Lessig

After reading this chapter, I felt that it all could have been said in a lot less words. It was very drawn out and had a lot of repetition. I suppose that is probably the point of the chapter though, the author is just trying to make sure that people can see the connections between all of these points. One of the main themes of the reading was that people should be allowed to create their own realities.

The Kodak gave people the opportunity to be their own photographer and to develop their own idea of what creativity was. It was a great invention and an excellent idea, today cameras sell from very cheap to very expensive depending on one's "interest" level in the area. Also different is how today, people even have the chance to edit and develop their own photos being as much of this is done through computers. This advancement in photography and technology in general leads directly into the idea of Just Think! in that it brings kids the technology to create.

Just like the chapter says, the Just Think! project gives kids the chance to be creative in various ways. They may not be able to express themselves through words, but they are able to by using varying media mediums. It also enables them to become more technologically savvy and to learn how the industry works and how to best deliver a certain type of message. The best part about it is that there really is no wrong way to express oneself which can be empowering for these kids.

Next, the 9/11 amateur journalism bit can be linked to the development and the Just Think! project because these journalists were not following social norms in photography or journalism and the way the media portrayed it. I believe that some of these journalists may have made greater impacts on people than the mass media because their material was more "raw" than others. 9/11 in turn, gave blogs their "big debut" even though it was surrounded by negativity.

Lastly, open source software has emerged as a conglomeration of all technologies and sharing going on around the world. As many people reach for individualism, they are also reaching for a community of sharing ideas and perfecting things for the sake of society. I do not know a lot about open source software other than those that use it really enjoy it. I myself do not know how to read or write any sort of coding and would be too afraid to try it out for fear of messing something up. For those who are capable, more power to them! Some examples include an operating system called Linux, OpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox, and Gimp photo editor. Many people find that these free software alternatives are even better than programs that others pay for including Windows, Windows Office, Internet Explorer, and Adobe Photoshop, all of which are the alternatives to the above stated.

Overall, all these advances in technology have put creativity back into society and gives people the opportunity to express themselves in so many more ways than they were previously allowed to. Today, people have the chance to create more than they ever thought was imaginable.