text messaging

"We consider that a society has a network of communications systems, we can see that there are key junctures or nodal points where significant information is stored, and from where it is transmitted to other parts of the system ... individuals or groups who control access to those points wield great power."

Information is such an important commodity that the control of information comes into play in any power struggle situation.

"The organized church comes immediately to mind, as does insider trading."

These two organizations being compared is very interesting to him because the control of information, depending on what the information is and who is controlling it, can have vastly different impacts.

These theories about information and power get my passion for journalism fired up (even though it's been kind of depressing to love journalism so much these days). Journalism is about effectively and fairly delivering information. It bothers me so much when people criticize the media about not supplying accurate information when really that should be the mission of all journalists. Journalists are not part of the establishment or at least I think they shouldn't be. It isn't the journalists versus the public. It is us versus them, the people versus the establishment, but journalists are part of the people!

One example of this in the media is the John Mayer song, "Waiting on the World to Change," where he sings
"When you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cuz when they own the information ooohhh,
They can bend it all they want."

Well, while you're waiting, Mr. Mayer, and criticizing the media. They're out there trying to change the world by supplying the public with the information they deserve.

On a short note about the text messaging article, I think communicate skills will be maintained even though people text so much. I honestly believe that article blows it all a little out of proportion, but I do worry about the literacy issue and young adults thinking it's acceptable to write like they text-talk. However, I found this very interesting article from Technology Review, which argues that you used to be able to be semi-literate and still function socially, but now with technology you need to be fully literate to be able to communicate online so technology actually creates more motivation for literacy.

Finally, though with technology and social life there are so many different ways to connect with people. However, it's not always communication that you want ... like break-ups on text messages. I thought Drew Barrymore's quote from the end of this trailer for the movie, He's Just Not That Into You sums up how technology can be a really downer.