Vorschlag B1

Digital friendship

Dieser Vorschlag bezieht sich auf Dave Eggers: The Circle.

Der vorliegende Vorschlag enthält in Aufgabe 3 alternative Arbeitsanweisungen.

Outline the purpose of the app and the way it works. (Material)

(30 BE)

Compare the use of technology in the excerpt (Material) to the way technology is used in Dave Eggers’ “The Circle”.

(40 BE)

Choose one of the following tasks:

Referring to the app presented in the excerpt (Material) and another social media app of your choice, discuss their impacts on the users’ lives.

3.2

“Part of what social media does is allow us to see a reality that has been entirely visible to some people and invisible to others. As those injustices become visible, meaningful change follows.” (Omar Wasow, an assistant professor at the University of Berkeley and co-founder of BlackPlanet.com, a social network which focuses on the “black experience”.)

You are participating in an international youth forum on social justice. Taking the quotation as a starting point, write a blog entry for the forum’s website assessing the usefulness of social media in fighting social injustice.

(30 BE)

Dave Eggers: The Every (novel, 2021)

The excerpt is taken from Dave Eggers’ sequel to “The Circle”. The protagonist, Delaney, tries to get a job at The Every (the company The Circle has turned into). She is interviewed by Carlo and Shireen, two Every employees who are supposed to decide whether or not Delaney will get the job.

[...] “For years now, we’ve counted our friends here at the Every...”

Delaney paused momentarily to see if her use of we had registered and had met with approval – it had.

“But is that really the most important measurement? If scientists tell us that the depth of our

friendships is the most important thing, shouldn’t we be measuring not the quantity of friends, but the

quality of those friendships?”

Carlo and Shireen were listening with mouths slightly agape. Delaney assumed she was hired. Now

she only had to get through the presentation without unforced error.

“So I was sketching out an app,” she said, “that brings some certainty to what’s always been vague

and frankly a bit chaotic. Can I show you? I’m assuming this is ready?” She pointed to the wallscreen,

which she tapped to activate. “Guest,” she said. “Seven-Oh-Eight-Eight-Nine.” A small box appeared

on the screen and Delaney pressed her thumb to it. Her fingerprint connected her to her account, and

soon the screen came alive with the life-size face of Wes, his closed-mouth smile seeming, Delaney

thought, a bit too amused. Wes’s resting face appeared mocking, and he knew this, so he tried, always,

to pepper his speech with words of unmistakable gratitude and sincerity.

Delaney turned to Carlo and Shireen. “I hope you don’t mind, but I asked Wes, an old friend of mine,

to be ready today.”

Shireen looked doubtful and Carlo flashed an unhappy grimace.

“It’s fine,” he said finally. “Hi Wes. How are you?”

Delaney turned back to Wes. Until this moment, she’d assumed he was in their kitchen, but now she

saw the distinct outline of a toilet tank. He was sitting on the can. This was his idea of a gag.

“Wes, can you hear us?” Delaney asked.

“I can!” he said, and added, “I’m so grateful to be with you!”

“Do you think you might be more comfortable elsewhere?” Delaney said. “I have a sense the

connection would be stronger in another room.”

“No, it’s super-strong here. Potent, actually,” he said. “How is everyone?” he asked. Idiot, Delaney

thought. He’d specifically promised not to make this joke.

A few more pleasantries were exchanged before Delaney tapped a code on her tablet and a digital

frame, embedded with icons, surrounded Wes’s face.

“Tell me about your day, Wes.” Delaney said.

Wes began talking, telling the tale of a day filled with average social calamity and embarrassment,

while Delaney made sympathetic sounds and asked well-timed questions. As she spoke, the icons,

sixteen of them, appeared in the frame, just below Wes’s chin, and began flickering with activity.

“As you can see,” Delaney noted, “as we talk, our AI is analyzing Wes’s facial expression, eye

contact, and vocal intonations. I know emotion detection is a big interest for the Every now. Obviously

the tech exists and will only get better.” Nine of the sixteen indicators below Wes’s chin were green,

seven red.

“Looks like Wes is being truthful, as you can see here,” Delaney said, pointing to the first green

indicator. “Over here, though, this facial sensor is red, indicating that he’s tense. If he were relaxed,

this indicator would be green. The rest of the sensors are tracking things like candor, humor, sincerity

and warmth. Wes has always been very funny, so you can see that the humor sensor reflects that.”

“Whoa,” Shireen said.

“Meanwhile,” Delaney continued, “our conversation is being transcribed and algorithms are analyzing

the text, looking at the actual words spoken for keywords and phrases that are commonly used

between authentic friends. So we have the facial rec analyzing surface indicators, the text being

examined, and these two measurements are collated with Wes’s vitals, heart-rate, blood pressure and

glucose levels, which are being monitored of course through his oval.”

Shireen and Carlo nodded earnestly. The best thing to do, Delaney knew, was to include Every tech in

her own, implying she was not replacing theirs, but was simply adding on.

“Here you can see some of the aggregate numbers at the bottom. The conversation so far is rated 86.2,

which is decent, and I think reflects the fact that Wes and I have an easy friendship. Anything over 80

is genuine. Over 90, though, is extraordinary.”

