D YN A M IC C O N S T E L L A T IO NMirella Deocadiz. GIST Spring 2011

D e f in e “ In f o r m a t io n ” .

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From the discussions we've had in class I think that it's become clear that we can't all come to a consensus on a solid definition.

Information requires a more sophisticated definition as it is constantly in flux. It it forever changing. That said, I want to

refer to the idea of information as being in a dynamic constellation. There is a core to what information is but since there are many factors involved (the types of information etc.) and the way we access information is constantly changing, it is

dynamic.

J u s t b e c a u s e w e c a n ’ t d e f in e i t d o e s n ’ t m e a n t h a t i t d o e s n ’ t

e x is t .

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T h e n a t u r e o f in f o r m a t io n a n d t h e w a y in w h ic h w e a c c e s s i t h a s c h a n g e d o v e r t h e y e a r s . W h y is in f o r m a t io n c o n s t a n t ly c h a n g in g ? ( O r in m y t e r m in o lo g y, in a d y n a m ic c o n s t e l la t io n ? )

• Hillary G.’s post on the 26th of February really got me thinking... (Thanks girl!)

“ Te c h n o lo g ic a l a d v a n c e s r e la t e

t o im p r o v in g c o m m u n ic a t io n s .

”

- H i l la r y G . - H i l la r y G . - H i l la r y G .

I s t h is t r u e ?

L e t ’ s e x a m in e t h e e v id e n c e b y lo o k in g a t t e c h n o lo g ic a l a d v a n c e s t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s .

H e r e ’ s a ( v e r y ) b a s ic h is t o r y :H e r e ’ s a ( v e r y ) b a s ic h is t o r y :H e r e ’ s a ( v e r y ) b a s ic h is t o r y :H e r e ’ s a ( v e r y ) b a s ic h is t o r y :H e r e ’ s a ( v e r y ) b a s ic h is t o r y :

S p e e c h .• Speech is the most basic

form of technology and it is also the most basic form of communication.

• However, giving speeches takes away consistency (and in some ways, credibility) of the information that is being communicated. There is also a lack of the ability to store it.

S t o n e Ta b le t s .

Writing on stone tablets was a more permanent way of receiving and conveying information.

Drawbacks? They aren’t particularly portable and thus, people couldn’t communicate as easily.

S c r o l l s , P a r c h m e n t & In k .• These are like the stone

tablets in that the information is easily stored. They also solve the problem of portability.

• BUT, they are easily destroyed and are not easily made. (So information cannot be assimilated easily.)

P r in t in g P r e s s .• The invention of the

printing press allowed people to create multiple copies in short periods of time to share with wider audiences.

• However, the information was not easily altered and thus, it was easy to make mistakes in the information that was being dispersed.

C o m p u t e r s a n d C o p y in g M a c h in e s .• Computers made way

for large amounts of information to be stored, easily altered (and with laptops) easily transportable.

Copying machines allowed information to be spread to wider audiences more efficiently.

W e b 1. 0Information became accessible to anyone with an internet connection

Large amounts of information was available

People could communicate across the globe through email.

W e b 2 . o• Not only can people communicate throughout the

globe but they can also collaborate extremely easily.

E a c h t e c h n o lo g ic a l a d v a n c e m e n t h a s im p r o v e d t h e w a y in w h ic h p e o p le c o m m u n ic a t e .

• At each stage, the information has become more consistent, credible, portable, permanent and accessible.

H o w d o e s t h is l in k b a c k t o C o r a z o n A q u in o ?

As a political figure, spreading information about her campaign was crucial.

She used the communications methods of her time to spark a revolution and rise to power.

“ P o l i t ic a l u p h e a v a ls h a v e a d is t in c t l in k t o c o m m u n ic a t io n s .”

- A le x M a g n oU n iv e r s i t y o f t h e P h i l ip p in e sU n iv e r s i t y o f t h e P h i l ip p in e sU n iv e r s i t y o f t h e P h i l ip p in e sU n iv e r s i t y o f t h e P h i l ip p in e s

P r e s id e n t A q u in o ’ s r i s e t o p o w e r i s s o m e t im e s r e f e r r e d t o a s t h e ‘ X e r o x R e v o lu t io n ’ . W h y ? B e c a u s e i t w a s t h e p h o t o c o p ie r t h a t a l lo w e d h e r t o c o m m u n ic a t e in f o r m a t io n t o t h e p u b l ic .

O t h e r r e v o lu t io n s t h a t u s e d t e c h n o lo g y t o a id c o m m u n ic a t io n :• The Iranian Revolution (1979) was closely linked to

the audio cassette.

• The Tiananmen uprising (1989) was the ‘fax revolution’ because people outside of China gained information through faxes.

Te c h n o lo g y is s o im p o r t a n t in t h e w a y in w h ic h w e c o m m u n ic a t e in f o r m a t io n . T h a t i s w h y w e a r e in t h is ‘ d y n a m ic c o n s t e l la t io n ’ . T h is n e e d t o c h a n g e in f o r m a t io n a n d t e c h n o lo g y is f u e le d b y t h e n e e d t o c o m m u n ic a t e .