MIT2500 Midterm 1 Questions

Hourly 1 Study questions MIT2500B Winter 2024 - Lauren Levinsky The exam on Feb. 1st will consist of 15 questions selected from the following list of 35 questions. Please bring your own pens and/or pencils to write, and come to class knowing the name of your TA. Some questions on here: https://quizlet.com/ca/739232095/mit-2500-flash-cards/ Some questions on here too: https://quizlet.com/ca/778320623/mit-2500-midterm-questions-answers-flash-cards/ 1. In the article “Families don’t use landlines any more,” the author quotes Prof. Sherry Turkle discussing “the new silences of family life.” Explain what she means by the “new silences.” - Landline phones were a central point of communication in households. - Shared experiences, such as gathering around the phone, were common. - Family members were aware of each other's conversations and interactions and the landline served as a communal space for spontaneous connections. - Widespread use of smartphones then replaced landline phones. - Each family member now has an individual device and communication has become more private and individualized. - Shared experiences around a communal phone have diminished. Concept of "New Silences": - Prof. Sherry Turkle refers to the "new silences of family life." - Signifies a shift from communal to individualized communication and implies the loss of shared moments and experiences within families. - Describes a sense of isolation and privacy in modern communication. Impact on Family Dynamics: - The decline of landlines has altered the social dynamics within families. - Smartphones create individual technological spaces, isolating family members. - Turkle suggests that the shift has introduced a different form of silence. - The "new silences" highlight changes in communication patterns. - Turkle encourages the preservation of togetherness through special family time. - The article reflects on the evolving nature of family communication in the digital age. My short form answer: In Prof. Sherry Turkle's discussion of the "new silences of family life," the term signifies a shift from communal to individualized communication as landline phones, once central to households, are replaced by smartphones. This shift implies a loss of shared experiences and a sense of isolation in modern family communication. With individual devices, the communal space for spontaneous connections has diminished, highlighting changes in communication patterns. This transformation has impacted family dynamics, creating individual technological spaces and prompting Turkle to advocate for preserving togetherness through dedicated family time. The concept reflects the evolving nature of family communication in the digital age. 2. Julia Cho quoted Larry Rosen, who said cell phones “keep everybody separate in their own little techno-cocoons.” What is lost in this trend, according to Julia Cho’s article on the disappearance of the landline in family homes?

- The quote implies a sense of isolation and individualization in communication due to the prevalence of smartphones. - With landlines, family members shared experiences around a central phone. - The communal nature of conversations has diminished with individualized smartphone use. - Landlines facilitated spontaneous connections within the household. - Smartphones, being more private, lead to fewer unplanned interactions among family members. - Landlines played a role in bonding as family members participated in each other's lives. - Smartphones contribute to a more isolated environment, potentially impacting family bonding. - The shift from landlines to smartphones has changed the physical medium of communication. - Call environments have moved from shared living spaces to anywhere, affecting the sense of presence and connection. - In summary, the disappearance of landlines and the rise of smartphones result in a more isolated and individualized communication experience, potentially leading to a loss of shared moments, spontaneous connections, and the communal nature of family interactions. My answer: The disappearance of landlines and the rise of smartphones result in a more isolated and individualized communication experience, potentially leading to a loss of shared moments, spontaneous connections, and the communal nature of family interactions. The trend, highlighted by Larry Rosen's notion that cell phones "keep everybody separate in their own little techno-cocoons," signifies a shift from the communal nature of conversations around a central phone to a more isolated environment facilitated by individualized smartphone use. This change impacts family bonding and alters the sense of presence and connection within families. 3. Rebecca Solnit writes that with the rise of online communication “the quality of my emails deteriorated; after many years of marvelous correspondences it became hard to find anyone who still wrote anything resembling a letter. Everyone just dashed out notes about practical things, with maybe a little personal stuff in the mix, and you can’t get epistolary with someone who won’t receive it with enthusiasm, or at least I can’t.” Explain the larger argument Solnit is making with these observations. - Solnit is concerned about the decline in the quality of written communication. - She attributes this decline to the rise of online communication platforms. - Traditional letters, known for their depth and richness, have been replaced by emails. - Solnit observes that emails now focus more on practical matters, lacking the depth of traditional letters. - The immediacy of online communication contributes to this shift. - The art of crafting intimate, thoughtful letters has been eroded in the digital age. - The shift towards quick, practical exchanges may hinder meaningful connections. - Solnit's observations point to wider societal changes in communication patterns. - The potential consequences of this shift include a shallower form of interaction. Solnit is concerned over diminishing quality of written communication and says this is due to online communication platforms like email that take away the richness and thoughtfulness that we see in traditional letters. She says emails talk about practical matters over personal pens and that the

