Reading Summaries – Jennifer's Blog

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Better Online Living through Content Moderation

Importance of Content Moderation

The article opens up the overall tone of this message well by first addressing the importance of having content moderation as an option for all internet users. Not only are all people going through different struggles and issues but all people have different ranges of sensitivity to the things said online and because of this free reign to post whatever you want, there should be a filter through which people can block out triggering information. And though our society views this filter as a way of cushioning the ‘weak’, it also acts as a organization tool that people can use when not all content on the internet is pertinent or relevant to them. And with the internet being a unmoderated mode of expression, having content moderation helps those take back control of the things they wish to encounter while surfing this open world. Especially in an increasingly open and transparent world, the importance of practicing safety from verbal abuse or threats is an increasingly pertinent tool to have not just for those who are dealing with PTSD but to anyone who doesn’t want to see the constant abuse of a friend online. Having an easy access to block out the hurtful comments makes it easier to take control of your online environment.

The Other Side of the Argument

This article also showcases the thoughts of the opposing force well without condescending their notions. The opposing force seems to think that in order to build up a stronger society that there has to be an environment of free exposure without content moderation. The constant exposure is likened to that of Exposure Theory when treating fears. But what they lack to see in this ordeal of moderation, is that exposure to such a negative environment for long periods of time will do more harm for the personal psyche than good. Not taking into consideration the legality of online bullying, the opposing force sees this as a way of silencing certain people’s voice. They see the solution as easy as just deleting the app or staying off the internet.

How It Can Impact Others

Though all the points held by the opposing force all hold some thread of credibility, we can also see that they only address the issue without looking at the certain impact it can have on the person. Content Moderation is an important aspect to have on the internet since the impact of certain images, ideas, or opinions on the internet is subjective and is differently perceived by other people. And with the experiences and backgrounds of other people varying to such a degree, we see that Content Moderation is a good fluid way to address the different needs that people need online. And since the filtering is not impeding on anyone else’s rights, there should be no issue in whether or not a person can legally hold their own power of what they encounter online. Each person should be able to set up their own boundaries and create a safe environment where they can experience being online just like everyone else instead of being told to ‘stay off the internet’ as a solution.

Color Walking

March 3, 2016 / jkim266 / 0 Comments

Significance of Color

While this brief article falls short on length, the article is nothing short of being visually explosive. The post describes a experiment that he urges others to partake in as well and after looking at the impact of this experience, you can see why people are partaking in this. The whole premise of the experiment is to fixate on a specific color and follow the color where you eyes may catch it through the city. Not only does this demonstrate the importance of colors but also signifies the day to day insignificance of it as well. It takes continuous effort to realize the vividness of colors and how the world is comprised of bright and meaningful tones. Yet when we realize this, the world opens up to the possibilities of a more vibrant perspective. And instead of focusing on just one color, the article suggest you change colors to the fluid emotions of the color’s impact on you. The more you get lost, the more effective this experiment is on you since you get to go to different ends of the city while moving organically to the way you notice a spark of color.

The Cityscape and Its Impact on You

Getting lost in the city with the sole motivator for your movements being color, also opens up the city to you in different ways than your normal commute hurrying through it. The colors of certain infrastructures no longer are a blur in the normal cityscape but they are a new direction. You can begin seeing the purposeful colors in the way the city is built and see the importance of those colors on the overall mood of the whole city. This interesting blend of both colors, movement, and landscape shows the intricate connections all of those ideals have on you yet you as a person won’t take the intricacy in without being urged to do so.

Colors Being Defined

The way colors are being defined is also an aspect of this article where colors are no longer just confined to crayons or other explicit ways but to the way a certain light catches a blue tinge. This documentation in the article of one color walk also paints a vivd picture for the audience since we don’t personally see the things they do, we imagine it ourselves. And looking back at the entirety of their walk you can see a cohesive mesh of colors and objects; things you would not notice had they not pointed them out. By looking at a simple aspect of a walk in the perspective of just color, you can notice the way a tone or mood may change within the city or room and you see the entirety of their walk as a story-like documentation of their walk. And though it would be rather difficult to focus on all colors at the same time, focusing on colors and their vibrant influence on our perspective can help us grasp the bright life that we have grown to see as mundane and dull. This reading also relates to the way we should begin to look at our built environment. We should not see the colors as a entity on its own but a supporting character that helps tell the overall story of the interior or exterior.

Making Bathrooms More ‘Accommodating’

February 16, 2016 / jkim266 / 0 Comments

Accommodation

The author sets up the article nicely by showing the audience what is really wrong with the word and implication of ‘accommodation’. Those who have to accommodate feel like they are complied to do so and so people who just want equal access feel further stripped away from the normal society by being labeled as a burden. This sets up societal norms that people feel the need to fit into. This word of ‘accommodation’ just further exemplifies the stigmas that surround the entering age of gender fluidity. The article also brings up the fact that it’s the transgender people who seem to be doing the most work when it comes to making everyone comfortable in the reoccurring issue of bathroom assignments. This fact also highlights how much work there is left in radically changing the society’s discomfort with having a safe and comfortable environment for all groups. Everybody has to use a bathroom in any situation they’re in especially in restaurants, workplaces, malls, and parks. So having a basic need not being available to your set of people, is inherently pushing that specific group out; a way of using the built environment to push unwanted people away.

