Image: Ministry of Stories, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/ministryofstories/6152500834
A sense of anxiety has prevailed this week induced by time passing without being lifestreamed, (spent within other communities) and broken ifttt applets. Unease has emanated from that social media feeling of returning from the bar on the EDC pub crawl to find the rest of the group has decamped elsewhere. Am I not flagging because I’m flagging? I feel the ‘internet does this to me’ in the instrumentalist sense of it enabling a continually renewed offer, the uptake of even a fraction of which I can’t hope to accept, with its unending exhortation to consume everything now – even, and especially, education.
This sense is compounded by some of the articles flagged up by my fellow-students (sincere thanks to them) in which I read repeated calls to action to do something about our black-boxed algorithms, our democracy, our education system … the list continues in this digital community in which we ‘find ourselves’. How long do we have to be there before action is taken? It is being taken, but just not evident amidst the constant scrolling attention-grabbers and fake news items of the social media we enjoin our educators to use. Capitalism’s constant press is getting in the way of learning whilst urging us to sign up for more, creating a ‘behind the curve’ angst whilst the money-makers are acting now, making money.
There might be more links to this summary if it were a summary rather a list of things to attend to and broken applets, but my thoughts have been on a philosophical road trip, musing about the online lecture, weaving wall hangings, the point of learning and styles of learning
Hi Cathy,
I’ve been having a look at your blog over last few days and it’s really easy to read. In the mass of information that is a lifestream, this is no easy feat. I think the one of the challenges as a lifestream blogger is to try and contextualise one’s thoughts so that they form a coherent narrative that others can understand. I think you’ve done this really well. I’m jealous of how easy it is to find everything. I wish I could do something similar but while I’ve tried to juggle content and interacting with the community, the technical functionality of my blog has fallen behind.
I thought I’d stop and comment on this particular post because ‘The Hoxton Street Monster Supplies’ shop from you image is a minute’s walk from my flat in London. I’ve gone past the shop hundreds of time and always wondered about the fantastic things they sell. 🙂
The feelings of anxiety and exhaustion are not yours alone. I think we all feel the time pressures and insecurities of having to produce work that is of a very high standard. It is increasingly demanding to have to reflect on our own learning and that of our EDC community’s whilst studying thousands of others in our different MOOC communities.
When I stop to consider the amazing work that is being done by our peers, I am in awe! Although the incredible work inspires me and I get to see brilliant things I would never have thought of, I start measuring myself against others and my insecurities get the better of me. I make unfavourable comparisons thinking I will never be as good. What helps me overcome this is to remember some of the ideas I’ve had would never have been possible without seeing the marvellous work of others. It seems you do the same. Thanks for inspiring me to try and make my blog easier to navigate.
Hi Chenée, thanks for your comments and kind words. I don’t think your lifestream is incoherent at all – it is rich and interesting and full of interesting reflection. Anyway, what are the rules? I guess we are all trying to find our own way and our lifestreams reflect that. I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about the futility of comparing yourself unfavourably with others and getting negative.
If I’d known I was near your flat, I would have popped in!