Readings 11.15

The Meme Machine-Suan Blackmore

simple forms of social learning/process of imitation

only humans are capable of extensive memetic transmission (wish this was explained more)

the idea of contagious propagation

instruction/rehearsal/repetition

act of giving orders.  gaps between the order and execution

cultural redundancy*

the constant reiteration of instructions for behavior*

Blackmore-human drive to imitate posits existence of memes...and also the extinction of memes?

Mimetic excess...  Michael Taussig

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Taussig

Tension between the network and the self

"The seamlessness of 'unthikable complexity' of the system of posthuman, virtual existence; on the other hand, a stunted and shrunken residue of humanity, possibly monstrous.  

the self is a node in the network-ebay

space of places structured by different technological and economic investments of the space of flows-ebay

conflict-Batesons "double bind" contradictory messages.  

the idea of something versus something...the example of The World Trade Center versus Al-Qaeda.  

Two sides borrowing from one another.  Feeding into the different flows/networks.  I think that Tsing brought this up in some of her text.  The idea of two sides borrowing from one another creating different networks yet within the same network...

Read four different chapters on ebay which were super interesting.  So much information and being an ebay user I found myself identifying with some of the habits described.  I also was able to look at ebay from another perspective.

Describes a culture that maps everything!  His transition into the Internet and how one part sucks one into another part.  The feeling he had after finally getting an email address.  The changes he felt because of getting said address.  He describes his experiences purchasing watches on ebay.  Being addicted to his bookmark and looking at ebay as a ritual every morning.  His discovery of sniping software and the dissapointment felt if someone else "wins" the item bidded on.  It reminded me of when I first discovered sniping and the dissapointment I felt after "losing" certain items.  He describes his methods of winning an auction.  "robotically punching the netscape reload button."  I have been there...I also use the method of "2 windows"...for for reloading and one with a bid already placed ready to be submitted.  I like his comparison to ebay as a flea market or garage sale.  Browsing for items, searching, bidding...The idea of the ebay binge.  Buying as much as I can so that I don't buy more later....From the perspective of someone who is purchasing things on ebay I could relate to some of it.  Would have been nice to read a chapter on the sellers perspective. For someone who has done both it's a different experience and a different emotion.  

The idea of rhetoric and the links provided  thepowerofallofus.com ebaycareers.com

collectors, community, the production of narratives and images to sell objects

film memorabilia, the Hollywood era at ones finger tips, ephemoral moments, fleeting moments, anxious reloads, winning the prized posession.

ebay etiquette-feedback

sellers-choosing length of time for an auction

again the idea of rhetoric.  Using film memorabilia as an example...creating a community and a commonality between the seller and the buyer.  "Coming together." Narrative of the 80 year old grandmother.  Using her story to create some kind of emotion in the buyer.  

Baudrillard-The passion we invest in the personal possession of objects, best expressed in our collecting of them, keeps the "lives of the individual subject or of the collectivity on an even footing, and (has a role) in supporting our very project of survival."  

expressing fandom through ebay usernames...example "blanchehudson".  I noticed that is also used for other types of brandings...made up example "lxrydesigner"

rituals-helping in construction of self-buying items to construct identity.  Can also be applied to second life and RL beyond ebay i.e. buying an education. 

fetishistic quality of items, the indexical qualities of an object (Bazan)

contradictions-everything needs to be thrown away yet be preserved.  throw away your one year old cell phone and buy a new one.  

I like how at the end of this piece she closes it with the idea of ebay being competitive. Something that I forget.  For every "winner" there is a "loser."  

Fascinating.  Never really thought of ebay in this way.  Gardner talks about Chloe Russel, The Complete Fortune teller a twenty page booklet.  How he found it, and what it means to find it.  The idea of race and recovery, collecting Afro-Americana on ebay, the world of upper-class book dealers, the use of language.  Ebay democratizes collecting...uses the example of the Swann Gallery catalog at 30USD.  Finding on ebay...objects that have been "lost" similar to Tsing's idea of gaps.  The idea of search words on ebay...combing through different words....racist terminology...finding things inbetween or within those searches.  Finding ebay users and analyzing habit...methods to find certain items. 

"ebay not only allows but even authenticates racist discourse" (interesting to talk about)

buying, selling, best price, "good buy", racist language...slave market

"eclectic communitarianism and geek libertarianism to commercial media and e-commerce."  

P2P/technical relies on millions of members

Castell would call the network society

Theme:  Narrative...ebays narrative of online community.  The idea of people being basically "good" "we believe everyone has something to contribute."  (it's kind of funny when I think about it.)

Identity: Intersection between multiple imagined communities.

If an ebay user has a problem other people in the community can help them out.  Implementing the community vibe ebay hiring "Uncle Griff"...Creating an atmosphere associated with names that recall the techno-libertarian electronic -frontier manifesto....maintaining a community where active ebay users gain more access.  In order to be an active community member one must work!

Castells-flow and free exchange of information

ebay members functioning as network nodes, filtering and processing information and capital as it flows through the network...**  "machine-like yet skilled"

The idea of virtual community-also can be applied to SL

capitalism behind hyped narratives

The example of ebay and Wal-Mart.  How ebay can go under the radar because it's online....yet ebay is expanding just as much.  Maybe it's more difficult to trace?**

Ebay uses the discourse of community to elevate the laboor outputs of its members...performing at no charge to the company...I feel like this is true.  I also think that people get something out of it that they may not have had before.  The convienece of selling items they might have just tossed?  Creating new hobbies?  Making extra money?  

More to come...