The Shift to Digital Media
In today’s digital age, it’s hard to imagine a time when all the information we needed came from books or newspapers. As we interact with screens, we enter a whole new world of “new media,” a term J.D. Applen explores in his chapter about, New Media and Literacy. He builds on Richard Lanham’s ideas about how we engage with electronic text compared to traditional print. Lanham argues that when we read from a screen, the text feels more interactive; it’s dynamic, changeable, and something we can manipulate. The text on our phone or computer isn’t static; it responds to our actions, whether adjusting the font size or opening hyperlinks to other pages. This creates a much different experience than reading a book, where the words stay fixed, and there’s no immediate way to change them.
From Fixed Narratives to Dynamic Media
Growing up reading print books, I’ve seen how this shift impacts the way I understand information. When I read a book, I immerse myself in a fixed narrative. I follow a linear path and develop my own ideas as I go. But with online platforms, the story feels more open-ended. I can rearrange and modify the information endlessly. Websites resemble endless databases that expand, shrink, or update at any time. As Applen mentions, Lev Manovich explains the concept of “modularity.” Online media consists of separate elements that change without disrupting the whole. This contrasts with a movie or novel, where every scene serves a purpose in a structured narrative.
The Illusion of True Interaction
Here’s the thing: even though we can “interact” with online media, it’s not as personal as we often think. We click links and choose our path, but as Manovich points out, the choices are still shaped by others. It’s an illusion of control, not true interaction. Despite feeling like we’re in control, the digital world often moves us in predetermined directions. We may engage with bits of information, but without real opportunities to pause and form lasting connections. The constant stream of content keeps us moving quickly, but it rarely allows for deeper, more meaningful engagement.
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