Digital School Library

The comment that I agreed most was Phyllis DiBianco. His/Her main point was that computers and books can work side by side. She also added that a library is not necessarily a quiet place, it is a place for debating , studying and collabarating most importantly. This statement is true. It is the same in our school. The best example I can give. In our school, students use technology and books are used side by side. As we read before, google is definitely making us stupid. When we search on Google , it might give us exact information, but when we want a specific detail, it can take forever to find a specific information. Even when we find it on web, it is not guaranteed that the information in truth. This is the case where books can be used to clarify the information we find on web. I also agree with few other comments which talked about certain resources suiting certain people. For example, I can't stare at a LCD screen for too long meaning that I can't read twenty pages of History research even with breaks. I am sure many other people face these kinds of problems. Therefore I get them printed, and that is similar to having a book infront of me. Lets look at the cons of having a library- trees are cut for paper. For technology, LCD screens use much more toxic material. And paper can be recycled and can all the plastic waste be succefully recyled. We also need books, because today in our generation, I know my friends and class mates have shorter attenion span and books can help prevent this. Therefore, I support having library and few computers working side by side. I like turning pages of novels and I don't want my lap top to run out of battery if I am rereading Harry Potter. And we don't want kids as young as 5 years pld to get addicted to computer to technology at a young age. Books are portable and books don't hurt your eyes and they don't run out of battery.

Digital Truth

What does digital truth mean? In my own words I would say, anything captured by a multimedia which has not been modified or manipulated through any computer program. In this case what we capture or record is what we get. So, why is digital truth important? Well, the obvious reason because truth is important. According to me, there are certain areas of life where digital truth is necessary. For example newspapers, factual magazines and anything that is supposed to show us the reality. When truth is digitally manipulated, the reality gets manipulated. So simply, what we are seeing is not the reality. But what happens if we don’t know something has been manipulated. When truth is manipulated then it leads to chaos. This is the danger of being in a world where digital truth can be played around with.

For example, it is often used to create a negative effect, TIME magazine made OJ Simpson’s face darker to create the effect of menace. Another example is when Stalin used to manipulate images for the purpose of indoctrination. These are some of the extreme cases of digital manipulation. Today, we see magazine covers which are air- brushed. Sure, we know that it is airbrushed but still it affects us. Because we are tempted to buy all the acne and anti- aging creams. How do models feel when their images are manipulated? Imperfect don’t you think? What about the young girls who look into these magazines are pressured by the untruth?

It’s not all about the images. It is the same with music industry today. A lot of stars have their voice enhanced when recorded. No offense. But, British dancer/singer George Sampson has his voice enhanced throughout his track ‘Body language’. Lindsay Lohan who short lived in the music industry had obviously manipulated all of her tracks because her live performances have never been as good as her voice on CD. In reality, these singers are fooling their fans and the audience. Where is the justice?