Blog entry #5
This week's readings focused on the involvement and participation of openness and collaboration not only on the Wikipedia platform, but also within the boundaries of various real world socially and politically motivated situations. “Chapter 1: “Open Politics”, from the book Wikipedia and the Politics of Openness” written by Nathaniel Tkacz, focuses on the term of openness in regards to how the concept has presented itself within society during different points in history. In this chapter the author talks about change, and the differences between closed and open lines of communication and exploration. It was interesting to read about change, and how during specific points in history through different people’s perspectives and built outlooks on life the concept of “change” is viewed separately from multiple angles. In today's society with technology at a constant race with itself to become more advanced on a daily basis, change is a constant idea that most people have had to adjust themselves to and understand. Today society is built on what is trendy and new at the moment with a line of continuous strings of ideas and thoughts being presented to various audiences for appreciation, recognition, and signs of agreement. In the chapter the author discusses Plato's thoughts and theories in regards to change and how he saw his current surrounding society and the environment in which he resided in. “ This original state equates to the theory of forms or ideas that underpins Plato’s philosophical thought: the original tribal society is the ideal, whereas the actually existing society, with all its problems, is the inferior and degraded version of this form.”( Tkacz, Nathaniel) This quote refers to Plato’s mindset towards his current society in comparison to the past and how he believed the further we developed the more we would crumble and worsen. I found this quote intriguing to me, because it was interesting to read about a person who saw progression and change as a way that society continued on its path of degradation. Leading on from this chapter the following two readings dive into the concept of collaboration and reveal how it has evolved through different online communities. “Chapter 2: “Sorting Collaboration Out” from Wikipedia and the Politics of Openness”, and “Co-Constructing Knowledge through Collaborative Writing” from Understanding and Creating Digital Texts.” written by Nathaniel Tkacz, and Richard Beach explain the concept of collaboration through the different online platforms focused on social engagement. It was interesting to read about collaboration and how with time it has evolved depending on the situation and scenario that is currently present. From the creation to content on sites like wikipedia, collaboration has become a form of community when it comes to the formation of a product. Chapter 2 from Nathaniel’s writing helps to identify the meaning of collaboration in today’s society, and how the construct of a group of individuals is structured together in a compatible way to produce content. All three of these articles provided interesting content that helped me to understand the current world filled with various written methods of expression. With multiple online outlets at the public’s disposals it is important to know how to guide our way through them.
Works Cited:
Beach, Richard, “Co-Constructing Knowledge through Collaborative Writing” from
Understanding and Creating Digital Texts.” Canvas, https://canvas.csun.edu/courses/71672/files?preview=7936132
Tkacz, Nathaniel, “Wikipedia and the Politics of Openness”. Canvas, Canvas file pdf.
https://canvas.csun.edu/courses/71672/files?preview=7936128
Tkacz, Nathaniel, “Wikipedia and the Politics of Openness”. Canvas, Canvas file pdf.