Technology thats out of this world

As I type this there is an asteroid that is hurtling in Earth's direction. It is the closest a cosmic rock has come to Earth since 1976 and it is bigger than an air craft carrier. There is no reason to fret though because, even though it will be in closer proximity than the moon, this rock will pass right by Earth. Scientists are taking this opportunity to research the characteristics of this rock in all new ways. The fact that we have the technological capabilities to be this creative and study things outside of Earth is just incredible. This opportunity is not limited to only scientists either, but anyone with a telescope that has an aperture wider than 6 inches. Scientists have already been examining this rock using radio waves but tuesday, when its at its closest distance, they will get the best data for their records.

Science has come such a long way in the past ten years, let alone the past 50. Ever since the first lunar landing in '69 people have never ceased to amaze the world with the advent of new technology. Much of this is due to the creativity that people express in making technology. Then with that technology that was so revolutionary, say a computer, people once again use technology and creativity to make another thing even more impressive, a space station. Its quite interesting to see how one days technological marvel can be tomorrow tool of invention. I hope this article and blog has inspired you as much as it has inspired me.

Out with the Old

I was once told by one of my grandpa's wealthy old friends that the best way to make a fortune is to take an  ordinary, simple, everyday thing and reformat it and make it better. For example the guy who makes those whirlwind vacuums took a relatively simple idea and remade it to make it better and is now rolling in the green. This is not a new or unknown concept and the popularization of the internet has made this idea even more prevalent in today's society.

I think I really noticed this of late when I was looking for some new music and saw all of the remakes, mash ups, and covers that are out there. People do no hesitate to constantly push the boundaries of musical innovation in the most bizarre ways possible and many times its a hit. One of the artists who is great at this is named Jayme Dee and she does a lot of covers to popular songs and makes them acoustic. Many times I actually end up liking her version better than the original. This is also a good example of how technology can promote creativity because she has gained massive popularity through the medium of YouTube. She has her own channel and all of the covers that she does and people flock to her page to listen and download her music. She doesn't do this for the money because all of her downloads are free and she encourages people to download her music. This is because she is truly just in it for the music and  for her fans, like I mentioned in an earlier blog. But I digress, that is neither here nor there because this blog is not about her it is about how technology has drastically aided in the expression of creativity in this day and age (also a great album by the Killers).  

Zero to Hero

The internet hold with it an incredible power. This fact has never bee more evident to me than it is now. As I type I am at Autsin City Limits and I have seen the power of the internet at work. I just left the Graffiti6 concert and little more than a year ago they were nothing. Since then they have exploded in popularity in the UK and are rapidly gaining popularity here in the states. This is all thanks to the internet.

The massive freedom that the internet proviedes someone lets them fully express their creativity and helps shrink the world by growing the connections between people. If a musical artist posts a video on Youtube and some big whig from a music agency sees and likes them they can go from a nobody to an overnight sensation like that, much like the boys of Graffiti6. This creativity has helped a variety of people get noticed, get justice, or even gain wealth.

Although many people benefit greatly from this creativity, it has also broght harm to many people. Many people can be too eager to reap the benefits from the internet and put too much of themselves on it and be taken advantage of. The ease of use and the casual manner in which people use computers creates a false sense of security for many people ad they can end up getting hurt, such as by identiy theft or by someone stealing their money. When looking at the power of the internet I feel the quote from Spider Man sums it up perfectly, "with great power comees great responsibility".

Is the power of creativity worth the risk of victimization?

The internet is one of the most remarkable inventions to date. It allows any average joe the potential to make whatever he wants from the ease and comfort of his own living room. With this great gift of creative freedom also comes an equally powerful counterpart. All of these potentially powerful ideas are flying around at such speeds and frequency that it is easy for someone to abuse this freedom the wrong way and steel ideas, property, or even identity from another person.

With people today logging so much of their lives on the computer, they have invested a great deal of themselves for many others to see. These relationships, figures, and ideas that they have poured into their computers is a part of them and is considered their own "property". Like any other tangible thing in this world, intellectual property is susceptible to theft and many people have quite a bit at stake to loose.

I choose to write about the issues of Creativity, Piracy, and Intellectual Property because they most interest me and I feel as though these principals are most applicable to my technological endeavors. With technology becoming more and more prevalent it is important to analyze it for its potential to exponentially grow our world in multiple aspects (be it socially, economically, or anywhere in between), but it is also vital to counterbalance this with its potential for harm and evaluate the pros and cons, or at the very least be cognizant of them.