Digital Culture: Social phenomena of interrelated online and offline activities, experiences and innovations.'
We shape our tools and our tools shape us' - Marshall Mcluhan, design philosopher. This is what technology is evolving to today, as it shapes everything we do. The beginning of this has been pinpointed to 1990 - the globalisation of digital production really began with the first mac. Some even suggest that the digital revolution is more important than writing and print in current society.
Broadband is a human right, it has become a fundamental and integral part of our society. Although in some ways technology and the access to internet effects our lives in different ways and we have varied dependence on it. There are many different ways to interact with this new digital culture.
The main components:
- Participants - the connections/networks.
- Remediation - New technology and media that is a remix of the old forms to create new solutions. For example new record players involve current technology.
- Bricolage - Construction and recreation from materials from lots of different sources.
Fanzines and Punk Culture:
During the 70s and 80s there was a new step away from the conventional style of mass production publications and fanzines were key for the DIY era. There was a big sense of bricolage within this, as it was a form of remaking the old, with cheap photocopying, handwriting and distribution for free.
Bricolage is also present in social media and it has now become a culture of follows, likes, comments, fans and re-tweets. This has become a key part of our communication and realisation of current events. E.g. the 2016 election.This creates connection yet it also attributes to an alienation in global culture. In among this culture of knowledge and 'stuff' it can bombard individuals, overwhelming them without order or systematisation. It becomes real time dialogue with millions of people.
One positive of this is that we no longer have to spend as much money on the production of physical design outcomes, instead digital cultures allows the information to be sent anywhere in the world. Possibly making it more about communication and less about commerce.
Technology is also being used in education/information/training/medicine and is becoming an essential part to our social culture. Graphic design will be essential within this in the future. This is also playing a key role for the development of small children and their development. In fact, this has caused technology to impact our imagination and how we see our reality.
Despite this, it is still argued that technology needs to be seen as a tool for us and we shouldn't leave behind the human aspects of ourselves. Parents are beginning to actively limit technology in favour of having more physical interaction with their kids. They are 'kicking against' the tech age that kids are so submerged in at the moment.
