The Internet offers a space where people may resist oppression on a daily basis; it overturns traditional structures of power and control. Looking at the Internet and how it affects our everyday life in the areas of health, gaming and politics, one can see how people resort to the Internet to escape the traditional structures of power and control. According to Marlow’s hierarchy of needs, it is human nature to know, to understand, and explore; to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential, to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential. (Huitt 2007) The following essay attempts to evaluate the above statements, using the knowledge learnt from areas of module 1 and module 2 of NET102.
Looking at Marlow’s hierarchy of needs, there are 5 general types of needs, Physiological, Security and Safety, Love and Belongingness, Self-Esteem, and Self-Actualisation. Marlow’s theory is outlined in Figure 1.1
Figure 1.1: Marlow’s Hierarchy of Needs
With Marlow’s theory in mind, to meet our security and safety needs some people resort to the Internet to escape oppression. They find freedom in the Internet. Some may take safety under an avatar where they can live a “different” life through online gaming, and also their need to belong is met. In their offline world, they may not get the acceptance they crave from their community, and find in the world they have created online, for example Second Life, they have control over their safety and belongingness.
In the world of politics, candidates take refugee in the new media of the Internet to seek approval, meeting their self-esteem needs. They seek the desire for a positive self-image and to receive attention, recognition and appreciation from others. (Samson, Daft 2009) With the use of the Internet, politicians can promote their intended policies and reforms, and also build a positive public image. Many now use the Internet as an integral tool in election campaigns. Not only politicians, but movement parties, for example GetUp!, use the Internet to spin propaganda, start petitions and get recognition.
The last type of need that will be addressed is Self-Actualisation. One becomes wiser (develops wisdom) and automatically knows what to do in a wide variety of situations. (Huitt 2007) In the area of Health in the traditional offline world, we would solely depend on the opinions and advice of professionals. But with the introduction of Medicine 2.0 (Figure 1.2), Web 2.0 users can research and connect with others via the Internet to discuss their health with professionals or other sufferers so they can get the full scope of their health concerns.
Figure 1.2: Medicine 2.0 Map (with some current exemplary applications and services)
As shown in Figure 1.2 people can now access a whole new arena of information and knowledge base. Not only can people learn about certain health issues, they can also connect with other “patients” and discuss experiences and learn more about themselves, in terms of their health. Not only is Medicine 2.0 helpful for patients, professionals can now easily access information from medical research and make a more definitive path of treatment for their patients.
How has the Internet overturn the traditional structures of power and control? Firstly, looking at the theme of online gaming, an important social element of online gaming is the creation of online communities. (Jones, Johnson, Clarke, Gonzales and Lengauer 2003). In the offline world a persons status, for example, maybe that of a loner, not many friends and not considered “popular” in their school community. But in their online gaming world, they might be considered “popular”. Just like it is mentioned in the lecture from Mike Kent (2010) “No body knows you’re a dog”. Under the security of an avatar, one can be who ever they desire to be. One can escape the oppressions from the schoolyard with their online community, overturning power and control in their world.
In the past, the media was controlled much easier and so government had a greater say in what did and didn’t make the news. But now with the introduction of the Internet, the government has little control about what people can post online, or research. Wikileaks is a website that provides an innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information to journalists. (Wikileaks, 2010) How it works is that people can submit anonymous “leaks”, and the origin of the information is protected. Wikileaks is fearless in (their) efforts to get the unvarnished truth out to the public. (Wikileaks, 2010)
A recent incident between Wikileaks and the Department of Defence back in October 2010 shows how Wikileaks has changed the traditional power and control of Government information. This unauthorized leak of military documents about the war in Afghanistan has been under investigation by the Australian Defense Force to determine the potential impact on Australian interests and personnel, including the protection and operations of forces deployed in Afghanistan. (Department of Defence, 2010) From this event the Defence force is now undertaking an extensive investigation of Wikileaks website articles relating to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Furthermore on the Australian Government and the Internet is its proposed censorship. The Government has stated that the proposed censorship laws are there to make the Internet safer for children. But so far this legislation has failed to convince the Australian public that this is not an act to silence our freedom of speech. On 16 March 2009, the Australian Communications and Media Authority added WikiLeaks to their proposed blacklist of sites that will be blocked for all Australians if the mandatory Internet filtering censorship scheme is implemented as planned. (Moses, 2009) Are these Blacklists really going to protect us? Or is the Government just trying to cover up tracks so that the public will never really know what the truth is? It’s a battle for power and control. The Government knows they have no control or power over what is available on the Internet, nor can they stop people publishing damaging articles, pictures and videos. But they are going to try to censor Australia from them. There are already some forms of censorship on Australian Internet. A resource for this can be found at http://www.efa.org.au/censorship/.
