Blog #4

 Blog #4

The technology that was assigned to me in this most recent group project was video. Before video there was film. Film itself goes back to before the Civil War which is how all previous video beforehand was created. Technically video itself goes back to that time when Louis Le Prince in 1888 filmed the Roundhay Garden Scene. A two second video which shows four people in the frame for about 3 seconds just walking around in a circle. A very basic video that doesn't depict the people doing anything. With that being said, the Roundhay Garden Scene would technically be considered the first surviving video, but it wasn't made with video. Neither was 1878's the Racehorse. This video was just a bunch of cards moved in a way that makes it look like the horse itself was running. This is a very early version of stop motion films. The first ever video recorder that was a true video recorder was developed in 1951 by a group led by Charles Ginsburg. The goal was to 'revolutionize' home entertainment and that they did. The problem with media and television at the time was there were so limited options for entertainment at the time. For the most part, people only had radio. That was America's past time at that time. All media was consumed through the radio. Television while it had been invented and in use for many years at that time, only the rich and well off could afford a television. The average joe wasn't in any sort of financial situation to be buying televisions or really anything that wasn't a necessity. America was just coming out of a world war in the last half decade or so and it looked like we could be entering another. The VTR was a great step forward to what would be one of the most influential industries the world had seen.

So, when thinking about how video has impacted our world, it really isn't something that's superhard. Infact, it is painfully obvious how much of an effect video has had on our world. For example, if you go literally anywhere you will see a screen. While phones, computers, tablets, etc aren't directly related to the original purpose of video, they are a direct descendent. Video on the camera which went to television, eventually leading to the production of more technologically advanced TV's. From there, the phones improved, which led to computers, which led to video game consoles, phones, etc. One need was filled, and another was created to take its place. Humans are an ambitious species; we can never have enough of a good thing. If we can do it, we will do it. The problems of lack of entertainment, and the lack of knowledge and news outside of one's surrounding areas were quickly solved. With those problems filled, new ones arise. Video products have had their fair share of controversies. Is TV exposing children to inappropriate material? Are video games rotting kid's brains and numbing them to violence? Are phones tracking our information and spying on us? Even with all the negativity, anyone could say that video has changed communication. Obviously, we can call people on the phone, but we've been able to do that for over a century. Recently though, now we can text people. Instead of talking to someone on the phone or face to face, I can just text them what I'm feeling. It's more convenient than a phone call or email, and way more casual as well. Also, facetime is a big feature used nowadays which wasn't available until recently. Also, with the creation of online multiplayer video games which allow players to communicate with one another via the game server. Not all of these effects are positive though. For example, nowadays people are so much more anti-social than back in the day. Back then, you had to go outside to talk to people and do stuff. Now you don't, in fact there's an app or website for everything. Don't want to talk to people in real life? Social media. Don't want to watch TV for news? Read an article. Feel triggered from something you see but don't want to talk to someone in real life? There're therapy apps. You want to sit in your room pissed off about something going on a foreign country that has nothing to do with you and don't have the energy or will to get food? Order door dash. Door dash is cool because back in the day you would have to call and talk to someone on the phone at the specific store you were ordering from. Now you can go on the app does not talk to anyone and then have someone random drop it off at your door with zero human contact. People definitely are lazier now because of all the convivence from phones and modern technology that all came from video.