“And Wes is seeing the same numbers on his screen?” Carlo asked.

“For this demonstration, yes,” Delaney said. “But there would be times you’d want the data travelling

just one way. For example, if I was unsure if Wes was being truthful on a specific topic, or if I wasn’t

certain he was an authentic friend generally, I could set the tech up to deliver the metrics only to me.”

“I love this,” Shireen said, her eyes wide. [...]

(783 Wörter)

Dave Eggers: The Every, New York, 1. Aufl. 2021, S. 49–52.

Weiter lernen mit SchulLV-PLUS!

monatlich kündbarSchulLV-PLUS-Vorteile im ÜberblickDu hast bereits einen Account?

Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text. It must be noted that our conclusions contain only some of the possible aspects. Students can also find a different approach to argumentation.

In Dave Eggers' novel The Every (2021), a sequel to The Circle, the protagonist Delaney applies for a job at The Every, a tech giant fixated on analysing and quantifying human relationships. During her interview, she introduces an app that measures the quality of friendships using AI, reflecting The Every's obsession with analysing every aspect of human interaction and backing it up with data.

Introduction

Quantifying Friendships
$\rightarrow$ app was developed to measure not only the quantity but also the quality of friendships
$\rightarrow$ aligning with the scientific viewpoint that the depth of relationships is critical

Enhancing Social Interactions
$\rightarrow$ app analyzes various aspects of communication, offering insights into the authenticity and emotional tone of friendships
$\rightarrow$ by evaluating interactions, it aims to improve understanding and foster more meaningful social connections

Main Body
Purpose of the App

Biometric Integration
$\rightarrow$ app monitors the user's vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels
$\rightarrow$ through a device called the "oval " ensuring that physical responses are part of the analysis

AI and Facial Recognition
$\rightarrow$ utilising AI to analyze facial expressions,
$\rightarrow$ eye contact and vocal intonations during conversations determining emotional states like truthfulness, tension, humor, sincerity and warmth
$\rightarrow$ digital frame on the screen displays indicators that show these measurements
$\rightarrow$ green indicates positive emotions or truthfulness and red indicates tension or negative emotions

Text Analysis
$\rightarrow$ conversations are transcribed and analysed for keywords and phrases commonly used between real friends, adding another layer to the evaluation

Data Sharing
$\rightarrow$ allows users to control the flow of data and decide whether both parties in the conversation can see the metrics or whether the data is restricted to one person
$\rightarrow$ can be useful for judging the authenticity of the other person without their knowledge.

Functionality of the App

The app Delaney presents in The Every reflects the company's philosophy of measuring and analysing every aspect of life. By quantifying friendships, Eggers criticises the dystopian potential of such technology, where even personal relationships are examined. The narrative raises important questions about the balance between innovation and privacy.

Conclusion

In Dave Eggers' novels The Circle and The Every, technology plays a central role in shaping the lives and interactions of individuals. Both critique the increasing intrusion of technology into personal spaces, but they do so in different ways. While The Circle focuses on the impact of surveillance and transparency, The Every takes this a step further by examining how technology quantifies and judges human emotions and relationships.

Introduction

Purpose and Focus
$\rightarrow$ uses technology to promote total transparency, with the company pushing the idea that "secrets are lies"
$\rightarrow$ innovations like SeeChange cameras and TruYou, aim to eliminate privacy and ensure constant monitoring,
$\rightarrow$ fostering a culture of complete visibility

Impact on Privacy and Autonomy
$\rightarrow$ loss of privacy in The Circle leads to a society in which the autonomy of the individual is threatened
$\rightarrow$ every action and every decision are subject to public surveillance
$\rightarrow$ people are forced to conform to the norms dictated by omnipresent surveillance
$\rightarrow$ sacrifice their freedom to be part of the collective

Effect on Social Behaviour
$\rightarrow$ omnipresent surveillance is changing people's behaviour in public
$\rightarrow$ leading to a performative culture in which actions are determined by how they are perceived rather than by true intent
$\rightarrow$ relationships become superficial
$\rightarrow$ interactions are often motivated by the need to appear transparent and socially acceptable

Main Body
Technology in The Circle

Evolution of Technology
$\rightarrow$ it evolves and becomes even more invasive
$\rightarrow$ goes beyond monitoring and actively analyses and quantifies personal relationships and feelings
$\rightarrow$ the app embodies this shift by measuring the quality of friendships

Impact on Human Relationships
$\rightarrow$ app's ability to judge and rate interactions introduces a new level of intrusion
$\rightarrow$ feelings and friendships are subject to algorithmic judgement
$\rightarrow$ dehumanises relationships, as the app imposes a strict framework on the flowing and personal quality of human relationships and leaves little room for personal judgement

Control and Conformity
$\rightarrow$ as a result of quantifying emotions, The Every exerts a subtle form of control over individuals and encourages them to adapt their behaviour in order to achieve better values in their interactions
$\rightarrow$ resulting in a society where authenticity is undermined and people are driven to conform
$\rightarrow$ standards set by technology rather than their own values or feelings

Technology in The Every

Dave Eggers presents a dystopian view of technology’s growing influence over human life. The Circle focuses on the dangers of surveillance and the loss of privacy, while The Every delves deeper into the consequences of reducing emotions and relationships to data points. Together, these novels offer a powerful critique of a world where technology not only monitors but also controls and dehumanizes the most intimate aspects of human existence.

