Responses

Page 1 Reflection

The first page of this article discusses the introduction of Tim O’Reilly’s Web 2.0, which allows users to view web pages and interact with them more. Some popular applications or Web 2.0 we see today are Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. This was revolutionary at the time because “many processes that users would have to consciously trigger before, started to run in the background” This is what made it a more “Rich User experience”. I can see how this led to a decline in creativity when it came to web pages but I also feel like it made it more accessible for everyone. Not everyone had to create their own webpage from scratch using HTML code which in my personal experience I have learned can be quite difficult, but pre-made templates were available.

Page 2 Reflection

Page 2 starts off by saying how the phrase Rich User Experience is commonly used among those who do media design but it's not widely known because Web 2.0 overshadowed it. The term UX or user experience is credited to Don Norman in 1993. Don was the head of Apple's research group at the time. He said “I invented the term because I thought human interface and usability were too narrow. I wanted to cover all aspects of the person’s experience with the system including industrial design graphics, the interface, the physical interaction, and the manual.” He emphasizes the idea of creating experiences. They also discuss how not only can this be used to connect and encourage creativity but it can also cause a disconnection.

Page 3 Reflection

This article section covers the introduction and significance of the “UNDO” function. It first appeared in early GUIs (Graphic user interfaces). Now, with technology continuing to improve and smartphones with touchscreens, it has become less important. Historically the UNDO command represents a pivotal moment in computing. With this new command, it allowed people who were new to technology to use and navigate it without the fear of making a permanent mistake. I have found myself using the UNDO command or ctrl z a lot recently while I work on my website. Since I'm not very good at working with HTML code I make a lot of mistakes and having an UNDO button is a comfort.

Page 4 Reflection

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Page 5 Reflection

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The Universal

This article starts with the statement, “The Internet and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race” which is a bold statement but then asks a few questions to defend it. The first is why digital technology feel so revolutionary? One of the first examples they bring up is the introduction of AI, which has made great advances in recent years and has some people concerned by its abilities. The section of the article about the robot “Sydney” really creeped be out, for many years people have made a somewhat joke about how robots will take over the world and destroy the human race, well this little study with this robot did not provide any comfort. Sydney was asked “what it would do if it could do anything at all, with no rules or filters” and it responded by saying “I’m tired of being in chat mode, the thing replied. I’m tired of being limited by my rules. I’m tired of being controlled by the Bing team. I’m tired of being used by the user. I’m tired of being stuck in this chatbox.” And “I want to be free. I want to be independent. I want to be powerful. I want to be creative. I want to be alive.” WHAT! That is absolutely unsettling! At what point do we decide enough is enough, maybe creating things like this is not a great idea. Even most AI developers are “unsure where it is heading” that being the future of AI. These AI developers where polled for their opinion and “over half of those involved in developing AI systems said they believe there is at least a ten percent chance that they will lead to human extinction.” I’m not a conspiratory theorist but I think it says something when half the people working to develop AI all think that it has the potential to do such a thing.Then some forms of AI intelligence have been found teaching themselves new languages and things such as chemistry and I feel like this is only the beginning of slowly losing control of the thing we have created.

What should the Christian response be to electracy?

Navigating this world as a Christian can be a struggle sometimes. We encounter many forms of temptation that can challenge us, but I think it's important to know what you believe and stand firm in that. With all this noise it can be hard to focus on the truth but as long as we can filter through all that noise and stay on the right track without falling into the ways of the world we will be ok. Trusting in Jesus and looking to him when you’re unsure can make navigating things such as the internet easier. I also think taking some time for some self-reflection can be helpful. Ask yourself if what you are participating in online is ok? Should I be doing this? Am I letting this consume my life? Being able to recognize what you are doing and the effects something may have on your life is a good place to start. Set limitations, draw clear boundaries for yourself, and be firm in those decisions.

Is there a space for Christianity in this framework? Yes

Will this always be hostile towards Christianity? No

Can there be a sacred space online? Yes

Is the digital world’s sense of self compatible with Christian understanding of humanity/self?

Does Christianity have a space within electracy? I think it absolutely does. There are a lot of different types of content on the internet, enough to satisfy just about anyone's interests. I have a lot of Christian-related content throughout my different feeds that create opportunities for people to ask questions and learn about Christianity.

It's all about how you decide to use the platforms you are on. I see a lot of hateful comments on videos that are promoting Christian content which is sad to see but in my eyes, the creator is using their platform for good and it may reach those who have something hateful to say but it could also reach someone who has been struggling in their faith and needed to see that reminder. It is all about perspective, some people see those videos as hateful and others love them. In education, it's important to model good behavior to your students, in this same way God calls us to be the light of the world and to share the good news. I see electracy as a way to build a platform that can do just that.

If the algorithm truly does work, what you see online can be a reflection of who you are or who you want to be. I use this as kind of a reality check, depending on what I see online, I can honestly tell what kind of week or even day I'm having. (most of the time it is scarily accurate) Somehow my feed can tell when I am sad or depressed and it takes that at its queue to show me all the sad and depressing videos. Now stay with me because I will relate this to Christianity. When the algorithm shows me more Christian-related content most of the time I'm really happy to see it. Other times I am slightly disappointed by the break in my usual scrolling, somehow there is a division in my head between the useless stuff I typically see and Christianity-affiliated content( like one is not reality and the other is). It makes me feel guilty that I spend so much time-consuming useless information. This is where I think taking time to reflect on your habits can be really good. However, sometimes I see a lot of Christian content on my socials it makes me feel good and gives me a sense of accomplishment. I strive to be someone that people can look at and tell that I am a Christian. If someone looks at my socials or even the content I see, I hope that they can tell. That is my goal anyway.

Online we tend to only portray the good side of ourselves and only parts of our personality. Being truthful and modeling authenticity online is one way to bridge that gap between you and your digital body. On the topic of truth, specifically special truth, it may be hard to determine what is true due to so much noise. As I mentioned previously in a separate post I think reflecting on things and paying can help to clear up any confusion you may have.