3./30/11 GIST Class Notes

GIST 3.30 Panel Discussions

GROUP TWO (LIZ)
spreston: facebook users- using technology to create identity and how it changes social interactions. According to news articles, people are having facebook depression. Information, gender roles & binaries interest

 MSA322: music in Arabic revolutions- from experience growing up in Arabic world, music usage has varied in reaching out to western world when communicating. Most singers are male, but when females are included in this revolutionary method, it’s more powerful, decode music to get message out

jlebouvier: Wampanoags in 1620s- 1st settlement to stay in northern American. Interested in looking at tech used with other groups (like pilgrims and European traders) such as farming. There’s also an interesting intersection of language

J.Yoo: redditors- users of reddit.com which is a social news website where subscribers can post anything and the community can vote and comment. It focuses on information and how its interpreted.

Hilary_Brashear: modern US midwives- mixture of science & medicine, and looking at birth as a rites of passage. US is interesting in particular b/c of entanglements with stigma and how much women use midwives in much of a smaller percentage compared to going to a doctor in a hospital- analysis of celebration & ritual in addition to medical backgrounds and qualifications

vgaffney: psychiatrists- connections with other science such as mirror imaging, psch meds (chemistry), biology, studies in recent years about women in this field risen from 20% in 60’s to 70%’s in 1997? Analysis of traditional women lifestyle?

kelliott: cyberpunks- group of non fiction writers, focus on “high tech, low life” they are thought of as opposite of utopian theories est;. 1940’s? originates from cybernetics and punk music. They engage thought between humanity and social science and breaking down elite perspectives. They use a lot of info tech, such as computers, and the role of hackers.

 cara: inhabitants of Guiyu, China (profoundly affected by e-waste)- used to be a small farming town til around 1995, where the process of disassembling e-waste began. 2001 news of this program began where people are being paid to work here, this is a dangerous position b/c of toxicity when using acid treatments and other processes.

[rubikscube: contemporary composers will check in electronically]

Question 1: about cultural references and their a role in gender stratification

 Definition of mid—wives doesn’t specify female sex, but historically their sex primarily consisted of female especially in the 70’s when they were more empowered to take this role back on, regardless of gender binaries, which they do highlight.

Question 2: about psychiatrists and facebook depression

Kids more prone to depression anyways, or the interaction really making people feel insignificant?

 Question 3: about facebook users, music, and wampanoags & their interaction & how it affects identity & how female singers viewed as more powerful (how does identity change based on cultural identities and communication)

History of wampanoags discussed, revolution of Tunisia & Egypt- one of Muna’s friends would post music video’s on facebook, and she would listen and hear what protestors in Egypt were protesting for and how they reached out to the western world- description of using facebook as a means to communicate. The potential of facebook discussed. Another discussion of immigrants coming to the US and assimilating upon arrival, by 2050 half of the US population will be non-white which is interesting to see decreases in assimilation and increases in vivid diversity.

 Question 4: do you see lots of independent news making and sharing? How serious and pertinent are stories shared?

Many news posts are reposted from other sites. You also see “IMA” I’m me anything? Or ask me anything?

 Question 5: China & Facebook & Reddit- how do you feel about computers making websites so popular?

I don’t think it’s so bad we are using technology and how fast it’s advancing, but limiting the information is not the only way to limit the waste produce. We need to reassess how we create these electronics, use more recyclables, be greener.

 Question 6: Cyberpunks & China- political and tech issues affecting population? How would you interpret this?

GROUP THREE (ANNE)
merlin: the first humans to use tools-
7-5 million yrs. Ago, primate ancestors developed muscles and used sticks and stones to crack nuts, kill animals… once this started, the ball started rolling- some chimpanzees can still do this (sign of intelligence still) this began human brain development, increasing the size of the brain and skulls, increased over time and gender roles began showing, (males using tools to hunt, women as caretakers)  

fawei: scientists behind the human genome project- goal was to identify genes & length of it? Finished in 2003. In charge of researching, storing and distributing. Relates to class b/c of problem of how information is being shared since it’s original goal was to help medicine, and agriculture in genetic computation? Idea: using genes to compute the future, which perhaps wasn’t as successful…

kgould: gamers- most are men, 40% female (2010 survey huge increase according to age group. Majority of online gamers are women (55%), women are more likely to leave the game and come back. Most women like to play solo (83%) consituant of women players is making marketers gear ads towards women more which is frustrating b/c some game creators are stereotyping the female role (inserting babies, cooking)

ekthorp: Nerdfighteria- nerd fighters rep’d & connecting on youtube blog. 97th most subscribed youtube channel. they have informational videos per community request which they tailor towards younger users. 2/3 are female viewers and they address why. They have fundraised major funds for Haiti, and other charities. s

Marina: deaf community- deafness either occurs before or after language development. 2 sub groups 1- severe hearing loss so hearing aids can be used 2- deaf using sign language, can use hearing aids, but culturally deaf, they don’t see it as a disorder, but diff way to interpret the world. There are diff tech services to help this community communicate, phone services and aim services, sidekicks and blackberry’s help too, close captioning used too… where captioning is also being used on video sites and to create communities. Seems to close the gap between hearing & non hearing people.

Oak: Female Science Fiction Writers- originally a male dominated field incorporating action and adventure, hard for female sci fi writers so they used pen names. Field has broadened over time,

Riki: neurotypicals- neuro bio disorder, important b/c about 96% of the population maybe categorized this way. Term perhaps coined by autistic community- interesting analysis of 2 binaries b/c autism is a spectrum disorder. The exchange of info for neuro and non-neurotypicals can be perceived as noise…

tiffany: surgeons- how role in the ER as changed as tech advanced. Discussion of davinci? System, 3d computer screen helping doctors use long surgical tools, could be for open heart or prostate, effectiveness of surgeries helps patients as doctors work more effectively- doctors called cyborg’s or human operators. Senses are replaced by comp software. Surgeons are complaining these tools stifle their sense of touch, and there’s no feedback argument: haptic feedback needs to be implemented- ex: vibrations. The role of the surgeon is evolving esp. with the role of their senses.

smile: political groups of the young people in the Arab world during the revolutions against their regimes? Virtual groups became real groups and they protested in the streets during uprising. Large participation of women and scientists. Many facebook &YouTube videos representing gov’t monopoly. Young people fought to break the monopoly of information and bring awareness to revolution. Proof: governor wanted to break down the internet and ban its use. Google allowed users to send twitter messages through phone lines as a possible

Question 1: binaries of realities with evolution of virtual to physical “real” presence.

Knowing virtually vs. physically- involvement of more senses. Discussion of knowing virtually and beyond that…………

 Question 2: rates of female gamers and rates. Is there a gender difference in the technological community

With tools, kim surkan from MIT discussed how things have to do w/ technology and how men are more specialized with tools. Interesting to analyze the role of the doctor- and gender roles

 Question 3: gamers & Nerdfighteria- connection between fans and higher female presence

Look into Alex Sheldon @ gain & loss of fame…..

 Question 4: @ neurotypicality possibly being genetic.