Comments on: The Age of Participa…um…Procrastination http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/ Learning with the Read/Write Web Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:36:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Seth Bowers http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11127 Seth Bowers Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:07:22 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11127 I think you are forgetting about the participatory aspects surrounding so many shows these days. It's not limited to Colbert & Stewert. Check out the forums, blogs, wikis, podcasts, et cetera for shows like Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, or yes, even American Idol. There is so much user created content out there that I think you can put your Tivo worries to rest. Don't underestimate the kids! I think you are forgetting about the participatory aspects surrounding so many shows these days. It’s not limited to Colbert & Stewert. Check out the forums, blogs, wikis, podcasts, et cetera for shows like Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, or yes, even American Idol. There is so much user created content out there that I think you can put your Tivo worries to rest. Don’t underestimate the kids!

]]> By: Peter Rock http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11100 Peter Rock Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:27:21 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11100 Tom says: "I think your criticism of TiVo is a bit overblown. It can’t be a “free culture killing device” if what is coming into it is not free culture" That makes sense. How about - "proprietary culture promoting device"? When we buy/use devices like the TiVo, we are promoting (whether consciously or not) the idea that it's OK to restrict people from sharing and remixing entertaining culture without permission first. This is inherently an antisocial activity. Tom says:

“I think your criticism of TiVo is a bit overblown. It can’t be a “free culture killing device” if what is coming into it is not free culture”

That makes sense. How about – “proprietary culture promoting device”?

When we buy/use devices like the TiVo, we are promoting (whether consciously or not) the idea that it’s OK to restrict people from sharing and remixing entertaining culture without permission first. This is inherently an antisocial activity.

]]> By: Tom Hoffman http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11091 Tom Hoffman Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:09:52 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11091 Will, You can't ask kids to create media without also consuming it. You can't learn to create media without studying media. You've got to watch the movies, AND listen to all the commentaries. Regarding TV in particular, the best series of the past few years (Deadwood, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Six Feet Under, etc.) are BY FAR the best television ever created. There is plenty that is worth watching on TV. You can't say "make TV, don't watch it" any more than you can say "write blogs, don't read them." Or play music, don't listen to it. Will,

You can’t ask kids to create media without also consuming it. You can’t learn to create media without studying media. You’ve got to watch the movies, AND listen to all the commentaries.

Regarding TV in particular, the best series of the past few years (Deadwood, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Six Feet Under, etc.) are BY FAR the best television ever created. There is plenty that is worth watching on TV.

You can’t say “make TV, don’t watch it” any more than you can say “write blogs, don’t read them.” Or play music, don’t listen to it.

]]> By: Tom Hoffman http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11066 Tom Hoffman Tue, 16 Jan 2007 20:56:00 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11066 Peter, I think your criticism of TiVo is a bit overblown. It can't be a "free culture killing device" if what is coming into it is not free culture, as is overwhelmingly the case. Regardless, TiVo does exactly what it claims it will do, and if you want to do more, you have alternatives. Peter,
I think your criticism of TiVo is a bit overblown. It can’t be a “free culture killing device” if what is coming into it is not free culture, as is overwhelmingly the case. Regardless, TiVo does exactly what it claims it will do, and if you want to do more, you have alternatives.

]]> By: David Jakes http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11052 David Jakes Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:46:34 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11052 We take kids from our two schools to Northern Wisconsin for a 4-day ecology immersion program in October. This year, I watched in amazement as students walked around the facility after dinner like zombies with their hand extended, clutching their cell phone. Even more amazing was the shriek of delight when they located coverage. In years past, kids had spent the time walking the trails, looking at the stars, and forming new relationships. This year much of the discussion centered on what provider they had and where in the facility (its's 1600 acres) they could find a signal so they could talk and text their friends at home. Sort of sad...much like the girl on the horse. We take kids from our two schools to Northern Wisconsin for a 4-day ecology immersion program in October.

This year, I watched in amazement as students walked around the facility after dinner like zombies with their hand extended, clutching their cell phone. Even more amazing was the shriek of delight when they located coverage.

In years past, kids had spent the time walking the trails, looking at the stars, and forming new relationships. This year much of the discussion centered on what provider they had and where in the facility (its’s 1600 acres) they could find a signal so they could talk and text their friends at home.

Sort of sad…much like the girl on the horse.

]]> By: A Collage of Citations » procrastination http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11051 A Collage of Citations » procrastination Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:39:45 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11051 [...] In my advance composition course we are talking about things that get in the way of our writing, and of course, procrastination was one of the top talked about. Will Richardson today discusses a recent poll that showed those who identify as “procrastinators” is up to 26% of Americans, from 5% 20 years ago. What’s to blame? Technology! If you look at my previous post for my media journal, you might see why. Those of us who are online constantly are also constantly doing “communication” via facebook, livejournal, blogs, instant messenger, etc., while working (or even, forgetting working all together). [...] [...] In my advance composition course we are talking about things that get in the way of our writing, and of course, procrastination was one of the top talked about. Will Richardson today discusses a recent poll that showed those who identify as “procrastinators” is up to 26% of Americans, from 5% 20 years ago. What’s to blame? Technology! If you look at my previous post for my media journal, you might see why. Those of us who are online constantly are also constantly doing “communication” via facebook, livejournal, blogs, instant messenger, etc., while working (or even, forgetting working all together). [...]

]]> By: Peter Rock http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11050 Peter Rock Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:06:42 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11050 "<i>I want my kids to create [...]</i>" And the TIVO is designed not only to stop you from sharing, but from creating. Unfortunately, this gadget will not allow your children to take the "insanely stupid" recordings from the TIVO and remix them into something insanely clever. I suppose that is the price we will pay when we support devices running non-free (via DRM) software on general purpose devices. TIVO is a perfect example of a free culture killing device. “I want my kids to create [...]”

And the TIVO is designed not only to stop you from sharing, but from creating. Unfortunately, this gadget will not allow your children to take the “insanely stupid” recordings from the TIVO and remix them into something insanely clever.

I suppose that is the price we will pay when we support devices running non-free (via DRM) software on general purpose devices. TIVO is a perfect example of a free culture killing device.

]]> By: John Pederson http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-11048 John Pederson Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:03:02 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/the-age-of-participaumprocrastination/#comment-11048 There's a certain lifecycle thing of TiVo. In the beginning, it's a "more or less" thing. The novelty of new toy and your newfound power takes over. You end up watching a lot of stuff. As you get used to having this control, you focus in on a few shows. Gradually, you realize it's difficult to keep up with these few shows. You are still watching TV, but it's a better experience, on your own terms. What you don't realize...but what is happening...is that you have less of an idea of what's changing outside of those shows. You become numb to what the networks *want* you to see. No commericals, etc. to influence you. For me, it boiled down to a) the Daily Show and b) the Colbert Report. After 3 years of TiVo (and now that I can get these via iTunes if need be), I found I wasn't watching *anything* on TV. We then ditched the TiVo. There’s a certain lifecycle thing of TiVo. In the beginning, it’s a “more or less” thing. The novelty of new toy and your newfound power takes over. You end up watching a lot of stuff.

As you get used to having this control, you focus in on a few shows. Gradually, you realize it’s difficult to keep up with these few shows. You are still watching TV, but it’s a better experience, on your own terms.

What you don’t realize…but what is happening…is that you have less of an idea of what’s changing outside of those shows. You become numb to what the networks *want* you to see. No commericals, etc. to influence you.

For me, it boiled down to a) the Daily Show and b) the Colbert Report. After 3 years of TiVo (and now that I can get these via iTunes if need be), I found I wasn’t watching *anything* on TV. We then ditched the TiVo.

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