Leah Sanchez

English 106A-Hansler
02/11/15
Exploratory 2:
Part 1:
Step 1:
Palfrey and Gasser write, This is not an apathetic bunch; its just a group of young
people getting engaged in civic life on their own terms, in their own ways (199).
1) One value at stake in this quote is that even though the younger adults are engaging in
this lifestyle they are living up to their own expectations rather the ones assigned for it.
2) An assumption being made is young people are living their definition of civic life.
3) Apathetic:
a. Denotative: showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.(Google)
b. Connotative: no desire
c. It is practically saying that the young people are not concerned about the civic life
because they are already engaged into it.
Engaged:
a. Denotative: busy; occupied(Google)
b. Connotative: taking time to do something
c. What is being implied is that young people are getting busy with civic life.
4) In Palfrey and Gasser article, Activists, they argue about how young adults, teenagers
are becoming active on social media by taking the time and writing how they feel about
certain things onto their profiles.
5) .
Step 2:
Just as in social networks and in gaming environments, the internet makes it possible
for young people with common interests to find one another and to connect; in politics it enables
young people to connect who are on the same page politically and who want to work for the
same cause or candidate(1972).
1) One value at stake here is the internet is helping young people to connect with others who
share the same cause or candidate but can also face with the people who do not share the
same cause with them, by having problems.
2) Assumptions that can be made are people who have the same mentality as others can
connect with each other but when there is a specific group who do not support the same
things there can be trouble because they are in the internet where everything can be seen.
All thoughts all post are seen throughout.
3) Politics:
a. Denotative: activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a
government or getting and keeping power in a government(merriam-webster)

b. Connotative: Govermental things

Part 2:
Step 1:
Shirky, p. 327, this ability to speak publicly and to pool our capabilities is so different from what were
used to that we have to rethink the basic concept of media: its not just something we consume; its
something we use (327).
1) One value at stake is that people can use social media or any type of media to speak their
minds.
2) People are using every type of media they have to have a say in everything that is going
around in the world. Not only is it easy to do this but the capabilities that people have
with media that they do so much with it now than when it first began with the basics.
3) Capabilities:
a. Denotative: the ability to do something(merriam-webster)
b. Connotative: ability to do something
c. What is being implied is that we have the ability to speak our minds since we use
social media to speak publicly.
4) In Clay Shirky article, Means, the author is stating the progress of the printing press
has developed than it mentions at the end how television has also being improved since it
first came out. Shirky argues about how these new functions/tools have been helping out
the people, in ways that it does what it wants them to do. New tools get used only if they
help people do things they want to do(334). According to this quote it is clearly
identifying that people will only use what are capable for them to use, for example the
printing press centuries ago was useful.
5) The last really big revolution in public media was the appearance of television. (328)
a. This can support what I was trying to say because of how much everything has
progressed. Media is not one simple thing as how it was before but rather
something more that has made most of the people to also progress by buying or
receiving these type of media devices.
Step 2:
Shirky, p. 334 The harnessing of our cognitive surplus allows people to behave in
increasingly generous, public, and social ways, relative to their old status as consumers and
couch potatoes.
1) One value at stake here is, people are being generous around the public but can still be as
they were couch potatoes, by sitting down and watching television.
2) Assumptions can be, people are not valuing the time to go out such as exercising or doing
anything outside of public but just became people who rather not do anything than just be
there watching television.
3) Cognitive:

a. Denotative: of, relating to, or involving conscious mental activities (such as

thinking, understanding, learning, and remembering)(merriam-webster)
b. Connotative: having involved with mental activities
c. What is being implied? The protection of our mental activities has helped people
to behave as one is supposed to in public.
Surplus:
a. Denotative: the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied(merriam-webster)
b. Connotative: instead of being left without something there is still something left.
c. What is implied? That people still have the mental stability of behaving
appropriately in front of crowds.
4) In Shirky article, Means, she is stating that not only media is advancing but people are
advancing with them. Shirky argues that the media environment is relatively stable.
Referring to the media in that way made sense as long as the media environment was
relatively stable(328). This quote is implying to the reader that media was the way
industries were in control of specific professional class or business, by setting their
informations out to the people.
5) The word Media itself is a bundle, referring at once to process, product and
output.(328)
a. It was meant for people to know about industries that were created and for it to
be out to the society to learn about them.