Conclusion

3.1

In Dave Eggers' novel The Every, the protagonist Delaney presents an app designed to measure the quality of friendships by analyzing conversations, emotions, and biometric data. This app reflects a growing trend in technology where personal interactions are quantified and evaluated. Similarly, modern social media apps like Instagram influence users' lives by promoting the constant sharing and evaluation of personal content.

Introduction

Purpose and Functionality
$\rightarrow$ was developed to measure the quality of friendships by analysing facial expressions, voice tone, and biometric data during conversations
$\rightarrow$ categorises interactions and determines the authenticity and depth of the relationships

Impact on Users
$\rightarrow$ increased pressure on users as they may feel pressured to achieve a high score in their relationships
$\rightarrow$ increasing stress and anxiety about their social interactions
$\rightarrow$ dehumanisation of relationships by reducing friendships to data points
$\rightarrow$ it can rob relationships of their natural levels of complexity and cause them to feel quite transactional rather than true
$\rightarrow$ developing a huge dependency on technology as users may rely too much on the app to validate their relationships
$\rightarrow$ loss of personal judgement and autonomy in social relationships

Main Body
The Every: Quantifying Friendships

Purpose and Functionality
$\rightarrow$ a platform where users share photos, videos, and stories, often seeking likes, comments and followers
$\rightarrow$ algorithm promotes content that attracts more attention and encourages users to create posts that attract the most attention and likes

Impact on Users
$\rightarrow$ self-esteem depends on social validation as many users base their self-esteem on the number of likes and comments they receive
$\rightarrow$ creates a sense of self-worth that is dependent on external confirmation
$\rightarrow$ Instagram often promotes an idealised version of life and users feel forced to present a perfect image
$\rightarrow$ app shifts the focus to online engagement rather than real-life relationships

Instagram: Influence of Social Validation

Focus on social indicators
$\rightarrow$ both apps highlight the importance of social indicators like friendship scores or likes
$\rightarrow$ focus can make users prioritize these numbers over genuine relationships and true self-expression

Impact on Mental Health
$\rightarrow$ both can harm users’ mental health by making them feel pressured to meet certain standards, either in friendships or online presence
$\rightarrow$ Instagram affects how people see themselves and their public image
$\rightarrow$ The Every influences how users think about and interact with their closest relationships

Control and Autonomy
$\rightarrow$ The Every directly controls personal relationships, guiding how users should feel and act based on data
$\rightarrow$ Instagram gives users more freedom in how they use the platform

Similarities and Differences

Both the The Every and Instagram show how technology deeply affects how we see ourselves and interact with others. The Every exaggerates this by measuring personal relationships, while Instagram shows how social media can shape self-worth and behaviour. Both examples highlight the need to balance using technology for connection with letting it control our lives and relationships.

Conclusion

3.2

Social Media: Fighting Injustice Together

Title

Social media has revolutionised the way we perceive and respond to social injustice. Omar Wasow, co-founder of BlackPlanet.com, explains: "Social media allows us, among other things, to see a reality that was completely visible to some people and invisible to others. When these injustices become visible, something can change". This blog explores how social media serves as a powerful tool in the fight against social injustice, the benefits it offers, and the challenges it brings.

Introduction

enables marginalised communities to share their stories and experiences with a global audience
movements such as #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo have gained international attention thanks to social media
allows individuals to speak out on issues that may be overlooked by the mainstream media
victims of injustice can find support and solidarity online

Making marginalised voices present

spread awareness and inspire action through hashtags and viral posts
campaigns like #IceBucketChallenge raise both awareness and donations
social media helps organize protests and events that highlight injustices
Twitter and Facebook are key for coordinating large movements and rallying support

Spreading Awareness and Inspiring Action

provides a platform for exposing wrongdoing and holding governments
videos and live streams can document cases of injustice
providing powerful evidence that can lead to legal action or policy change
everyone can take on the role of journalists and report on events and issues that might otherwise be ignored by the traditional media

Holding Power to Account

can spread misinformation, leading to confusion and division rather than constructive dialogue
algorithms can create bubbles where users only see content that confirms their beliefs
often lead to superficial engagement, where users share messages without actually taking action

Challenges and Limitations

Social media is a powerful tool in the fight against social injustice, offering a platform for marginalized voices, raising awareness, and holding power to account. However, it also has limitations, such as the spread of misinformation and the risk of superficial engagement. To truly harness the power of social media for social justice, we must be mindful of these challenges and strive to use these platforms in ways that lead to real, lasting change.

Conclusion

Weiter lernen mit SchulLV-PLUS!

monatlich kündbarSchulLV-PLUS-Vorteile im ÜberblickDu hast bereits einen Account?