« Bell and McClelland | Main | Ha Pes (HPs) in Asia »

Bell and McLelland

Nov 02 2009, 05:50:25 AM EST in category [Jim McGowan]

   Bells's article focuses on four categories she defines or society through use of mobile cell phone. As one person has claimed through the use of SMS it has become the age of the thumb.  Many examples of ways that information and communication technologies have impacted our society are viewed through examples of China, were there are more then 350 million cell phone subscribers! The first way cell phone use is categorized is for a communication tool and examples are given that show how the cell phone helps with mobility and macrco-cordination through families or how some members of a family have been lazy enough to call a family member who is within the same house to find their whereabouts. The second category was for information especially thorough the use of SMS. In Asia the language is represented by characters which is more sucient and easier for SMS then the English language. SMS is used for information updates to flight times, stock updates, weather. The cell phone can also be used as a information gateway was shown through the Location based services such as paying for services to getting a taxi, which may be harder in some countries without the location service ability.  Another way they impact societies is through anxiety and control. In china the government monitors all SMS traffic while millions and millions of SMS are sent through. Another representation is taboo topics such as sex are done through SMS or again macro coordination like dinner between a married couple is communicated via SMS. The last way is identity and it echoes precious texts by Castells. Identity can be created through internal features and external features. Another way for some countries that have language tailored to social status is rings that allow the cell phone owner to know exactly who is calling them. For the device that never leaves our side identity is a big factor in defining social influence.

 

McLeeland's article shows this cell phone technology depends on the varying factors of the culture. Much of his research does not show cross cultural impacts as seen with comparison of Asiatic Countries with North American ones. McLeeland even critiques other texts when is comes to cultural impacts and the history behind them as compared to what technology was there before in the cultural and it was a significant change. While some cultural impacts actually have shaped the way the mobile phone has developed. Through the history analysis (with defining his argument through the way he critiques others) he shows how the Japanese culture was first impacted by the pagers and how the pagers were the forerunner for mobile phones and how they would be used. He also shows and compares little differences between culture and how this can impact a technology on the culture and its use or identity. He sites some of the same examples we have read through Castells with President Estrada and the overthrowing of him. He places importance on the analysis of the mobile youth culture and how they have influenced trends. He shows how great Japan is at soaking up and exploiting technology unlike Americas culture.

      While we can see the four ways that the cell phone has impacted of society or ways in which the cell phone differs between cultures in all is reiterating some of the things that Castells has first addressed through political power to forms of identity. Both of the readings for me have addressed how slow and lame the American culture can be when it comes to inventive ways to use mobile technologies or even ways to change society through SMS like the flashmob or the impeachment of President Estrada. When I tell my friends we can make an impact on our Government through starting a  flash fire of SMS they look at me like Im crazy and why would anyone use SMS in a way that could affect politics. 

Jim 

Comments:

Post a Comment:

Comments are closed for this entry.