Reading #3: What New Media Is Not

Question #1: One of the concepts that emerged in reading this chapter was that new media encourages, perhaps even requires participation on some level whereas old media seems to be depicted as passive and in many cases a one to many one way relationship. Does new media then generate more discussion and discourse and if so, is that discussion different than discussions that would have occurred with old media?

Question #2: The author discusses his hesitation in using the term interactivity. Because of the nature of interactivity being a more personal activity in the cases mentioned, is it difficult to reconcile between varying experiences of interactivity with new media? The type of interactivity that occurs in old media differs from that of new media. Interesting how this relates to Jaron Lanier's claims that society will resort to a "post-symbolic communication". But again, would this really replace language as a form of communication or will it simply be a supplement?