8. Slack and Wise wrote “Unfortunately, what is widely accepted as true does not always serve us well.” Explain at least two ideas about technology they suggest are widely accepted but not necessarily the best explanation. 1) Technologies and culture are two separate things - Slack and Wise agree that they are not the same, but believe that they are still interconnected - Tech influences culture, culture influences tech 2) Technology is central to what it means to be human - New technologies produce different versions of who and what we are (technology a part of our evolution) - Slack and Wise argue that cultural transformations aren't from one human to another, but from an inferior to a superior kind of human culture 9. Slack and Wise argue that, at any particular time, culture will express dominant values, residual values, and emergent values. Explain what they mean. **not sure if this is right but: - Societal norms and widely held beliefs may not always be true or represent the greater good of society - Just because something is commonly accepted, doesn't mean it is trustworthy - The knowledge you are least likely to question is based on what you accept as true without question, because knowledge is most strongly supported by the structures of culture and everyday life - Culture determines what we believe and value, but if everyone has different cultural backgrounds, we cannot value dominant ideologies - Dominant values: widely held beliefs within a society or culture (“Make a America Great”) - Residual values: values that are unique to a certain culture that have been historically passed down - may coexist or resist dominant values, potentially creating tensions or contradictions within cultures (Eg. Hanukkah) - Emergent values: newly emerging values, represent the evolving aspects of a culture - may challenge or question existing dominant values: emphasis on mental well-being and mindfulness. As individuals navigate the fast-paced and often stressful nature of modern life, there's a growing recognition of the importance of mental health. - Overall, demonstrates that culture is ever changing, and not static (Eg. mental health) 10. One of the first principles of this course is that “structure matters.” Briefly explain one example from course readings of how a non-technological social structure shaped the implementation or character of a particular communications technology. - Why does structure matter? - Technologies function in society because of how they are organized/structured, technological mediums are being introduced based on social structures at the time - Example: Raymond Williams describes Nazis (political social structure) wanted to influence /convince people to adopt their ideologies using 'mass-communication'