History and Gender Roles

The article also highlights an interesting backstory to the introduction of the female bathroom. The backstory sets a theme of weakness and gender stereotypes that are still shared by some to this day. The inclusion of this backstory introduces the topic of how these places of female assembly is being intruded on by a new character of female. This all comes together to describe and humanize the other side of the battle of equal access for trans people. Though trans women might see themselves as women it is almost impossible to have all women have that same acceptance. A commentator shared an interesting view on how it seems as though once again women are having to be pushed over by men even if they are trans women. The oppressive gender role of men is still seen in the bathrooms as women see as this infiltration of their private space as a power struggle.

Fitting in the Mold

The article points out the fallacies with boiling down gender to chromosomes and with that they highlight that it’s not about the labels of gender that trans people seek but fitting in and being with the group they identify with the most. The author also includes an example of wanting to fit in with the story of a 12 year old transgender girl. While this is one story of environment that is more than accepting, there is still much work to be done outside of this one success story in order to achieve the societal acceptance of all gender bathrooms The article also says that change is made by making small adjustments which will not only help ease the safety of trans people but to help ensure that they are accepted in all places and not just confined to the places that have gender neutral bathrooms.

His & Hers: Designing for a Post-Gender Society

February 16, 2016 / jkim266 / 0 Comments

Designing for the New Gender Era

This article highlights the change of traditional gender roles and how the new generation of designers and marketers have to evolve to include the new breakdown of the previous idea of ‘women’ and ‘men’. With these roles being more and more challenged in today’s society, the new world for appealing to men and women is becoming a wider and more general platform. The designers want to not only appeal to these “obscured” gender lines but to make sure they are accepted and comfortable in the setting of a society that is deeply rooted in a modern tone. Not only are the gender lines being more fluid but the role of women and men are being equalized therefore the overpowering masculine features of modern architecture is being switched out for softer textures and fabrics. This rise in the new form of Modernism is showing a new era of social change and therefore a new era of design.

Individuality

In creating this individualistic society filled with blurred gender roles and a new power role for women, these new designs and architecture is a new form of representation and sense of self. With this new rise of importance of self expression, comes a new era of importance on representation and how designers keep up with the changing tides of identity. With companies like Lego changing their branding to accommodate the growing markets of fluid sexuality and identity, more and more brands are rushing to make sure they fit into the new ‘status quo’ of open acceptance. As well as toys, we see new strides coming with the new trends of androgyny and male centered makeup. New ideas from designers are pushing for this new idea of androgyny where men do things that were previously marketed for girls and girls wearing things that have boxier frames. There seems to be no more rules when it comes to designing for the future in terms of ‘will women buy this blazer’ because the new answer is ‘yes’.

Design of the Public Space

The end of the article also highlights an issue brought up in the New York Time’s article on how the shared space and the inclusion of a gender-neutral design is an integral part of modern times and modern design. ‘Accommodation’ is brought up as the mode of conflict resolution and with that comes the introduction of a gender neutral space and having the built environment around us being inclusive to every group. The article also parallels the issues that might arise with the first steps into the gender neutral society to the issues that arose with accommodating to disabled people. The article spoke of how the issues of inclusion were met with rules, compliance, and inconvenience. This feeling of inconvenience makes the disabled and trans people feel as though they aren’t a part of the society to begin with. So in order to avoid the same sentiments shared by the lack of accommodation with disabled, the article speaks to treat everyone the same and to have basic places of comfort and safety be available to all people without the groans of having to change the predisposed molds.

Tapestry of Space: Domestic Architecture and Underground Communities in Margaret Morton’s Photography of a Forgotten New York

January 25, 2016 / jkim266 / 0 Comments

Photographer and the Pedestrian

This literary criticism on the photos of Margaret Morton provides a vast array of ways the public space affects the social constructs and psychological identity of the people of New York. They speak to not only the audience and overall muse of the set of works but also goes behind the camera to look into what kind of role the photographer has as a flânerie. Photographers are seen in the same view and same molds as any other pedestrian or passerby yet the photographers seem to observe with the lack of social status allowing them to look at their subject in a nonobjective way. However, the article also touches on the role of the photographer in relation to the homeless population and how the photographers benefit from not identifying with the homelessness that they have but just being in the proximity of the struggles they face.

