MMCC 2141 Week 7 Tut Notes - Mobility, Morality, and Modernity

Class Announcements and Make-Up Sessions

• Apologized for week six disruption due to health issues (migraine).
• Make-Up Session:
    - Rowan is holding a make-up tutorial session at 03:00 today for week six content.
    - Attendance is encouraged, but acknowledgment that timing may not work for everyone.
    - Link for the session shared on screen.
• For Students Unable to Attend:
    - To obtain marks for week six, complete a theoretical engagement task.
    - Task Requirements:
      - Submit a 150-word summary for each reading (total of 300 words).
      - Provide a 300-word response to the week’s group task available on iLearn.
      - Discuss aspects that show engagement with the topic.
    - Submission will be available in week ten.
      - If missing multiple classes, combine summaries/tasks into one document for submission.
• Participation Reminder:
    - Students who feel a group member is not contributing should inform the instructor to affect participation grades appropriately.

Today's Class Topic

• Main Topic: Mobility, Morality, and Modernity.
• Started discussion of the YMCA framework and questions regarding modernity.

Key Discussion Points:

1. Shibilski Interviewing Fleming:
      - Question about the argument made; possible answers included:
         - A. Acceleration of liquid modernity processes.
         - B. Development of a moral framework for technology.
         - C. Claims about technology’s impact on brains are alarmist.
         - D. Late-stage capitalism decreases social mobility.
      - Correct Answer: C - Claims about technology affecting brains are alarmist and unproven.
2. John Urry’s Types of Mobility:
      - Discussion about types of mobility mentioned:
         - Liquid Mobility, Geographical Mobility, Mobs, Social Mobility.
      - Correct Answer: Liquid Mobility was not discussed by Urry.

Class Participation and Attendance

• Instructor checked attendance and collected scores from students regarding answers to questions posed.
• Engagement reflected in scores: multiple students reported scoring 1 or 2 out of total answers.

Breakout Session: Understanding the Mobilities Paradigm

• Divided into groups to unpack the notion of the mobilities paradigm.
• Discussion Points Included:
    - Contrast between solid modernity and liquid modernity.
    - Degrees of societal shift from solid to liquid modernity.
    - The role of mobile technology in shaping contemporary society.

Definitions and Discussion Prompts

• Solid Modernity vs. Liquid Modernity:
    - Solid Modernity: Refers to established structures and traditions (e.g., stable relationships and fixed job roles traditionally selected at the beginning of adulthood).
    - Liquid Modernity: Reflects the fluidity and rapid change in social structures (e.g., changing job markets, dynamic relationships).
    - Examples Discussed: Marriage norms, occupational stability, the evolving nature of family and societal expectations in current times.
• Frameworks for Analyzing Modern Life:
    - The mobilities paradigm examines movement and societal changes instead of static structures.
    - Facilitates forecasting cultural directions and comparing historical and contemporary contexts.
  

Group Discussion Findings

• Group discussions produced varied insights, such as:

1. Group Insights on TikTok:
      - Discussions of concerns about brain rot, attention spans, and societal engagement through TikTok.
      - Found parallels between past moral panics with mediums like television and their relationship to contemporary mobile platforms.
2. Violence in Video Games Discussion:
      - Addressed moral panics claiming video games lead to real-world aggression/violence.
      - Emphasized that these concerns may oversimplify deeper societal issues (e.g., poverty, social inequality).
3. Cultural Shifts as Impacted by Mobility:
      - Conversations examining eventual consequences of normalization of short attention spans due to fast media consumption behaviors.

Role of Ethical Considerations

• Discussions about ethical implications of liquid modernity, including:
    - Necessity for greater regulation surrounding emerging technologies.
    - Dangers of moral panic as they may obstruct nuanced understanding of complex societal changes.

Final Thoughts

• Encouraged reflections on future studies around the relationship between technology, mobility, and societal norms.
• Gave reminder of the makeup class and concluded with thanks to students.