the past to connect East and West America, telephone lines connected in Utah to do the same. What was the price for calling from one coast to the other? $20.70! And that was in 1915. That would be the equivalent of $433.66 in 2009. (http://www.westegg.com/inflation/) That's crazy money. Can you imagine spending that today? As can be seen from the video, working all the way up to 1970, the price cost only .70 cents.

It's a really neat video to watch and see the commercial from 1970 advertising how cheap it is to make a call. That was for weekends too. Nowadays you can get free weekends with your cell phone. Things sure have changed. And if you pay for online service, then it costs you nothing extra to talk to people around the world using Social Networking sites. It's a beautiful thing. I have a friend I met while on vacation and I keep in touch with her. She lives in Australia. It's daunting when you think about it. Neat stuff!

What's a Morse?

It's actually text messaging that started in 1836. Yeah, that's right, if you think your phone is so fancy then you must not have ever seen the coolest texting machine ever. It's Morse Code, and it involved pushing a clicker over and making an electrical connection. Based on holding it or doing short connections, you made words in sequences. The name for Morse Code was derived from one of the creators, an artist named Samuel Morse. It comes from a series of on and off tones which; in effect, is "dots" and "dashes" on a piece of paper. Electrical current was sent through lines, some of the first ways to communicate long distances, and what you got was.... just dots and dashes! Nothing too fancy, but it did the trick. As the picture shows, these dots and dashes when put together in sequences with breaks in between, would make letters. Sure, hitting the A button on your phone is easier then dot dash, or O then dash dash dash, but for something over a hundred years older then texting, you can't complain.

So, what does this have to do with Social Networking? Everything actually. This is a form of communication before Facebook popped up, and when you go on Facebook and talk to friends, you text them through a command on the bottom right of the screen. If you can't see the connection then you need a new pair of glasses, because Morse Code and chatting on Facebook are practically one in the same.

Once upon a time we actually talked...

Does anyone remember when talking face to face was the most popular way of communication.  For most who will read this, the idea of talking to someone with out a phone or computer seperating them is unimaginable.  It is hard for most of us to imagine what it would be like if we couldnt tell what are friends were doing without checking their "Facebook" or "Twitter" accounts.  It wasnt to long ago that you actually had to get on a bicycle, walk, get a ride, or take a bus to your friends house just to see what they were doing.  I am only 26, but I remember these days.  I remember a time when hanging with friends consisted of going to a park, sitting on a swing set and talking.  No computers, cell phones, PDA's, or anything like that. 

So I pose this question... Think about what it was like before "Social Networks" and share with us your memories of what it was like before you could text/status update/tweet.  How has this revolution changed your life socially?

Social Networking: Communication evolved!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Communication has changed dramatically throughout many millenniums. From scratching pictures on stones, walls, in the sand, or anywhere, to communicating vocally, by phone, and on the internet, communication has transformed. For the most part, talking face-to-face has been the way to communicate for a very long time. Writing letters has also been a big part of communicating. But it wasn't until the recent couple centuries that it has changed dramatically, and especially so in the past two decades.

What's this new form of communication that has been sweeping the nation? It is none other than social networking. If you're a teen or in your twenties, you definitely know what social networking is all about. Anyone older probably has only heard of it, and could, quite frankly, care less. Pushing buttons on a telephone and calling someone on a land line works just as fine. For all of those out there who have caught onto the social networking wave, you might not realize that it isn't as much of a "new thing" as it is a "change" in the way we communicate.

Do you accept this change? For better or for worse, we can't stop what is happening. It can be a very useful tool, and yet, at the same time it has led to many problems. This is why social networking is what I call "the good, the band, and the ugly." It's a little bit of everything.

This first section of the blog is specifically designed to peek into the past and key in on communication when it was more primitive, and not digital. It's vital to see where you've been, where you're at, and where you're headed in any aspect in life. That is why following articles will feature social networking and communication now, as well as what to look for into the future.