Are you Produsage?ish

ARE YOU A PRODUSER? ARE YOU PARTICIPATING IN PRODUSAGE??

If so, congratulations! You’re officially part of the modern world of productive users, who have their own opinions, their own preferences and favourites, and more often than not, profiles on websites that enable them the means to express themselves or contribute to information, as well as being a part of a movement that is revolutionising the way people interpret consumers.

Still in the dark? Allow me to inform you about a website called Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a brilliant example of produsage, as the majority of the information on this website is constructed by users and regular people. This is the definition of a productive user. They use Wikipedia, at the same time as they produce Wikipedia.

How do you become one, you may ask? Anyone who starts a blog (oui, c’est moi), or a YouTube account (oui, c’est moi aussi), or any form of profile that is part of a social media outlet that allows you to be a part of it, and contribute to it, such as writing comments, posting videos and being a publicity fool, IS A PRODUSER.

So if you find a video on YouTube, and comment on it, that’s sort of productive.

But if you start your own vlog, or blog, or make the time and effort to make or contribute to a Wikipedia page, or anything similar to that, then you are halfway there on your very own journey towards produsage.

Produsage is becoming an increasingly encouraged practice. Especially in this century, and in this modern world where freedom of expression, opinions and speech is promoted vehemently. This is a wonderful thing. It’s because of this that anyone in this world can find an outlet of communication for any habit, hobby, art, music or film interest.

This is a great video of how to create a good vlog, as there are so many mediocre ones around.

The availability of social network can also be seen as a terrible thing, as it can create an avenue for negative feedback, or in some severe cases, bullying. Finding a funny video on YouTube can be a joy. But a lot of them are just funny because you can easily make fun of the zealousness of the character in the video, or their appearance, or talent (more commonly the lack of it).

Being an optimistic person who likes to think that people are inherently good, I would like to focus on the positive aspect of sites such as YouTube, and the joy it can bring to people. YouTube is a bonding experience. Who hasn’t used a funny video to connect to someone in a moment of awkwardness? Or as a way to make the kids you’re babysitting think you’re cool?

YouTube can be taken advantage of is used by the wrong people (eExtremists, jerks or narcissistic clowns), but there are more RIGHT people out there, so let’s take back YouTube and the happiness that it brings. Let’s laugh together at some hilarious video, and share it among our Facebook communities. We are funny people, people! Sharing is caring, especially if it’s for a laugh!

Free Julian

>Activist--Whistle blower--Freedom fighter—Intellectual--Pursuer of truth--Saviour<

In the past, whistle blowers have been applauded and called heroes. They have saved lives and risked their own normality and wellbeing in order to expose unheard of and hidden dangers or crimes. These people have then been congratulated and worshipped, had books written about them and films made of their heroic actions. Why is Julian Assange any different? Isn’t he just providing an outlet for citizens who want to know more about their governments, the good and the bad?

Julian Assange is an Australian citizen who lives in Northern Europe and is the founder of WikiLeaks, a website that in early 2010 posted United States Army footage of collateral murder in Iraq committed by two Apache helicopters which killed 8 unharmed people and injured 2 children is a big deal, among hundreds of thousands of other government documents.

The video is proof of a war crime, and the attitude of chauvinistic American soldiers is shown as cold blooded and criminal.

 
And yet Julian Assange is the ‘terrorist of justice’ and a ‘traitor to America’. Bill O’Reilly, an aggressive political commentator on Fox News thinks he should be executed. Hillary Clinton thinks he should face the full force of US law, saying he broke the US Espionage Act of 1917, which essentially prevents Americans from giving intel to enemy nations.  

Julian Assange is a pursuer of truth, and his goal is to educate the people of the world on how crooked and corrupt power nations such as the United States are.

The United States are a pro-war/pro-slaughter/pro-destroy the Middle East, country. They are thought to be the most powerful nation in the world, due to the emphasis and funding that is distributed to their Military. They proclaim themselves ‘the defenders of the peace’. This is a title I would give Julian Assange and the workers of WikiLeaks, not a country with a history of blood-thirsty prejudice and intimidation such as the United States.

In 2010, Julian Assange was proclaimed a rapist on two separate counts by two Swedish women who had affairs with him. I believe, like many others, that these women were paid by the United States to press false charges against him. I think that America would do almost anything to give reason why the world should question his credibility as a moral person.

Julian Assange is making use of the Internet as it should be used for, activism and fighting for the welfare of people whose voices can’t be heard. We use the Internet every day, for self-expression and enlightenment. Why else do we have social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter? To share information with eachother, just as WikiLeaks is doing. It just so happens that this is classified information which shows power countries for how they are, manipulative and conniving. 

If people like Julian Assange and his co-workers continue to be persecuted, then I am truly sad for the future. What good is the freedom of speech if you can’t express what is right? What is the use of the Internet if you can’t educate people, especially on what their government is really doing with their tax money? 

Julian Assange should be considered a hero. He is an activist, he is a freedom fighter, and he is a top bloke.

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE.

E is for eExtremists

The word extreme, unless used by skateboarders or Frisbee throwers, brings about negative connotations. Religious Extremism, political extremism, Dolly Parton extremism. None of these terms bring about warm and fuzzy feelings.

In a society where there are hundreds of thousands of different kinds of minority groups, where there are more of us bunched together in close ranges and communities, where you would describe almost every society as multi-cultural, you would correctly assume that acceptance is vital.

Yet unfortunately there are people who were born in the wrong era and for some reason or another are raised to be intolerant of anyone who is different to themselves, be it skin colour, eye colour, sexual orientation and preference, religious difference or country of origin. I find this to be a great shame, and a stain on modern day society.

These people who parade under the banner of Neo-Nazism, Aryan Nation, or White Supremism etc. all have something in common. They are typically Christian of religion (which is a contradiction in itself since the Bible dictates that God loves everyone equally), and come from small towns (who breed small minds) and more often than not are American.

I would be the last to say that the Internet is a bad thing, but in cases such as anti-social eExtremism, it is unfortunate. These hatemongers are successfully using the Internet, and websites such as YouTube and Facebook, to spread their xenophobic messages to the world. They are able to connect to other anti-Semites and share views and videos. It is through the Internet that they are able to recruit impressionable people to join their minority of narrow-mindedness.
I refuse to accept that people who legitimately believe that the paleness of their skin or hair automatically makes them superior are educated or knowledgeable people. There is no way that intelligent people can be so bigoted, and so wrong.

The United States of America is renowned for its hypocrisy and contradictive nature, in that you have the Freedom of Speech, but if they don’t agree with you they’ll cut you down.  

The Campbell’s are a perfect example of freedom of speech gone wrong. People all over the world can name their children whatever they want, or have the potential to. Americans are embracing their right to pick any name they please, with some celebrities naming their children “Moxie Crimefighter” “Pilot Inspektor” “Sage Moonblood” and “Apple”. 
These Neo-Nazi devotees chose the Hitler fanatical names for their children and subsequently had them removed from their home. It’s unfortunate that these people are of the beliefs that they are, but technically they can choose what they want, it just so happens to be a name that worships one of the worst war criminals of all time.

I am an open, embracing and accepting human being, and I try my best not to judge anyone by their appearance, unless it’s a very slutty looking tramp of a girl. I would hope that people wouldn’t judge me by my pale Ginger-inherited skin, curly blonde hair or bad dress sense. It’s a shame that there are other people who share the same air as me and others, but not the same common courtesy.