Cyber Bullying

The issue of cyber-bullying has been prevalent for quite some time now.  Often times, people are unaware that they are partaking in this activity.  It's common among the teens of this generation to use technology as a means to bully other kids.  If we take a quick look back in time, bullying was most common for students to encounter while at school.  Bullies would verbally abuse their victims face-to-face and the victim would usually be able to escape from the abuse once they got home.  The worst part about cyber-bullying is that it follows a victim home.  There are no walls to block them out and no face-to-face confrontation for other's to see.  It's perhaps one of the scariest things about cyber-bullying; it can happen any time of the day for as long as the bully intends it to reach the victim.  With that being said, it's important to enforce punishment that shows a zero-tolerance attitude for the matter at hand. By punishing the bullies immediately, it reinforces the seriousness of the issue.  Cyber-bullying is not something to be taken lightly.  Students all over the country are taking their own lives as a way to end the constant torment and pain.  It becomes even more serious when this is the outcome. Immediate and strict punishment is most definitely something that should be implemented. Students who are using cyber-bullying to torment other students should be removed from that school. Even adults who are cyber-bullying other coworkers should be removed from the workplace immediately.  If we were to wait to punish the bullies, they would think that it is not as serious and would continue to carry on.  Also, if we were to make the punishment less harsh then it would most definitely send the message that cyber-bullying isn't "that bad" or "that harmful." The fact of the matter is, cyber-bullying is a very serious issue- one that is taking the lives of young adults and the like.  The most effective way to ensure that these cyber-bullies are being punished is to take action immediately and effectively.

Ethnography Assignment

Audi & Mercedes-Benz Automotive Forums: Communities of Knowledge

I choose to investigate a couple automotive forums because of my background in the automotive industry.  The automotive brands I selected to cover I have extensive experience with and therefore could easily follow and take part in conversations without feeling like an outsider.  I have used these in the past for research as part of my job and they can be extremely educational and are full of knowledgable individuals who enjoy assisting other with mechanical problems.  Most of the forums cover technical matters that may not be available through a Google search, while a select few simply contain banter from individuals ascertaining their opinions as to what vehicles are superior to others.  

I specifically investigated the Audi forum which encompasses all of its cars, but also focused a majority of my attention on the Audi A4 forum whose topics surrounded discussing mechanical issues everyday people have encountered and ways to remedy those problems.  I also spent some time on the Mercedes-Benz forum and the people in this community were much more focused on the mechanical aspects of the vehicles than Audi enthusiasts.  The biggest between the two was while on the Audi forum, I rarely encountered a conversation where both members were knowledgable about the topic. The Mercedes-Benz forum seemed to be much more opinion-based and resembled more of an ongoing conversation with a high use of technical jargon.  Due to the different types of online communities I conversed in, I was therefore able to receive a good mix of both. 

My overall impression of the communities was positive.  They are fantastic for sharing information and sometimes you begin taking part in a community without any direction other than just to connect, but the knowledge that can be obtained through an informative online community like this is very helpful.  On the Audi A4 forum, the answers were usually in response to individuals complaining about a certain vehicle and the problems they were encountering.  The subjects listed in the Audi forum that included technical information usually were for older models.  These were individuals searching for specific answers or shortcuts to a solution.  It was very comparable to the Chicago Law Bulletin ListServ where people, usually lawyers in that particular forum, posted questions and answers to prior questions in hopes of helping one another out. I provided my input on some of the issues by posting comments in general terms as my technical knowledge of how an engine works is somewhat limited.  However, I am well-versed in taking that information and framing it in ways so a novice could understand the mechanical problem and the downside to not correcting it, which is exactly what I did.  I found a post from one member responding to a question posted by another user regarding a 2008 Audi A4 and how the navigation system was operated.  The original response to the question was chalk-full of technical jargon and based on the original question, I safely assumed the individual in search of the answer was not to mechanically experienced.  I saw this as a perfect opportunity to provide my input so I rephrased that answer provided in a way someone lacking automotive experience would understand.  This instantly made me feel important to the community and its members.  Another exchange of knowledge occurred between two members and was in reference to the heavy amount of brake dust build-up on the Audi A4 front wheels.

One of the hotly debated topics in this particular forum was engines burning excessive amounts of oil.  People would post warnings such as, “…Don't purchase a 2006 Audi A4 2.0T”.  They would then explain their reasoning by providing a list of issues they had encountered during their ownership of said vehicle.  Some individuals would counter these negative claims by stating their loyalty to Audi and provide examples to support their reasoning.  This forum is useful to people who want more than just a cookie cutter response that they may receive from a dealership employee or by calling customer service.  Most of the community members seemed to have some sort of automotive experience or at the very least a will to learn.  I introduced myself at one point, stating I was performing research on how an online community interacts.  I included my experience working for Audi and was almost immediately bombarded with questions regarding when new models were being released and also criticism about the company and its products.  I added my two cents about certain topics that I had knowledge on, but kept to myself about most other subjects.  One interesting anecdote I found was if an individual posted inaccurate information, they were instantly corrected and them labeled as uneducated or uninformed on the topic.  Any time thereafter that the individual posted anything, others would disregard it because their knowledge and credibility had already been questioned.

