Making Culture

Melbourne boasts a wide variety of cultural diaspora catering for national and international identities who are constantly sharing and exchanging cultural aspects through practices of art, music and food just to name a few. Melbourne is iconic for its attractions and love for the smaller joys of life including coffee, sport and football (arguably a sport but also considered a religion by some).  

In terms of individual identity I believe I engage with some characteristics typically observed in Australian culture whilst disregarding others. I consider myself to be an avid football fan but not enough for me to consider it as my preferred religion.  

In terms of technologies, I would consider myself a relative user but not an overly obsessive abuser of communications. In this respect I am somewhat a conservative instead of a conformist as I try and use these devices as little as possible and outside of social parameters.

As for ‘technological determinism’, which is the assumption that since technologies are readily available they must be used, I don’t feel I am compelled to use them nor do I feel inadequate by not using them (McLuhan, M 1969). However, in saying that I do own and regularly use the basic technology necessities, presuming of course they can even be called that or of they are indeed required for everyday living. These include a mobile phone (not an I-Phone), a classic I-Pod (still not an I-Phone) and a laptop (not a Mac).