On media

Media typologies

Let's "categorize" or classify objects based on mediums because a work can either fall under one medium or another:

• performance ("[living] sculpture" + "its positions in time")
• sculpture ("three-dimensional conveyance of an idea")
• moving image ("image" + "its positions in time" + [optional] sound)
• image ("two-dimensional conveyance of an idea")
• text ("one-dimensional conveyance of an idea")
• sound ("non-dimensional conveyance of an idea")

The highest resolution usually takes precedence. A "performance" could contain lower-resolution objects such as images and text but it would still fall under the classification of a "performance". A meme containing both an image and text would land in the "image" pile.

If we think about life, it really does just constitute a performance: the world whole as just a stage, simply with three-dimensional objects having positions in time!

We could also sub-divide each into the following:

• asynchronous (where the sender and receiver can engage whenever each becomes willing)
  • used for any level of urgency
    • e.g. message boards, text messages, e-mails, letter mails
• synchronous (where the sender and receiver have to engage at the same time)
  • used only to escalate utmost urgent matters
    • e.g. in-person meetings, video-conferencing, telephone calls, smoke signals

Media literacy

With the above, we should realize that part and parcel of media literacy rests on having a "dimensional perception" for the mediums. We should become familiar with which dimension a medium falls under and act accordingly. If we "read the room", we would not pick the wrong medium to convey our ideas. Such etiquette has lacked in a realm plagued by media illiteracy!

We all have experienced variations of the following:

• A group video phone call (synchronous moving image)
  • ...where an e-mail (asynchronous text) would have sufficed
• A person-to-person meeting (synchronous performance)
  • ...that only needed a phone call (synchronous sound)
• A phone call (synchronous sound)
  • ...where a text message (asynchronous text) would have done the job

One must therefore have dimensionality and synchronicity hard-coded in their minds when deciding upon which medium to use. Otherwise, some parties will find it simply an irritation.

Rules of thumb

• low-dimensional and asynchronous mediums for business
  • i.e. dissemination of instructions, procedures, announcements, hands-on explanations, "important" information
• high-dimensional and synchronous mediums for pleasure
  • i.e. parties, celebrations, jokes, personal location updates, discoveries, recommendations, "nice to know but not essential" information