"Whatever its starting point and expressed intention, the end of the censor's road is repression of dangerous' ideas - not only about sex but about morals, politics, art and life. Opposition to censorship must inevitably involve us in defending things and people whom we may dislike and disapprove of (sometimes passionately). Voltaire's well known saying that 'I detest what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it' may seem trite to us but is as apposite as it ever was." - Antony Grey, 1995
In the area of health, the Internet has brought about many changes in the way people treat, diagnosis and research health issues. Medicine 2.0 applications, services and tools are Web-based services for health care consumers, caregivers, patients, health professionals, and biomedical researchers, that use Web 2.0 technologies and/or semantic web and virtual-reality tools, to enable and facilitate specifically social networking, participation, apomediation, collaboration, and openness within and between these user groups. (Eysenbach, 2008) These online services allow patients to share their experiences of a health issue with other patients diagnosed with a similar condition. The web has always allowed us to research facts, but with the introduction of Web 2.0 and social networking, people can now talk directly with professionals and other patients about their issues and what course of treatment they have tried and their experiences. The health professional is an expert in identifying disease, while the patient is an expert in experiencing it. (Eysenbach, 2008) The Internet has given power and control back to patients who now have the choice to learn more about health related issues outside a doctor’s consultation room.
A great example of where patients have the power to conduct their own treatments via the Internet is OnTrack (https://www.ontrack.org.au). There are many reasons why people can’t access health services ranging from distance to cost. The Internet has been able to bring these services to these people who would otherwise not be able to receive help. OnTrack services are available online, meaning that more people will be able to get help for their mental and physical health concerns, and best of all it’s free. (OnTrack, 2010) They offer fact sheets, online programs, quizzes and professional advice for mental health concerns from depression to alcoholism. This service is relatively new and was launched in 2009.
Online gaming can bring people together who would otherwise never meet, sharing similar interests, even if it is behind the security of an avatar. Internet and politics clash in the area of power and control. The Internet is a tool used to express people’s freedom of speech, and the Government wants to censor it and control what the Australian public can see. What their true prerogative with Internet censorship in Australia is yet to be seen. The Internet has had positive effects in the area of health. Patients no longer require to solely rely on professional advice when it comes to health concerns. Even for professionals, they now have easier access to recent research and new treatments and medication that are available, and can pass on this information to their patients. The Internet has given power and control back to patients where they can now make more informed decisions in their course of treatment.
The Internet gives peoples the choice to escape their lives oppressions, by offering a space where they are in control of their own world, online. No matter how their lives are evolving offline, people have the chance to reinvent themselves, creating an environment where they feel safe and secure, have a sense of belonging, can create a positive self image, and also further their knowledge in any area they wish, giving people the power and control of their own destiny.
REFERENCES
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Heiserman, David L. (2008). ‘Figure 1-2. Maslow's hierarchy of needs,’ Fundamentals of Nursing, 2nd Edition. United States Army. Retrieved 18th November 2010 from, http://www.free-ed.net/sweethaven/MedTech/NurseFund/default.asp?iNum=2&fraNum=010102
Samson, Danny and Daft, Richard L. (2009). ‘Chapter 16: Motivation.’ Management Third Edition, p 592-593
Gunther Eysenbach. (2008, August 25). ‘Figure 1. Medicine 2.0 Map (with some current exemplary applications and services)’ Medicine 2.0: Social Networking, Collaboration, Participation, Apomediation, and Openness. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 10(3). Retrieved 18th November 2010 from http://www.jmir.org/2008/3/e22/
Jones, Steve., Johnson, Camille., Clarke, Lisa., Gonzales, Margaret. and Lengauer, Guenther. (May 2003) "College Students, Gaming and the Internet" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Marriott Hotel, San Diego, CA. p 5. Retrieved 18th November 2010 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p112027_index.html
Kent, Mike. (2010) Community and Identity, Week 8 Lecture for NET102, Curtin University, Western Australia, p 3
Wikileaks (2010) About Wikileaks. Retrieved 18th November 2010 from, http://wikileaks.org/media/about.html
Department of Defence (26th October, 2010) Outcomes of WikiLeaks investigation. Retreived 18th November 2010 from, http://www.defence.gov.au/media/departmentaltpl.cfm?CurrentId=10997
Moses, Asher (17th March, 2009) ‘Banned hyperlinks could cost you $11,000 a day’, The Age. Retrieved 18th November 2010 from, http://www.theage.com.au/news/home/technology/banned-hyperlinks-could-cost-you-11000-a-day/2009/03/17/1237054787635.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1&page=-1/
Grey, Antony (1995) EPA - Censorship and Free Speech. Retrieved on 18th November 2010 from, http://www.efa.org.au/censorship/
Gunther Eysenbach. (2008, August 25). Medicine 2.0: Social Networking, Collaboration, Participation, Apomediation, and Openness. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 10(3). Retrieved 18th November 2010 from http://www.jmir.org/2008/3/e22/
OnTrack (2010). About OnTrack. Retrieved on 18th November 2010 from, https://www.ontrack.org.au/web/ontrack/about
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