Amorphous Androgynous Essay, Research Paper

AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS COMM 345 06-22-99 Various channels of communication represent unique patterns of access to information, and these patterns ultimately have direct bearing on social boundaries and the human thought process. In his article Cyberpunk (1993, 8th February), Phillip Elmer-Dewitt recognizes the growing trend of computer mediated communication. However, he fails to adequately expound upon the ramifications of this trend in regards to information systems. These ramifications are best analyzed by the criteria that Joshua Meyrowitz elaborates on in his book No Sense of Place (Meyrowitz, 1985). The similarities and differences between television and computer communications are of particular interest in viewing the impact of electronic media on society. Meyrowitz (1985) provides particular attention to television and its impact on individuals and society at large. Television provides a unique glimpse at a variety of events and situations, and it has a profound effect on society. Television serves to “push” information indiscriminately. Due to its ubiquitous nature, this provides individuals with access to information that they wouldn’t normally seek out or have access to. For example, men are able to see how women act when men aren’t around and vice versa. This serves to blur the boundaries and distinctions that separate the sexes. This blurring effects the individuals that make up society. Ultimately, television has a homogenizing effect on society. The impact of television isn’t limited to the blurring of boundaries that separate the sexes. Behavior and socialization are often dependent on place, but television transcends the limits of physical space. This allows people everywhere to gain access to experiences that would otherwise be “hidden” from them. This allows children to witness/experience traditionally adult behaviors. The secrets that adults were once able to keep by virtue of being isolated from children are no longer a viable option, and the thoughts and topics that occupy children’s minds have come to bear a striking resemblance to those of adults. This blurring has not only effected introspective aspects, it is even evidenced in the similar dress of varying age groups. This undoubtedly effects all aspects of a society as distinctions and the importance of place are diminished. The omnipresence of television also permeates society and transcends social status. Television gives equal access to information/experiences that expose human frailties and imperfections that are indigenous to all people. Social status is intimately connected with information access, and as information access becomes available to all people via television the knowledge that once separated them serves to unite. Hierarchies based on information control are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. “The sharing of situations by many formerly distinct groups produces a tension to develop a single citizen status to be shared by all (Meyrowitz, 1985, p. 134)”. Given the tremendous impact that television has on society, the growing trend of computer mediated communication that Elmer-Dewitt (1993, 8th February) expounds upon is likely to have far reaching implications for society. Physical place is not only transcended by computer based communication, it is being replaced by an alternate reality known as “cyberspace”. Since technology is growing at an exponential rate, the small communities in his article are being replaced by global networks, and this will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for individual and social change.

Of particular interest are the “computer-mediated gabfests” in Elmer-Dewitt’s article (Elmer-Dewitt, 1993, p. 60). These are text based synchronous chats that attract a variety of people. The text provides a medium that is amorphous, androgynous, and shows no signs of social status. Thus, traditional role behavior is annihilated, and individuals are given a chance to take on new personas that aren’t subject to the same restrictions as other forms of communication. This is evidenced by the tendency for people communicating on-line to state their views far more heatedly than they would face to face. Without visual clues or the fear of societal repercussions, behavior in cyberspace shows a marked difference from that in day to day situations. By virtue of the channel of communication, computer based communication further blurs the boundaries that separate members of society. Children are not only given glimpses at adult topics, they are able to communicate with adults on neutral grounds. This also holds true for different sexes and people of differing social status. This being the case, information is shared relatively freely, and new levels of intimacy are created on-line. The increased use of computers connected to networks has also served to blur the distinctions of work and home. An increasing number of people are taking their work home and connecting to their workplace via the computer. This impacts the “on stage” behavior that is inherent in these two formerly distinct environments. While at home, people in this situation must balance and consolidate their roles as spouse and parent with those of a professional in a work environment. Individuals are forced to find a middle ground that is no longer particular to the roles of the workplace and home life. Instead, boundaries are blurred, and new behavior is forced to emerge. Cyberspace has also demonstrated that information is increasingly becoming public domain. Despite efforts to maintain hierarchies based on information access, computer “hackers” are regularly discovering and distributing once hidden knowledge. As information becomes increasingly accessible, society will experience a heightened embrace of homogenization. Physical place is no longer a determining factor in protecting even the most closely guarded information. Cyberspace has created an alternate reality that allows information to pursue its quest for freedom. Channels of communication have a profound impact on individuals and the societies that they inhabit. Meyrowitz (1985) primarily concentrates on the impact of television, but his insights are equally poignant when applied to the impact of computer mediated communications. Television has served to blur social boundaries by providing equal access to information for countless people. Cyberspace seems to also embrace the freedom of information. It not only blurs social boundaries, but in some cases eliminates them. This undoubtedly effects all aspects of human behavior as the distinctions that separate people are diminished. REFERENCES Elmer-Dewitt, P. (1993, 8th February). Cyberpunk! Time, pp. 58-65. Meyrowitz, J. (1985). No sense of place: The impact of electronic media on social behavior. New York: Oxford University Press.