The subject of technology within the airport seemed very interesting to me and affects a large amount of people as the idea of travel is so popular among people in the US. When looking at the technology needed and used to run an airport, it's unbelievable.
Think about having the ability to know where each and every plane is in the sky at all times. To have on a computer screen, the ability to see every plane that is currently airborne... Think of the responsibility... I just find it interesting how we so willingly get on a plane and get lifted up thousands of feet without too much hesitation... but why should we hesitate when we have the kind of communication technology available that we do.
Again, I look at the umbrella perspective:
Here we notice the hardware-the communication technology itself, being the computers and radars used to detect the airplanes' locations. Then the software-messages/content of the communication technology, being whatever is being discussed... in this case tower-to-plane communication and vice versa. Also, the organizational infrastructure, being those involved... and in this case anybody aboard a plane or within the airports. This can be considered with the enabling factor, which is the computer technology and radar scanner used that make this application of communication technology possible.
I am going on a trip over January for an entire month to Amsterdam and will be getting on a plane for over 10 hours. I wont give the plane-ride too much thought with the technology aspect, but I will know that there is a lot of technology carefully looking out for the safety of the plane I am on... pretty interesting...
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
#12) Advancements in broadcasting
When I think about broadcasting and advancements with television, i think about the ability to communicate with so many people at one time. I think, technologically speaking, we have come a long way with the development of television broadcasting.
I want to discuss how far we have come with the idea of notifying people of emergencies such as weather emergencies... So many times, I have been looking and talking about communication in negative ways, just because with this class we are trying to fully understand the negative and positive issues of communication technology. But on the positive side, the ability to warn people of certain emergencies and issues with the use of television and the internet have been a very helpful invention. So many horrible things could have happened in certain situations if we didn't have the ability to inform others and ourselves with the click of a few buttons.
We constantly surround ourselves with the news with the uses of television, internet, magazine articles, etc. I look at all this from the umbrella perspective. Here we notice the hardware-the communication technology itself, being those examples I just gave. Then the software-messages/content of the communication technology, being whatever is being discussed... in this case weather emergencies. Also, the organizational infrastructure, being those involved... and in this case anybody in the area of the storm. All this can be considered with the enabling factor, which is the internet, television, and printing abilities that make this application of communication technology possible.
I just thought that this was a subject that was interesting to look into and discuss as it greatly has and will continue to affect us every single day. It will just be interesting to see how it continues to change as communication technology becomes more advanced...
I want to discuss how far we have come with the idea of notifying people of emergencies such as weather emergencies... So many times, I have been looking and talking about communication in negative ways, just because with this class we are trying to fully understand the negative and positive issues of communication technology. But on the positive side, the ability to warn people of certain emergencies and issues with the use of television and the internet have been a very helpful invention. So many horrible things could have happened in certain situations if we didn't have the ability to inform others and ourselves with the click of a few buttons.
We constantly surround ourselves with the news with the uses of television, internet, magazine articles, etc. I look at all this from the umbrella perspective. Here we notice the hardware-the communication technology itself, being those examples I just gave. Then the software-messages/content of the communication technology, being whatever is being discussed... in this case weather emergencies. Also, the organizational infrastructure, being those involved... and in this case anybody in the area of the storm. All this can be considered with the enabling factor, which is the internet, television, and printing abilities that make this application of communication technology possible.
I just thought that this was a subject that was interesting to look into and discuss as it greatly has and will continue to affect us every single day. It will just be interesting to see how it continues to change as communication technology becomes more advanced...
#11) Online Churches....?
As of late, I have been reading more into the idea of an online church and the idea of having an online Christian community... if there is such a thing.
This website has "over 365 billion possibilities...what will God send you." The site will randomly send you a sermon to listen to, as well as you having the ability invite-a-friend, tithe, send prayer requests, receive a special salvation message, and many other things.
With sites like this one, all I feel like we are doing, is sending people away from Christianity and the understanding of what it means to be a Christian and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. In my opinion, the only positive thing that can come out of an online "community" is itself a place where people can go online and discuss issues when they are not able to meet in person. I would then consider that a community but only if that community has some person-to-person contact within a period of time.
I look at this with a perspective of Jacques Ellul. Ellul talks about how he values the spoken word over the written one. The online church, otherwise seen as the image, "can be accurate or inaccurate but not true or false. Only words can be true or false. ...We run into trouble when we confuse image with truth." He goes on to talk about how the word instructs us about the image.
I just feel that in situations like this, where we are saying that it is okay to only attend an online church and skip the whole meaning of community, then we are sending incorrect messages as Christians. Community needs to be understood as a gathering where two or more people meet in person to discuss with one another. And as a church, as a body of Christ, we need to draw people into the church so that they can be warmly welcomed into a community of believers.
Ellul asks us a couple of question:
1. As media becomes more image oriented will it separate us further from truth, if so, what are the implications?
This website
With sites like this one, all I feel like we are doing, is sending people away from Christianity and the understanding of what it means to be a Christian and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. In my opinion, the only positive thing that can come out of an online "community" is itself a place where people can go online and discuss issues when they are not able to meet in person. I would then consider that a community but only if that community has some person-to-person contact within a period of time.
I look at this with a perspective of Jacques Ellul. Ellul talks about how he values the spoken word over the written one. The online church, otherwise seen as the image, "can be accurate or inaccurate but not true or false. Only words can be true or false. ...We run into trouble when we confuse image with truth." He goes on to talk about how the word instructs us about the image.
1. As media becomes more image oriented will it separate us further from truth, if so, what are the implications?
2. What challenges does this present to us as Christians if seeing is believing becomes the norm?
I think this very important to think about to ourselves with media and the online church and what all the implications and challenges might be... especially as new communication technologies continue to become more advanced. Just something to think about...
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