The Mercedes-Benz forum was of the friendlier variety and its.  This forum was filled with technical jargon, but at the same time seemed to be mostly made up of car enthusiasts who simply enjoyed showing support for the vehicles and asking ridiculously complex questions about obscure cars.  It seemed like a friendlier crowd and upon my introduction, I was asked my opinion on certain models as well as questions pertaining to the brand itself.  There was a Mercedes-Benz forum specifically tailored to McLaren and in this forum, the conversations primarily focused on YouTube videos that had been posted showing certain vehicles racing.  There was one instance/conversation that included some light-hearted ribbing about one member’s vehicle and its performance, but that was the harshest I saw.  As I stated earlier, this community was much more opinion-based and conversations longer than a simple Q&A took place.  There were solid facts backing up some of the claims too.  The posts that seemed outlandish received very little attention.  The Mercedes-Benz forum seemed friendlier, and the people participating in this community showed a willingness to engage in positive dialogue as opposed to criticizing someone’s lack of knowledge.  While I’m sure there are online communities devoted to the Q&A format and understand how that is beneficial, I personally prefer the Mercedes-Benz online community as it helped foster a sense of family.  Members supporting another’s statement or idea were seen to have bonded with that member over a similarity of opinion. 

I’m quite confident these communities have members that range from master technicians to people who lack the knowledge of how to add windshield washer fluid.  That is the beauty of these online communities.  As long as you are interested in the topic being discussed, your comments and opinions for the most part are welcome.  That welcoming feeling increases the popularity of the communities and draws additional people to them.  Many individuals might view these communities as a ‘black market’ for knowledge on a topic and there is nothing wrong with that.  In these communities, members have the ability to remain anonymous in order to avoid looking  not knowledgable while at the same time, getting the information they signed up to receive. People want to hear the experiences of other individuals using a product they might invest in and no one knows the positives and negatives of a product better than those who have owned it.

Bibliography

Automotive Forums, Audi, A4.  http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay/

Automotive Forums, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay/

Automotive Forums, Mercedes-Benz. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay/

Racism still exists in sports

For someone to argue that racism has been more or less eradicated from sports is beyond ignorant. There was a story on ESPN recently about the appropriate use of the N-word and for a Disney-owned company to produce a series on racism and its different view points makes it apparent that the issue of racism is still very much alive. Just recently, there have been a couple episodes that drew public scrutiny. One involved a 80-year old billionaire and the other hundreds of regular folk. Both made me wonder why more is not done about this 'culture' that seems to still exist. Now by no means am I going to be signing up to volunteer for the NAACP next week, but people need to be held accountable. Donald Sterling, the 80-year old owner of the L.A. Clippers had been an openly racist individual for many years, but as long as he didn't do harm to the game, as in the NBA, he was free to continue voicing his opinions, no matter how large of a bigot they made him out to be. He finally slipped up and in this era where everything is caught on tape, it buried him. A man like that unfortunately doesn't care what others think about him, but by taking away his voice and the power and prestige that comes with owning a professional franchise, the NBA successfully suppressed his presence and made it known that point of view has no place in the league.

Cybervetting

I believe cybervetting is simply a part of what the internet provides its users. For all that the web allows people to do, this is one of the consequences. When I was hired for my first real job, my manager recommended to me that I get rid of my social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter) and her reasoning was it could do a lot more harm that good. I decided to keep my Facebook account for a while after, but did adhere to her advice to never post a picture where alcohol or illegal substances are present. I think if prospective employers are willing to pay an individual a fair wage, then they have a right to know the type of person that individual is off the clock because in quite a few professions, although the individual might not be at work, they're always representing the company and its values. Most people learn from trial and error regarding what is and isn't appropriate to post online and during most job initiation/training, guidelines for using social media are usually discussed. I've seen firsthand what posting vulgar pictures and/or comments can do to a career and it looked to be very unpleasant. Everyone should remember that anything publicly posted to the web can be used down the line to harm a reputation so be weary of what you're holding when posing for pictures or just drink out of plastic solo cups.

Addicted to Google?

Google has no power over our lives. Every individual who chooses to use Google does so at will. More importantly, Google is instrumentally helpful in numerous business formats and in addition serves as an educational tool. People use Google in many different arenas which is what makes it so popular - business, school, social, etc. Individuals from all walks of life see Google as a tool in which they can acquire more knowledge and in turn make themselves a more attractive hire. The popular proverb knowledge is power serves as a central tenet in their philosophy. In regard to the privacy concerns that have come to light in recent years. I view it as simply part of the business. Individuals are choosing to use Google, free of charge, and in return the company collects data about those individuals and their interests. It is another source of revenue for a for profit company. Both the individual and Google benefit from this arrangement. Individuals gain knowledge through Google's vast databases and are directed to products that may interest them. Google uses the information they've collected through individuals use of their website to sell to companies who might cater to those individuals' interests in the form of advertisements.  Therefore I don't believe people's independence is compromised in any way. There are other search engines and  email services individuals can utilize, yet they continue to use Google because of the numerous benefits it provides.

Blog Prompt 1

I read Megan Reardon's interview and found it interesting that she had no desire to impress the outside world. Keeping her blog was a easy way for her to keep track of ideas, lists, etc. Popularity certainly was not her top priority. She seemed very gracious to be even giving an interview. Blogging seems to have filled a void that was created after college when there was a lack of communication with others. With blogging becoming an industry in itself, it was nice to see someone who was blogging not as a career, but as a hobby. Although her blog has some sort of aim, currently being knitting projects, Megan seems to be extremely neutral in her posts. However, she is cautious in keeping personal matters off the Internet. Although I have absolutely no interest in the topics she writes about, I can imagine the joy she receives when reading reader responses. I was somewhat confused as to why she made her blog public in the first place. She stated repeatedly that she only posted when it benefited her, but obviously she was hoping to attract some type of audience when she decided to open up her blog, Not Martha, to the public. The removal on the Comments page was a wise decision on her part as with increased usage of the Internet, which in turn gives people with antagonistic viewpoints a voice.

My First Post

This is my first post.