Author: Ya-chi Chang

For me, this article had hit my nerve thoroughly. When I first think of what does that mean by “the medium is the message”, I could hardly give it an explanation by  intuition. Initially, I thought it would be a essay talking about message and technology, but actually doesn’t. While reading across the lines, I started questioning: does a really understand the message conveyed by various medium? In addition to the change in  human association and activities brought up by these mediums, we need to consider the medium itself. Take computer for instance, when we think of it, we should not only think about the progress after inventing the computer, but also think of how to use it more efficiently through analyzing it.  Using IBM as an example, McLuhan stated that once the company penetrated what their ultimate goal was, they could navigate with a clear vision (152). 

There is also an expression he used that I found help me understand this whole passage better, which is: ” Instead of asking which came first, the chicken or the egg, it suddenly seemed that a chicken was an egg’s idea for getting more eggs (McLuhan 154).” From this we can see that instead of getting  accustomed to certain fact, what we need to do is to see through the fact and make change of it.  Just as the connection C.G Jung has made,  we should not let ourselves be surrounded by “slaves” and influenced by them. The essence is to see the undermined message behind medium.

Below is the link to my portfolio page.

https://imanas.shanghai.nyu.edu/~ycc525/firstproject/

Long Live the Web, written by the inventor of the Web Tim Berners-Lee, along with an article called A Network of Fragments, have subverted my initial perspective toward the Web, the Internet, and Internet using.

Right at the very beginning of the Berner-Lee’s passage, his words hit my nerve. He indicated that the Web is critical not merely to the digital revolution but to our continued prosperity and even out liberty. Like democracy itself, it needs defending (80). Initially, I actually take using the web and the internet for granted, without any thought of the factors that might be undermined.

There are some fundamental principles in this sophisticated digital world. According to the author, the web must be accessible to all humanity. People can put anything they want, no matter what computer they have, software they use or what language they speak. In addition, surfing on the internet should be on the basis of net neutrality. These two principles remind me of the inaccessibility of sites associated with Google, such as Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter in China. Chinese government forbid its subjects from accessing foreign websites, constraining people from getting information from “outside the wall”. The network in China, is actually walled off from the rest of the world. Even within the network inside, on the Twitter-like social platform Weibo, there are lots of information forbidden. In my perspective, this greatly offend the principle that Lee has set on the threshold of the Web process.

Another instance that I thought of is the smartphone apps. In the latest decade, people have banked more and more on their phone apps rather than the Web. This phenomenon is prevailing especially in China, for me. Take myself for example, when trying to look up for some restaurants to have dinner, I browse other people’s blogs, which are shown on the Web, when I’m in Taiwan. Nevertheless, when in China, I look up food on an app called DianPing. The wide usage of app actually works as monopoly of information and ventures. People have less chance to innovate since these remarked applications are so prevailing, and this create an almost saturated market for these field. According to Lee, this isn’t the result he is seeking for.

A Network of Fragment actually reminds of my responsibility. Since it is so around us and provide us with great convenience, we should try our best to protect it.

After reading The Machine Stops, the first thought that popped up in my mind was that E.M. Forster is such a great fortune teller, for everything he imagined back a century ago corresponds with what is happening currently. The Machine represents the prevailing internet in modern days. Generally, it seems that the whole story was written in an ironic tone. People bank too much on the Machine that they cannot feed themselves without all these buttons and mechanisms. At the very beginning of the story, Vashti was sitting in her armchair, with a great bunch of buttons around her. With a press, she could get everything she wanted, just as what we do today with our smartphones and the Internet.

Throughout the story, one scene that hits my nerve the most is when Vashti was talking with her son through the plate. Kuno, her son said, “I want to see you not through the machine.” This scene reminds me of those chatting application nowadays. With the help of internet, we can see whoever we want through videochat. Then we forget the true essence of getting along with other individuals face to face-emotion, which can hardly be felt through the screen. The internet, or the Machine, is indeed convenient. The only thing that matters in current society is that we use this tool “humanly”. Just as mentioned in the text, “man is the measure”. We should feel this world by ourselves, with the help of the Internet, rather than feel this world through it.