- The only way to reach such a mass audience was through implementing the use of the radio, where they could gather large amounts of people (public listening groups) to listen to the leaders of the party - They then moved on to using the television, which make it easier for people to watch and listen to the Party in their own home (mobile privatized) 11. Another principle of this course is that “culture, imagination, and meaning matter.” Briefly describe one example from course materials of how a cultural form shaped how people use and interpret media technologies. - In Rebecca Solnits, "In the day of the postman" she describes the evolution of print media, the newspaper as well as movie theater and what media used to mean for people back then. - The media does not make things, they make signs and symbols - Signs and symbols only work in the context of a shared culture, and a shared system of meaning. - Culture is a way of life: Shaped by tradition and selection 12. What is “modernization,” as described in lecture? 1. The shift from agricultural to industrialized ways of life 2. Rise of heavy industry, use of factories and large machinery 3. Changes in everyday life: ie. how people raise their kids 13. The first lecture discussed in detail a famous National Geographic cover photo of a teenage Afghan girl. Decades later, when the girl in the picture was found, she had never seen the picture of herself, even though millions of people across the globe had seen it. What is the larger point of this story for this course? - The story underscores how a photograph can become globally famous, used for various purposes by media organizations and individuals. - Despite its widespread recognition, the subject of the photograph remained unaware of her own fame. - While millions of people around the world had seen the photograph, Sharbat Gula, lived in relative obscurity, disconnected from the global narrative around her image. - The girl's lack of awareness was not solely due to geographical distance but was attributed to her living "off the grid" of modern media systems. - This isolation from mainstream media channels contributed to her remaining unaware of her iconic status. - The story prompts ethical considerations about the responsible use of iconic images and the potential impact on the lives of the subjects. It raises questions about the consequences of fame and media exposure on individuals who may not have consented to or been aware of their representation. - It contributes to discussions about the formation of media bubbles and shared experiences. - The mention of AI-generated images and people searching for the Afghan girl in 2022 highlights the role of technology in perpetuating media-driven narratives and the challenges posed by algorithms that operate within shared media experiences.

John Snow got a list of names and addresses of the people dying from cholera and went to each location marking down the places of death. This led him to examine the social patterns of the people in Broad Street which made him try and imagine the footprints and paths people were taking to reach a certain water pump as a source of their drinking water. By doing this, he saw that miasma is not an effect of the outbreak as people in the same community were not using the pi,p were surviving, while those who use the pump were dying; supporting snow proposed waterborne theory. Due to this he convinced the government to remove the pump which resulted in no more death and provided a way to battle the disease. 17. Explain why John Snow can be called a consilient thinker. - John Snow is considered a consilient thinker because he successfully integrated insights from different disciplines to understand the cholera outbreak in 1854 London: Medical and Geographic Integration: - Snow combined medical knowledge with geographic analysis. - Mapped cholera cases to identify the source of the outbreak and establish waterborne transmission. Collaboration with Diverse Disciplines: - Collaborated with experts like Henry Whitehead and cartographers. - Draw on varied expertise to gain comprehensive insights. Statistical Analysis: - Applied statistical methods to analyze data sets. - Used statistical tools to identify correlations and patterns, strengthening his case. Incorporation of Social and Environmental Factors: Considered social and environmental aspects of disease transmission. Integrated data on living conditions, water sources, and behaviors for a holistic understanding. - Snow's consilient thinking bridged medical, geographic, statistical, and social perspectives, laying the foundation for modern interdisciplinary approaches in public health. 18. Briefly explain what Zynep Tufekci means by “systems thinking,” using at least one example from course materials. - She says you need to look beyond yourself personal thinking and think more broadly - Go beyond asystemic thinking: the inability to think about complex systems and their dynamics - Think about long patterns... - Connect it to example from course materials: Could be related to John Snow was able to look at something different to discover the true meaning and why it happened from a different view point 19. According to Zynep Tufekci, why did US journalists and media outlets make the mistake of downplaying the threat of coronavirus in January and early February of 2020? - Tufekci says that media outlets were using a systemic thinking, meaning they were unable to think about the complexity of the impact of COVID on the global population and how the number of cases overwhelm the ICU. This lack of systemic thinking led to the global pandemic,

