Virtual Behavior Settings March 28, 2007
Posted by mobius in Ad Hoc Musings.trackback
There has been much discussion on the cultural effect of introducing technology into developing countries. What is or is not appropriate for use? Should we as educator/activists include television if it breaks down the social fabric of communities as we have found in Western culture? If we don’t, then is it censorship? The issues Habermas brings to light in his Unfinished Project are the tough questions like these that need addressing before we plunge willy-nilly into a project more enamored by the technology that by the cultural effects it has on a community. Of particular interest in is the concept of uncoupling between the system and lifeworlds. Here Brown and Goodman argued that it is realistic if not necessary to decouple the two in order to prevent the influence of one over the other until Communicative Action is achieved at which point the two can be co joined through enhanced understandings. I would argue this is increasingly difficult to do in the always on world we have chosen to live in. The issue of being able to turn off inappropriate activity in a virtual worlds is not longer an option as proposed by Blanchard (2004, n.p.). The CVHS newsletter had a feature column on the effects of virtual harassment in schools through text messages, email, IM, etc. Therefore, how we choose to interact with both the system and physical world becomes not only a personal choice, but a responsibility as we interact with others in society as defined “as the difference between mutual understanding and mutual influencing” (p. 204). This consideration would then influence the development of virtual communities mindful of the power inherent in the design space the community functions within. Blanchard (2004) proposed several “spaces” that we might operate within and several others have emerged since the writing of the article. Design of the space contributes to the hospitality that fills the space. Brown and Goodman may have argued a Habermas perspective of how people interact in a virtual setting is shaped by their lifeworlds even as new systems worlds are created virtually. Attention to the setting and the spirit filling that space I feel are important to the development of virtual communities. One last thought in closing is that concept of cultural sensitivity in virtual environments requires a heightened attention be paid to the communication between the senders and receivers within such an environment to maintain a power balance that does not slide into imperialism or colonization. Should we consider the ancient traditions of Feng Shui in the design of culturally sensitive virtual environments? Is anyone researching in this area?
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