Rhetoric Online - 6, 7, 8

Chapter Six: This chapter talked a lot about identification. This was a confusing topic to me at first, because I've never considered it in this sense before. Burke says identification is "changing a thing's nature". This was interesting to me, because I feel that identification isn't so much changing something, but defining it. For example, if I identify myself as a a sorority member, that doesn't mean I suddenly become a sorority member. Likewise, if I identify myself as a quiet person, that's not changing my nature at all, because I've always been quiet. I don't know, I guess I was just a bit confused by what he said. He also says how rhetoric creates shifts in attitude. This I agree with and understand because to me, rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and when you persuade someone to something, their attitude (usually) changes.

I also found the section about "social pizza" very interesting. Of all corporations in the world, pizza ones are the ones using social media the most successfully? Domino's, for example, their online sales accounted for more than 60% of their business! This, though, I can identify with. I really don't like talking on the phone, and I can recall a few years ago I made my friend call in to order a pizza because I wouldn't do it. I can see the allure of online ordering, and being able to track your order. It also says how they invite their customers to interact with the business through competitions and offering opinions and suggestions.

This chapter also touched on identity, which I am fascinated by in the digital sphere. They said that technology has changed the way we construct, present, and understand our identity. This is true, in my opinion. They also mention that the very act of assuming an "online identity" means that it is somehow different than their offline identity. However, they also say most people who join under a "different identity" don't change their "normal, material practices" much. This is interesting to me because I know so many people who want to be different, and when they're online they think they are, when they don't actually act or speak any differently. I appreciated how the book touched on that.

Chapter Seven: Hactivism, wow. This was really interesting. I've been intrigued by hacking (if only because I'm slightly jealous of those that know programming enough to do it) since I was young. The examples they gave were just incredible. Let me start by defining my definition of hacktivism. From what I understand, it's hacking online for political purposes, usually of capturing information with the intent to share it. It also stated there was no "standard" method of hactivisim, which is very true of most things, I think. The examples they gave were of such high scale I found them captivating. The attack on the Department of Defense for example. The internet was started mostly as a tool for national defense, and to think that they're the ones who got hacked is a bit scary to think. It means no one is safe.

The list they gave for the analogous narratives were interesting and helped to define hackers for me. Hackers are hidden and must be found. It amuses me how people can be hidden on the internet. Yes, it's a big place, but to me, everything is open, and there are few "hiding places". Hackers move quickly and by surprise. This is kind of a duh for me. If they didn't move quickly or by surprise, they wouldn't get their task done; they'd be shut down much sooner. Hackers don't follow the standard rules of engagement. If they followed the standard rules, hacking wouldn't be nearly as effective. Hackers are always in our midst. This makes sense to me. Of course they'd be normal citizens who don't seem to have that shady aura about them. That's what makes hacking so interesting to me. You never know who...

Chapter Eight: This chapter summed everything up nicely, I thought. It brought in aspects from all chapters, and what I thought) the most interesting aspects of each, such as the parodies. Overall, I think this book was good. It taught me a lot about digital media that I didn't already know.