"the way music died [side b]"

1. Keen provides a lot of structure and appropriate information, and he also brings up the devastating truths about today's music business. It is sad to think that video stores are being put out of business because there are companies such as Netflix and Blockbuster online that accommodate consumers even more. Also the introduction of MP3's has put record companies out of business. Now companies, music stores, local book stores, and video stores can only hope to rely on their loyal customers who will always come back. Yet, it does not seem like there is enough room in the economy to keep such businesses alive. Keen draws upon these ideas, and the fact that companies and industries are being robbed of their business through the introduction of more and more innovative technology.

I do agree with Keen that this is very true, but it is equally as upsetting. It is kind of sad to think that places where we once went to get away and escape- music stores and book stores are now being placed out of our reach because there are new ways to access books, music, and video(s) from our homes. There is an aura about a book store or local music hot spot that is like home, and it seems that mega companies and conglomerates such as Blockbuster online, Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes/Napster are taking this away. Everything is being placed in fast forward and now there is an approach even accepted by the lazy members of out society.

Keen also discusses the decline in print media... newspapers and magazines. I feel that with the decline in today's economy that print media has downsized. Several magazine publications have been terminated completely, and many newspapers such as The New York Times and The Wallstreet Journal have downsized both physically (trimmed the actual size of their papers) and in information (the termination of whole columns has resulted). Internet has also taken over the print world, for example, NYTIMES.com and other sites have become increasingly possible, subscribers can gain access to minute by minute updates all around the globe, yet there is something different about actually sitting down with a newspaper. I agree here with Keen that there is nothing like sitting down with a tangible newspaper and reading. This brings me to another thought, I can understand how magazines have declined in recent times, yet the thought of having to downsize on newspapers surprises me very much. Still at home, my family receives a newspaper daily in order to stay on top of the day to day updates, locally, nationally, and globally.

2. In Utopia Keen addresses some of his worries about how in the Web 2.0 world people who are less educated and experienced are able to play on the same field as those who are schooled and prepped to be certified and working in such a realm. More specifically Keen talked about Wikipedia and how it basically is robbing information of their validity. You and I could post anything we want right now on Wikipedia regardless if its truth or not. This can mislead many people.