Paying for the ‘Show’

The same criticism goes to the spectators of the ‘show’ that the homeless people seem to portray within these social constructs. They argue that this spectacle acts as a filter for human interaction saying that the more ‘privileged’ people of New York look at the homeless citizens and sees them as failures of the social system that they themselves are benefiting from instead of people who hold the same values as they do. Comparing the curiosity of the passerby and the charity they think they are obligated to give, the homeless see the pity in both those themes and share the similar feeling of submission and inferiority.

Identity Parallels

Diving into the tunnels that the homeless people reside in, there is a great sense of security and familiarity that it exudes. The citizens of the tunnel all seem to share the protection that the ‘dangerous’ allure that the tunnel provides and also shares the similar sense of comfort there where they can freely connect with others and connect to who they are. Yet this connectivity with one another also comes at a price of a widening separation with the outside world where both parties seem to refer to the other as ‘them’. This separation is also contrasted with the growing similarities the two groups shown in how they treat their space and possessions. The article highlights the fragility of their space and how both don’t own the land that they are living on and how that correlates to the way the homeless set up their homes and how the ‘housed’ adorn their own homes as well. The quote ‘home is where the heart is’ seems to relate to how the article speaks on the way the identity parallels the way the house is accessorized. This idea of a house that they all live in correlates to how they identify themselves. And in the case of the city pushing the homeless community out by labeling it as ‘cleaning up New York City’ diminishes their sense of identity as inferior to theirs.

Capitalism and Possession

The article also touches on how capitalism and possession relates to the social class that the city seems to base off their interactions on. The ‘housed’ see themselves as privileged because of their possessions and see the homeless as poor because of their lack of possession even though possessions are an objective idea in which both parties have the same themes of possession just shown in different forms. Both parties are in no way different yet they are made to believe that the homeless are under them and are suffering from this disadvantage by choice. They fail to see the pitfalls that the homeless have fallen into since they themselves benefit from the system that failed the homeless and therefore see their ‘disadvantage’ only on a economic standpoint even though their struggles fall much deeper than that.

Photo Image: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Architectural Exclusion: Discrimination and Segregation Through Physical Design of the Built Environment

January 7, 2016 / jkim266 / 0 Comments

Hidden Signs

Upon reading the Yale Law Journal by Sarah Schindler on Architectural Exclusion, I was enlightened on the practice of using the physical architectural to zone the black neighborhoods against the white neighborhoods that still plagues the realm of city planning to this day. The article sets a good framework in the introduction by really honing in on the idea that this is not an out dated practice with the insertion of the failures of the MARTA railway systems to trickle out into the suburban areas. This failure sets up this issues to be relevant not only in time but space since we as Georgia State students are affected by MARTA and have utilized it at least once in our academic career. This journal goes on to talk about how us as citizens are made to believe that these architectural infrastructures such as one way streets or low hanging bridges are anything but regular structures in a urban area. They paint a very vivid picture filled with details of deeper more sinister intentions behind these specific structures with tales of poorer black communities being shunned away from white privileged cities and labeling the new changes as ‘noise and traffic control’. These structural changes are brushed away as other things besides racially targeting black neighborhoods. They also explain the progression of this exclusionary act into the courts as people try to make claims against these structures as the citizens were being made more aware of the true intentions of these changes and exclusions.

Court Justice

Even though there are many clauses and laws set to protect against racially targeting practices like the Thirteenth Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause, it’s hard for people to get the justice they deserve. It is not hard to prove the act itself however, it is almost impossible to prove intent and within these courts intent is what is the most important. The cities will just brush the changes under as noise control, traffic control, and pollution curbing and because of this difficulty to prove the racially charged intent, there has been little victory within the courts. They raise claims that they have had smaller victories like with the Evans v. Tubbe case and how the courts ruled that the black residents who own property with direct access through another property, should not have any less access than those of white residents. Yet the journal sees another objective line that the courts will have to draw within these rulings in where the black communities fall under the spectrum of inconvenience imposed by these infrastructures and when the intervention is appropriate. The article is inundated with a vast number of court cases that all seem to stem from the same story of exclusionary practices with city planning.

Solutions

In the end, they raise the problems that seem to block progress on getting rid of these practices. These problems stem from these structures being a generational infrastructure that will last many years and will be tedious to destroy. And with the long lasting nature of these infrastructures, the problems that the current and past residents are fighting for will still be an issue for many more generations to come. Since buildings and streets aren’t readily or willingly removed, the fight to destroy and keep exclusionary practices away from city planning will be a long battle. They also propose that change will not happen within the courts but with legislation and how the laws can further protect the black and poorer residents. With the courts being very objective with intent and the spectrum of inconvenience that they will have to determine, they believe the most pragmatic way of getting progress will be within new laws and a new coalition with lawmakers to make sure that cities are not reflecting the sentiments of racism within their roads and buildings.

Photo Credits: http://martaguide.com/rail-station-map/

http://web.mta.info/nyct/maps/subwaymap.pdf

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