I believe, that the current situation is illustrated well by Marshall McLuhan’s quote: “Come into my parlor, said the computer to the specialist.” The difference between virtual and real life is starting to become less visible, because media is becoming an extension of us. That is more, it is an extension that forms how and what we see. Furthermore, it structures the way we perceive the world. Finally, media essentially forms our senses of the surrounding environment by creating a visual space.
Mass Media is spread through visual information by technologies such as computer, television, newspapers and others. In the present, one can condense all these media types into one – the computer. Nowadays, the computer serves one as a television, radio and newspaper. In addition to this, computers and smartphones have become more implemented in our daily communication. People communicate via computer, work using a computer and share their life through computer. It is becoming our right hand, without which we cannot imagine our lives. New technologies, such as computer and smart phones, are also reshaping and restructuring patterns of social communication and every aspect of our personal life. As one is changing, at the same time one’s relation changes to others and vice versa. In modern times, media and technologies shape us more than ever before. They become a new code/form of communication and involve all aspects of society.
Another point is that, new media and technologies give us ability to know more about each other and follow the news of the world just by having a fast connection to the Internet. The fact that with computer’s help we can locate a person quickly, reveals that now we know too much about each other. Social networks influence us to be involved with one another. Through the use of social networks, we keep our old connections, and become friends with number of people we have only met once or never in real life. We follow people on the Internet, and have discussions with them without any physical contact. Profiles on social networks and blogs, in essence, become our “clothes”. Through these profiles we form other people’s perception of us. We choose photos and add information we want to share with others. The current situation can be defined as “a global village” . In virtual reality, we know a lot about each other, we are able to follow and see each other’s steps.
We believed that we heard and that other people told us. Before alphabet we spread information by narrating. Now we believe that is written or visualized. Confronted with visual information we feel more secure. These translations of visuals form our perception and understanding of environment. We cannot control all information that we receive. Most of the times we are not able to choose that to look and see. Even trying to be still and not to observe, we will feel were we are with or against our will. Despite big amount information is also changing very fast. As soon as information is placed is replaced by new one. The same published information can be changed several times per day. Constant changes keep us to check information several times. These constant changes also affect the flow of the information. We are not able to build and read information serially because information and communications is always in interplay. Also the form where information is placed attracts people. Newspaper, blogs have bigger audience, because of their layout. They attract people by amount of information and visual graphics. The streams of condense information and graphic visuals satisfy the reader more than information in classic books layout. The similarities of newspaper layout can be seen in blogs and web sites.
Further to this, society gathers and wants to be involved in social networks. People check news often because they have a fear of missing out, they compete to be noticed and recognized. By all means, the Internet and computer have become the connection to the “real world”. Being online and up-to-date gives a feeling of being part of the society.
Society believes that they have heard what other people have told them. Before the alphabet, society spread information by narration. Nowadays, society tends to believe in written or visualized information; i.e. confronted with visual information society feels more secure. These translations of visuals form people perception and understanding of the environment. Not only most of the time, public cannot control all the information that they receive, but also are not able to choose what to look at and see. Even not observing environment on purpose, people are still able to feel intense flow of information. Moreover, a big amount of information is changing very fast. As soon as information is placed – it is replaced by new information. As a result, the same published information can be changed several times per day.Constant changes to information, requires us to check the information several times a day. They also affect the flow of the information. We are not able to build and read information serially because information and communications are always in interplay. Also, the way information is placed attracts people. Newspaper and blogs tend to have a bigger audience. This is so due to their layouts and capacity to place more information in one page/spread. These media outlets attract people through the amount of information and visual graphics. The streams of condensed information and visual graphics satisfy the reader more than the information found in the layouts of the classic books.
In this huge amount of information, implementation of visual metaphors can be useful to maintain communication and browse through the information. This is so, because visual metaphors help us not only to navigate, but to find the information that we are looking for. For example on the Web, our senses are more limited. Information needs to be placed in a way, that user intentionally is able to brows through the website. As a result, visual metaphors are used to help a person. In an addition, metaphors are an effective way for making information understandable to the user. All in all, metaphors create a sense of familiarity, attract attention and trigger emotions.