Quick Thought: Media Redefining Success

I was struck by Bell’s discussion of how we are defined by the medium through which we are viewed. This at first shocked me, because I do not feel I have the technical prowess to express myself and who I feel I am on-line. I then thought about where I can adeptly express myself, such as in writing and talking. This relates back to Ong and the parallels between the changes computers are effecting with the changes that the introduction of other technologies have effected. I realize that maybe some people do not feel as comfortable as I do with speaking and writing, and they are better with computers or art, photography, etc. This is a decentralizing thought for me, because I have always thought that I was mastering the skills of life because I was succeeding in school. When you realize that what you learned in school isn’t all that you need for life, that’s confusing. The introduction of “new” media as integral to success in today’s world may give more power to those who are not naturally talented in traditional forms of expression. In this way, media is democratizing, because it allows for the increased value of various abilities, incorporating more types of people into the categorization of successful. Whose talents are valued? Whose esteem is affected? Media changes these fundamental perceptions of individuals in society.