monday's readings

The narrative that I could identify with the most was Lynda Barry's "Two Questions" because I, too, am a struggling artist who is constantly haunted by these two questions. I write a song, for instance and then I thirst for the approval of everyone else instead of criticizing my own work from the what I believe. I often wonder if I will ever be free as a hearty child or am I just cursed to write lyrics, universally, strictly for the mouths of other people. This story caught my attention and drew me in because it immediately asked the same two questions that I battle with whenever my work is finished. Also, it was abstract and different. 

We read print and digital texts differently because digital texts, such as an exchange on facebook, may be read and written in conversation form. Printed texts are more informational and entertaining in the way that there is no interaction; we do not talk back to a book. 

Being a participant of the digital realm might mean contributing to a digital text. Again, two or more people converse on inclusive digital websites such as facebook. Being digitally literate does not make one a participant. For instance, I do not need a facebook to read the conversations. I am reading and comprehending the digital language of facebook, but I am not participating in the text.

On facebook, one person distributes information, for example, through a status update. Another person or persons reads and consumes and then contributes by adding his or her own comment to the text. This process works for everything on facebook. This changes my perception of social networking because it makes me think about how we all are just another piece of a never ending story; as if we are all perpetually passing a flashlight around a campfire and adding on to each others' stories.

Dustin Anderson described digital literacy as "our ability to read and compose in a culture that has seamlessly integrated technology into the ways we communicate." On monday, we discussed the importance of being digitally literate in a world that is constantly looking toward the internet to make life easier. Anderson described "google" as a verb; i.e. "just google it," because technology is quickly improving as time goes on, making skills such as "googling" necessary for everyday practice.