It’s true, you really can buy anything you want on the internet today. Everything from groceries to furniture, clothing to animals. In the past year I have consumers more then I have produced online. I have been a university student for four years now, and I try and stay away from a computer as much as possible. It feels like I am always on the computer for school work and it has honestly taken the fun out of consuming online. Before university I would go on the internet for personal pleasure, consuming music online, videos, interesting articles, and anything else I wanted to consume. However now I stick to researching information on my computer and producing scholarly assignments. My one guilty pleasure however is online shopping. Today all you need is a computer and a credit card, than it is delivered to your door. However, there are several issues with online security that have been drought up in the reading this week. In the article “The cultural logic of Media Convergence” the author states that media convergence is more then simple a technological shift. Convergence alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres and audiences”(p.34). In other words the way we operate in everything we do is constantly changing with the rate or technology. Take for instance the simple technology changes that the social media website Facebook has had since it started. These changes have allowed for faster communication, and a vast increase in exposure. “Many phases of technological futurism in the US has been hailed as new economies. In seeking the explain the rise in productivity over this period” (Miller, 2004, p.56).
“Cultural shifts, the legal battles and the economic consolidations that are fueling media convergence are preceding shifts in the technological infrastructure” (H, Jenkins, 2004, p. 34). In other words, some individuals believe today’s society is to restricted and others believe our society isn’t restricted enough. Again this can be seen in the case of Facebook, when some users want complete privacy and others wants complete openness.
Facebook and other social media website are how I produce and consume on the internet. I also use other communication websites such as g-mail and in the past Hotmail and MSN. What encourages me to consume and produce on the internet are my friends, family members, and other people or organizations that I have liked on Facebook. On the other hand the main factor that inhibits my usage of the website is my image that I am projecting to the users of websites. I always want to project what I feel is the right image of myself to the world and therefore an over exposure or over usage of the site may inhibit that image.
References
Jenkins, H. (2004) The Cultural Logic of Media Convergence International Journal of Cultural Studies March 2004 7: 33-43
Miller, T. (2004) A view from a fossil. International Journal Of Cultural Studies, 7(1), 55-65.
ap09ti 
It is truly amazing what one can do with a computer from the comfort of their own home! I have done birthday and Christmas shopping, data comparison in preparation of purchases, travel information plus research. (to name a few!) It becomes very easy to use the online offerings. Thank you for sharing your ‘ one guilty pleasure’ of online shopping! And, I am in full agreement on how you present yourself online!
As you noted from Jenkins article it just isn’t about technological advancement anymore. The readings this week point out how economies and political powers are engaged in online activity. The further I read the more difficult I found to see boundaries which was also noted in our readings. As you stated “In other words, some individuals believe today’s society is too restricted and others believe our society isn’t restricted enough.” Truly subjective to the individual!
I too love online shopping and probably do it more than I should, the past week I have bought two pairs of shoes and was very excited when they arrived 4 days later (very fast compared to others). The fact that you don’t have to leave your house is very appealing to many because of it convinence and time saving. There can also be many problems when shopping online and it you are unaware of what is going on it can be dangerous. I bought something off ebay and the money was taken off my credit card but I never got the item if I didn’t notice I would not have been able to get money back, I reported this person and they were taken off the ebay selling site.
I think it’s great that people are really adopting the whole online shopping experience. I wish I could say the same for myself. There are several different reasons as to why I do not shop online. The first reason is that I can never really tell what the item will look like. You may think that the shirt will feel a certain way, but when you get it delivered, it is actually quite the opposite of what you thought. Furthermore, it is extremely hard to judge quality online. When I am physically in a store, I can touch the item and I can inspect it making sure that I am buying something of great quality and longevity. In terms of clothing, I never like to buy it online because I do not know how it is going to fit, and the exchange and return process is usually lenghty for online purchases. Lastly, I hate to pay shipping and handling, and I believe that in today’s age of great competition, the consumer should not have to pay for shipping and handling.
Totally agree with you on “My one guilty pleasure however is online shopping.” New media and technology really make shopping easier than before, which make me spend my money even easier. What you said about Facebook is what I want to say “Again this can be seen in the case of Facebook, when some users want complete privacy and others wants complete openness.” Technology brought us convenience and inconvenience at same time, and it is hard to balance the relationship. People have to give up something in order to gain something. Its like you will lose your privacy when you share a picture with your family members, but you can enjoy the picture from them. Hence, we are all producer and consumer on the internet.