Tools That Change the Way we think

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)


The use of technology doesn't (at least to me) seem like a potentially dangerous thing, to people who know how to keep it under control. When the use of the internet for information or for any other source of knowledge removes you from experiencing the truth or gathering ideas of your own, you're doing it wrong. At the end of the day, most of everything everywhere on the internet is the OPINION of someone. Even if it claims to not be biased, it still has some sort of personal, skewed filter that is preventing the light of the truth to shine in fully. I personally don't think that it (technology) influences my thinking all too much. I tend to not make huge decisions in my life based on what is being fed out by the social media and technological innovations alike, I'd rather trust my opinion than some random person's out in Wisconsin. My style of thinking hasn't changed, unless its changed for the better. I now know tons of useless and obscure facts that I would have never learned in real life (thank you, CRACKED). Technology isn't bad, it doesn't make people less intelligent, nor does it take away from learning. It definitely CAN, but people who sub come to that just found a new way to do so, blaming technology for people being lazy is a cheap excuse for a problem that has been around for years. Technology is relatively new and due to xenophobic ideologies, its an easy scapegoat to target.

-Noe Bernal periodo 2

In Search Of

a)What new information did you learn from the video?
There wasn't too much new information that i learned from that video. I knew most of it, especially the thing about the Algorithms and how much companies like Google use them. 
b)How does this information make you think differently about what you see online?
It makes me realize that not everything is the actual "truth." It's kind of a scary thought to know that there is really no way to get around it, other than using inferior search engines that don't use algorithms. Iv'e really just come to accept it (as sad as that sounds.)
c)What questions does this video raise about the Internet in general?
It raises the question of how much of the internet is real, and how much of it is tailored to our interests. It's, as previously stated, a scary thought. 
d)How can you improve the effectiveness of your searches?
Being more precise in my searches could really help out my overall effectiveness. And using the sites that dont use algorithms that tailor results to you personal preferences, like dogpile, etc. 

Notes on Hamlet

When I first started reading Hamlet, or any Shakespeare for that matter, it blew my mind. I had no grasp on any of the material or any of the ideas trying to be put forth. Now that were reading it in class and you're stopping every once in a while and elaborating on what Shakespeare is actually saying at the given time, it is making a lot more sense to me. It went from me being totally oblivious to what Shakespeare was trying to say, to me developing a growing grasp on the play and his language alike. Although I am still having some trouble with the latter.  

Who was Shakespeare?

Shakespeare is the father of just about everything written today. His writing style, ideas, character development, etc was extremely advanced for the time period in which he lived. He was extremely brilliant for his time and his name had become synonymous with the word play. His intellectual abilities puzzle most due to the fact that he wasn't a nobleman or belonged to royalty. He was just a normal man, a plebeian if you will. This allows many people to believe that he was not the author of many of his plays. These people are what we like to call "idiots" or "haters" (for the young-folk.) There is no valid argument presented by the opposing side that even remotely revelas another author as the actual "author."

To FB or Not to FB

The idea of Facebook is awesome. Sharing your life and personal opinions with only the people you would want to, and excluding all the rest. Only if it worked in such a way. Literally ANYONE who wants to see anything posted on a "secure" page, can see it. It really just takes some self control and some thinking before it all goes downhill. And if it ever does become so overwhelming, change the name to Spongebob SquarePants, change the picture, delete all posts, and be done with it. There is no reason to stay connected to something that is causing your internet reputation harm. Also, the ad selling thing doesn't concern me too much. As long as its used for internet Ads and I don't have junk mail flooding my home mail/email, I'm fine.