Editing Digital Media Culture (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
Digital culture is understood through '''Participation''' and '''Algorithmic Curation'''.

'''1. The End of the Gatekeeper''':
In "Legacy Culture" (TV/Books), a few experts decided what was "Good." In "Digital Culture," the '''Crowd''' decides.
* '''Prosumerism''': We don't just watch videos; we make them. We don't just read the news; we comment on it. This makes culture more "Democratic" but also more "Noisy."

'''2. The Power of the Algorithm''':
We no longer "surf" the web; the web "flows" over us.
* '''The Feedback Loop''': If you click on a video about "Space," the algorithm shows you ten more. This creates a "Filter Bubble" where you only see what you already like, leading to '''Polarization'''.

'''3. The Performance of Self''':
Social media has turned "Daily Life" into a "Stage."
* '''Curated Identity''': We only post the "Highlights" of our lives (the vacations, the dinners). This leads to "Social Comparison" and a sense that everyone else is living a better life than we are.

'''Meme-etics''': Richard Dawkins (who coined the word) argued that memes are like '''Genes'''. They compete for "Survival" in our brains. A meme that is "catchy" or "outrageous" survives and reproduces, even if it isn't true. This is the foundation of modern internet politics.
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