Module 1: Topic 1.1 and Topic 1.2

Week 02 of NET102

Topic 1.1: Music: I want my mp3

Laughey: Music Media in Young People's Everyday Lives

pp. 173-175

Private and Public

• Intertwining relationship between the public and private : young people's bedrooms seen as productive spaces where publicly available resources (e.g. pop music) are shaped into personal objects of self-identity and creativity
• 'Zones' : multi-layered pathways governed by social, reflexive, active agents that flow between public and private realms of influence. E.g. media technologies can function as zones in the bedroom space by introducing public dimensions (a television program) amid more privatised zones (a dressing table)
• Music = pathway out of the private sphere of the bedroom and into the public sphere of the city for teenagers as they prepare to go out at night
• Personal stereos/iPods
• User accounts of people losing themselves in public and becoming distracted/disorientated
• Personal stereos are intended for use in public environments but reconstitute the private-public divide by altering the sensory experience of public environments
• Personal stereos = 'involvement shield' in public interactions
• Music can enable a feeling of occupancy and control in public and private spaces

pp. 175-177

Intensive and Casual

• Intensive, concentrated listening is associated with emotional events in people's lives and demonstrates music's ability to invoke past feelings and ways of being
• Intensive use of music media in more public, social networks : individuals who collect bootlegs are in general the most committed fans that an artist has
• Hayes argues that young vinyl collectors use their LP records to regain a level of agency in resisting the 'ideal consumer' type favoured by profit-driven global music industry

pp. 177-179

Alternative and Populist

• Mass-mediated music is dismissed by those with alternative music tastes as shallow, commercialised trash
• Niche media are considered to be integral to the creation of subcultural capital
• Message boards - like MySpace - empower fans to exchange news, information and recommendations; word of mouth is an important part of online communication
• Most significant cultural impact of the iPod results from its capacity to store vast music collections
• Often associated with intensive, personal use, although these technologies retain a public use dimension
• That is, although it can be played over stereo systems, 'favourites' lists can be created, and emotions/memories are attached to particular songs/albums

pp. 179-180

Music Media Uses (2): Music Television and Radio

• Radio is often the preferred soundtrack for young people in public places
• Music television channels are often a background presence in communal areas of schools/colleges/public bars/shops/restaurants
• Music media also function in private contexts as forms of domestic entertainment that require little mental or physical exertion

p. 182

Questions

How is music interlaced with our everyday lives in general? What has been the impact of the Internet in the way music is used by young people privately and publicly (and the way this intermingles)?

In general, music has become a way of discovering and expressing our identity. The Internet has enabled a higher degree of access so we are not just told what music is good through mainstream media, making us more individualised in our tastes.

The Internet has also transformed how people connect through music - there are social media websites dedicated to music fans, so you can discuss, recommend and learn about music with other fans. Something which you experience privately can now become a public experience.

Last.FM

I created a profile and added approx. 100 of my favourite bands/artists randomly. I then downloaded Scrobble to integrate into iTunes (as this is what I use to listen to my music). I connected my profile with my personal Facebook account to get my profile picture, name, location, gender and birthday.

My profile: http://www.last.fm/user/Rinikins

My review: This has a similar vibe to Amazon, where new music is recommended to you based on your chosen preferences. You are able to listen to music directly from the website, so you can know immediately if you like the music or not.

Finding friends is not difficult. If your profile is connected to Facebook, you can find friends from who also use Last.FM via Facebook. If you are looking to find people with similar tastes in music, listed on the page of each artist/band are people who are "top listeners" of them. There are also groups which you can join based on these artists or genres of music. 

Last.FM has successfully integrated the private and public personas of music fans.

Topic 1.2: Games: At work, no one knows I am a wizard

IGEA: Interactive Games and Entertainment Association

What can you say about the role of gaming in general, and online gaming more specifically, in Australian life?

According to IGEA, gaming is a huge part of Australian life. Children and parents both participate via different avenues. In my family, mum plays on her laptop (Facebook), my brother plays on the console (PS3) and I play games on either my iPad or Playstation. 

Games aimed at young adults are the ones which have Internet connectivity and social networking capabilities. It is becoming the norm to be able to communicate with others while playing the same game on consoles - that which used to be only possible with online role-playing games.

This could be an indicator that Australians see the Internet as a way to connect with friends, and this has caused these technology advancements.

TED Talk - Jesse Schell: When games invade real life