Internet is isolating us yet connecting us to the world

The medium has dominated us yet again. In the process we use the medium as we need it to fulfil our needs. But what ever the situation "Medium is the 'massage" . This typo error done accidentally in Marshall McLuhan's book title ages back, holds true even today. Internet and its social media channels are perfect examples.The On-line medium, the virtual reality, is there to stay and make us more vociferous.It influences us, it turns us upside down in our thoughts.

We are building our own social social constructs as the theory of social constructivism  suggests, that we form our own world as we interact with each other. Our ways of looking at a lot of things have changed.we are now ready to interact with complete strangers on the Internet, though there are risks associated with it. It is as if there is a sudden found freedom which which we fill it up in own ways.That personal space which is only ours. Mobile Internet, tablet internet only enhance it further. We study, work, play get our selves entertained and god knows what not thanks to this medium. As the Uses and Gratifications theory rightly explains that users know the content on a media and use it according to their needs. At the same the media is is shaping the way we think and grow.

A chance to create a self image is where our personal websites, blogs and social networking sites come into the picture. They provide this perfect spot to shape our words and thoughts and photos.Blowing your own trumpet is religiously followed on Facebook or its predecessor Orkut. Twitter for the very fact follows a different principle of socialising. It works on a different plane altogether. Images through photos or status messages help us create a virtual image, that may or may not be in sync with our real image. The experience of others also makes us believe in the truth out there as it is, as per their socio-historic contexts, as the theory of relativism explains a world out there irrespective of our perception.

Our voice can be heard as you experience things and share with the world. As the theory of subjectivism says that personal experience stand ground for foundation of facts. All these experiences which otherwise would not have been counted, are now given space. We are own gatekeepers or the people on that public sphere act as one to each other, yet allowing that personal space.

The Internet is isolating us yet connecting us to the world. What do you think?

Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing

As we communicate, we find there are different ways we communicate on behalf of organizations and the products they sell. Or the image they want to create. This topic was simply a discussion in class about the difference between these different domains. These various areas of knowledge has long been debated upon and thought of being same or at least similar. Yes similar to the extent that they help in creating awareness about an entity or individual but not the same at all. They may use each other for enhancing each others credentials but are cannot be interchangeably used.

Some links may help you grasp the huge differences between these mammoth fields. Marketing and Public Relations : An exploratory study and Interdependency between Marketing and Public Relations shed light on the growing debate between the two domains and explain the differences. Public relations and marketing: Dividing the conceptual domain and operational turf speaks about the different philosophies guiding these two practices.PR Vs Advertising and Introduction to PR and Advertising clearly explain the difference between public relations and advertising.

Hope this text helps in the clarity.