serious cases, and lack of preparation for addressing it quickly and effectively (e.g. Shortage of masks and vaccines). She says we need to think systemically and look at the big picture of the social structures as she speaks about how the ICU was overwhelmed with COVID cases, flu cases, accidents, and surgeries and could not save everyone or give proper care due to the lack of unpreparedness and the government not enforcing masks and social distancing from the beginning. 20. Briefly describe the “business model” of the fictional world in the Black Mirror TV episode we watched in class called “Fifteen Million Merits.” Explain at least one way it relates to real world business models. - In "Fifteen Million Merits," the fictional business model involves bikers generating energy through pedaling, which is converted into merits, the society's currency. These merits are used for daily needs, entertainment, and talent competitions. The model resembles real-world dynamics seen in social media platforms, where user engagement benefits platform owners, attracting advertisers. Similarly, some online platforms and games reward users with digital currency for their participation, mirroring the use of merits in the episode. The episode highlights the connection between individual contribution, platform value, and the potential for exploitation in both fictional and real-world business models. 21. In fashion advertising, it is common for female models to pose with their fingers in their mouths, with their bodies at an angle (“cant”), and other subordinate or child-like postures. Explain the larger point of this observation. - Looking natural- "Commercial photographs involve carefully performed poses presented in the style of being 'only' natural" - Women are pictured more often than men in a position near the ground (the recumbent position) - Posing in a position so that women look more vulnerable - In that position you are the most vulnerable - signifies vulnerability relies on everyone taking care of you - Women bending their hands or body at an angle (“cant”) and the head tuck - The idea is if a women is being photographed like this they should not look at the camera straight on (viewed as softer) - Finger in the mouth or touching the face in a childlike way - Want men to feel dominant over women In fashion advertising, female models often adopt poses conveying a sense of vulnerability and submissiveness. This includes posing with their fingers in their mouths, bodies at an angle, or in child-like postures. The larger point is to create an image of women appearing natural and vulnerable, reinforcing traditional gender dynamics where women are depicted in positions that signify dependence and reliance on others for care. These poses, including the "cant" or recumbent positions and child-like gestures, are intended to convey a sense of softness and submissiveness, fostering a perception that men should feel dominant over women in the portrayed scenarios.

explain how our everyday lives, subjective experiences, and feelings of our world interact with the social structures we live in. 25. What does Raymond Williams mean by “practical consciousness”? - Practical consciousness, according to Raymond Williams, is the everyday knowledge and understanding that people naturally develop through their experiences and interactions. - It includes the unspoken beliefs, values, and habits that shape how individuals perceive and navigate the world in their daily lives. - This concept emphasizes the implicit aspects of culture that influence our everyday actions and thoughts. 26. Raymond Williams wrote, “The mistake, as so often, is in taking terms of analysis as terms of substance. Thus we speak of a world-view or of a prevailing ideology or of a class outlook, often with adequate evidence, but in this regular slide towards a past tense and a fixed form suppose, or even do not know that we have to suppose, that these exist and are lived specifically and definitively, in singular and developing forms . . . . All the known complexities, the experienced tensions, shifts, and uncertainties, the intricate forms of unevenness and confusion, are against the terms of the reduction and soon, by extension, against social analysis itself.” Summarize Williams’ point in your own language. - Raymond Williams argues against the oversimplification of terms like "world-view," "ideology," or "class outlook" by emphasizing that these concepts are often treated as fixed, singular, and definitive entities. - He cautions against the tendency to view them in a past tense, suggesting that such reductionist perspectives ignore the complexities, tensions, uncertainties, and evolving nature inherent in social phenomena. - Williams urges a more nuanced understanding that acknowledges the intricate and dynamic forms of social life, resisting the temptation to oversimplify or generalize complex social realities. 27. Why did Raymond Williams specifically choose the word “feelings”, rather than “ideology” or “world views” in his theory of Structures of Feeling? - Raymond Williams opted for the term "feelings" in his theory of Structures of Feeling to convey a more inclusive and dynamic concept compared to "ideology" or "world views." "Feelings" allows for a broader understanding of human experiences beyond rigid ideologies, capturing the nuanced and evolving aspects of shared emotions, culture, and social structures. 28. Raymond Williams wrote, “Early Victorian ideology, for example, specified the exposure caused by poverty or by debt or by illegitimacy as social failure or deviation; the contemporary structure of feeling, meanwhile, in the new semantic figures of Dickens, of Emily Brontë, and others, specified exposure and isolation as a general condition, and poverty, debt, or illegitimacy as its connecting instances. An alternative ideology, relating such exposure to the nature of the social order, was only later generally formed: offering explanations but now at a reduced tension: the social explanation fully

