Digrevo template 092305 Digrevo: Text This .comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Monday, November 26, 2007

 

Text This

Text messaging is how most of us college students interact with one another throughout the day as we sit in class and listen to our professors’ talk and talk. Well as most of us college students and basically everyone with a cell phone uses texting to communicate about random things, there are people in other countries who are using it for much greater issues. It is a cheap way to talk to people or get a group together in a short amount of time. Such is the case in countries like China where almost every move the public makes is monitored by the communist government. They cant track every text message so the public uses this to their advantage and forms large groups and protests when needed. All in a matter of days or hours.

In nations such as China, where the Internet is censored, cell phones may play an even more important role. They're one of the few means to get the word out without being monitored. China also happens to have the largest cell phone market, with approximately 350 million users. Last December, 12,000 Chinese workers went on strike against a supplier of Wal-Mart. Although they weren't part of a union, they mobilized through the use of SMS (Cathy Hong)

This coming together of people in this manor is called a smart mob, a term coined by Howard Rheingold. People using technology to come together for a better cause in a limited amount of time is what a smart mob is. Think about it, if you wanted to organize a large rally or protest by conventional means such as word of mouth or even e-mail may take a while to do, but since most people have cell phones on them at all times, text messages can be used to let people know about it, and in no time you have yourself a protest or rally.

Cell phones are cheap for the most part and they also are a small technology that can fit in your pocket. This makes them very accessible to everyone and also allows more people to connect with one another. Texting is now being used as a political tool too. No longer are local and national candidates calling your home and leaving messages, but they are calling your cell phone and laving voice mails or sending text messages. It seems that we are so connected to everything now and some people are putting this to good use.

Labels: , ,


posted by S. Colgan @ 10:54 PM permalink
Comments:
A very good post. Is texting going to be replaced by increased use of video on cellphones?

Texting has become a political, marketing and social medium of communication.

Texting has its own grammar and style. Its immediacy is a powerful tool. Texting can also be used to create a feeling interaction and connectivity that can be used to persuade and shape people attitudes.
# posted by Blogger A. Mattson : 12:23 PM
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?