Reading the section, “New Media and Literacy”, in J.D Applens piece, was extremely interesting. It made it seem as though when reading or gathering information through a screen, that work can be manipulated. Reading things off a website can cause the reader to stop and notice the size and color of words or pictures instead of taking the words for simply what they mean. Applen also brought up the fact that even blogs are dynamic and changeable. New media has taken literacy from its traditional stand point and changed it. It is now something that can be altered depending on how literate you are in the world of media.
I honestly agree with Applen’s point. I have turned into a really big recreational reader the last year. Reading on a Kindle doesn’t feel the same as reading from a book. When reading from a Kindle, it usually takes each pages and turns it into a percent. Each swipe is equal to a certain percent of that age or of the entire book. Three to four swipes on a Kindle is one page, while three to four page flips could end a chapter in a physical book. For me, the new media version of reading is nowhere near equivalent to the traditional way of reading.
Another point that stood out was when Applen mentioned that new media allows for people to make their own choices on how to engage. He also mentioned how traditional media also gives people the ability and choice on how to engage. I believe that it is about your preference. He also mentioned that with traditional books and such, difference characters and or cinema works have different meanings to different individuals. I would agree as well. How you read is up to you, as well as how you interpret that reading as well. The words in the book never change, but the way you think or feel about it can.
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