Information Focus: Content vs. Signal
When I first began to read Terranova's book I thought it would be a bit easier than Lanier's book. At first the book seemed like it would be easy and straight to the point. However, after the first few pages and its introduction I realized this was not really the case. I found myself lost in some of the language Terranova uses. However, the most important point I got from the first chapter of her book is the concept of informtation on the web. Information is every where on the web. One simply types a word on google and a variety of links to gain information pop up! It's the greatest thing the Internet has to offer.
However, Terranova helped me understand some key points about the abundance of information on the web. She touches on this idea of "global culture." A culture which allows us to be dependant of the Internet because of its massive information. However, in her first chapter she helps us understand how overwhelming Internet information can be. The actual "information" one was looking to gain is lost and it no longer becomes an issue of meaning but rather signal. Tiziana describes what information has become in our 21st Century culture. Something she states that helped me deeper understand the message she was conveying in her first chapter is that "we know at least two things about information: that is the content of a communication act; and that there is something less material about it, at least judging from the ease with which it goes from mouth to to ear and ear to mouth." What I understood from this is that as information is processed the actual content is lost behind it. Information most go through a clear channel in order to be understand. She talks about how information is not about the meaning behind it anymore but about NOISE! The actual noise is what makes the message. It can actually form the information other than the actual content.
Information goes through a set of different channels. However, noise can affect its overall message and what the source is trying to tell us. These channels in which information is transmitted many times become clogged not letting people actually grasp the material. We are overwhelmed with the actual concept of information. Information many times is affected by outside sources that actually affect what we gain from its meaning. She explains that "communication also includes the possibility of a corruption of the message in transit by noise." We become overwhelmed by uniqueness, commonality etc. We focus on other concepts of information that may impact its transmission. We are left with tons of channels with an abundance of information telling us different things.
When I read your post as a whole, it suggests to me that your experience of her text was an experience of a lot of noise. At the same time, the book form was clearly a signal--"information is present." It makes me wonder about our tendencies to use tags these days "the author made a number of points" rather than to focus on what the points are. We tune in to the signal, but not what is being said/signaled/signified.
ReplyDeleteBe careful, though, as you think about the inter-relations between information and noise. You shouldn't lose the distinction between them even as you attend to the ways that this distinction is unstable.