admitted, the intensity of experienced fear and shame now dispersed and generalized.” Explain the point he is making with this bit of history. - had to do with thinking about how social structures are complex and that’s the factor leading to people living experiences and feelings of poverty. so like the pasts/ historical ideology is more fixed and doesn’t look at complexity but now this new alternative looks at how complex social structures are and how people feel and are effected 29. Prof. Streeter, in his essay “Desperately Seeking Bandwidth,” provides an example of a description of a “structure of feeling.” Explain at least two connections between structures and feelings noted in the essay. - "Structure of feeling" refers to ongoing relationship between individuals and the "social" Structure 1) "'Structure of feeling' is the term which suggests the continuing interaction between the individual and the social" 2) "No generation speaks quite the same language as its predecessors - His story illustrates how we feel with technology in the new technology as a social structure. how he didn’t feel he needed it but once he was exposed to it and he felt the need to get it for himself even tho he knows he does not need it to live - relates to modernization (if you don't adjust to the new aspects of the new, he's gonna be left behind) In "Desperately Seeking Bandwidth," Prof. Streeter illustrates the concept of a "structure of feeling" as the ongoing interaction between individuals and the social structure. Two connections highlighted in the essay include the idea that a "structure of feeling" reflects the evolving relationship between individuals and their societal context, and it emphasizes the unique linguistic expressions of each generation, emphasizing that no generation speaks the same language as its predecessors. 30. Prof. Streeter, in his essay “Desperately Seeking Bandwidth”, wrote “what economists call ‘demand’ and what film theorists call ‘desire’ are just as clearly related as they are different.” Explain what he means by that, using at least one example from the essay. - Demand refers to the quantity of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to purchase at a given price and time - Filmist called "desire" pertains to the emotional and psychological aspects of the audience's engagement with a film - people wanting or seeking something is present in both economic demand and filmic desire - For example, Streeter discusses how the demand for bandwidth in the context of the internet is not merely a technical requirement but is closely tied to the desires of users wanting a certain experience. He says that the desire for faster streaming, and interactive online content is a component of the demand for increased bandwidth. 31. Explain at least two ways that Streeter’s reflection on the introduction of the internet in his home illustrates relationships between structures and feelings.

34. Jordan found that forty percent of the purely business letters he studied from Australia from the pre-telegraph era contained some kind of reference to the writer’s personal identity, such as discussions of personal health or family members. Explain why, according to Jordan, people included those references. - They aided in reinforcing the identity of the sender, for example, one could pick up where they left off on a conversation, by continuing small talk regarding general health and family life. - These letters also helped create a co-presence, giving an illusion of personal conversation, the writer trying to connect to the receiver through these elements, trying to "pour" himself onto the letter - Many include personal references to make personal connections with the reader. This is to establish their identity, and sometimes to try and persuade the customers. - “In my last letter i talked about" 35. Explain at least three ways that, according to Jordan, online gamers marked their identities to each other. - Avatars: a duality with real, connected bodies: movie star planet and making avatars to look like you and even though it was you playing the plan, you could make it look just like you - Bitmojis - Using emoticons and abbreviations - having an emoji next your name and then every time you see that emoji you think of that person - Abbreviations - thnks - Style of interaction: when a character performs unusual actions (e.g. strip off gears, take out money from the bank, etc.), it implies that the user has been hacked. - If asked for money online prob being hacked - Online gamers mark their identities through three main mechanisms, as identified by Tim Jordan. Firstly, individual styles intersect during gameplay interactions, where players express unique preferences and strategies. Secondly, within gaming communities, local styles emerge, encompassing specific norms and practices that define group identity. Lastly, gamers integrate broader cultural styles, incorporating trends and references into their interactions, connecting with the larger gaming community.