Postmodern Virtualities

In reading Postmodern Virtualities by Mark Poster, I was very enlightened by his equally divided approach to postmodern culture as well as massive changes in communication systems and brought them together in relation, differences, showing advantages and disadvantages of both. In a hyper stimulated culture, we thrive on the next and in order to grasp our attention spans things need to be quicker, faster, and more efficient than they previously were. Communication systems continue to evolve and although individuals are lacking the personal one on one interactions that were a way of life before, we now do much of our communicating via text messaging and computers. The actually act of engaging in a verbal discussion has even taken its place backseat in relation to shooting a quick text or posting on someone’s facebook wall.

Poster, in The Mode of Information, “argued that electronic communications constitute the subject in ways other than that of the major modern institutions. If modernity or the mode of production signifies patterned practices that elicit identities as autonomous and (instrumentally) rational, post modernity or the mode of information indicates communication practices that constitute subjects as unstable, multiple and diffuse.” I think Poster is addressing the concern here on the evolution and direction that electronic communication could produce which would be negative in this instance. With an ever-developing electronic system, prior limitations will be surpassed and new issues with surface, which generally circulates the need for the next advance.

In referring to the information superhighway, Poster also states, “The mode of information is an emergent phenomenon that affects small but important aspects of everyday life.” How we receive our information is not as important as actually attaining the information. With communication systems enhancing, information is able to reach a broader population in hopes to create a more knowledgeable society.

On my honor I have not given, nor recieved, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistances on this post- Kelly Strandberg