Alfred Nobel’s legacy is fascinating because of the contrast between his contributions to both weaponry and peace. His invention of dynamite revolutionized construction and warfare, yet he is best remembered for the Nobel Prizes, which celebrate advancements in science, literature, and peace. This duality makes his impact on history particularly complex and thought-provoking.

Social media platforms are designed to keep users engaged by prioritizing sensational or emotionally charged content through their algorithms. This is similar to how external factors can shift aggregate demand and influence economic behavior in unpredictable ways. Many users may not fully realize how much their emotions and opinions are being shaped by these engagement-driven algorithms.

One interesting detail about Hernán Cortés that isn’t always emphasized is the role of Doña Marina (La Malinche) in his success. As his interpreter and advisor, she played a crucial role in negotiations with indigenous groups, yet historical narratives often diminish her agency, portraying her either as a traitor or a passive figure.

This chapter's examination of the "White Savior" trope made me reflect on how subtle cultural narratives can reinforce outdated power dynamics. Movies like Avatar and Dances with Wolves may seem to celebrate heroism but also risk normalizing the idea that white characters must rescue non-white characters, potentially obscuring the agency of the latter. It prompts me to question whether audiences and filmmakers recognize the long-lasting impact of these narratives and consider alternative storytelling approaches that authentically represent diverse experiences.

Many modern wage labor jobs may be unfulfilling or socially unproductive despite being seen as essential for economic efficiency. This raises the question of why so many workers feel their jobs lack purpose if labor is meant to be driven by market demand. It also suggests that the wage labor system may serve to maintain existing power structures rather than solely benefiting productivity.

This aspect of capitalism raises important ethical and economic questions. While it makes sense that investors should have a say in the companies they fund, this system also reinforces wealth inequality by concentrating decision-making power among the wealthy. It makes me wonder: Should there be alternative models that give more voice to workers or the general public in corporate decision-making?

Ruth Benedict’s The Chrysanthemum and the Sword categorizes cultures based on how they enforce social norms through guilt, shame, or fear. She describes American culture as guilt-based, focusing on internal conscience, while Japanese culture is shame-based, emphasizing social perception and honor.

it’s interesting how the term “cancel culture” has evolved and is used in different contexts. While some view it as a way to hold individuals and institutions accountable for harmful actions, others see it as an unfair form of public shaming that can have disproportionate consequences. This makes me wonder where should we draw the line between necessary accountability and excessive punishment?

Dog-piling is a form of online harassment where a group of people collectively target a single individual, often overwhelming them with criticism, insults, or threats. This can involve public shaming, doxing, impersonation, or even private harassment, making it difficult for the victim to respond or escape the abuse. While some justify it as holding others accountable, it often escalates beyond reasonable discourse and becomes a method of silencing or punishing individuals.

That distinction between what is legally prohibited and what is merely harmful but not explicitly illegal is really interesting. It makes me think about how workplace harassment policies often go beyond legal definitions to include behaviors that create a hostile environment, even if those behaviors wouldn't necessarily hold up in court.

Jeff Howe's 2006 Wired article introduced the term "crowdsourcing" and explored how businesses leverage public participation to solve problems efficiently. He highlighted how technology enables companies to access a vast pool of talent beyond traditional outsourcing. His insights remain relevant as digital platforms continue to evolve and expand crowdsourcing applications.

Social media platforms can encourage good crowdsourcing by prioritizing high-quality contributions through algorithmic filtering, expert verification, and community fact-checking. Gamification and reputation-based incentives can further motivate users to provide accurate and meaningful input. Clear guidelines and enforcement mechanisms are also essential to prevent misinformation and low-quality content from spreading.

It’s interesting how the term "spam" originated from a Monty Python sketch, where the word was repeated annoyingly—much like how actual spam messages flood inboxes today. The fact that spamming remains economically viable because of low costs to senders, while the burden falls on the public and service providers, highlights an ethical issue.

This idea of moderation as a key ethical principle makes a lot of sense, especially in how it applies to real life. Whether in decision-making, relationships, or even personal habits, extremes tend to cause instability, while balance leads to sustainability. It’s interesting to think about how this concept shows up across different cultures and philosophies, reinforcing the idea that moderation is not just a moral principle but a practical one for living well.

The evolution of trauma dumping from emotional dumping highlights how social media has shaped discussions around emotional boundaries. The rise of influencer culture and livestream interactions may have made trauma dumping more common, as people feel a false sense of closeness with content creators. It would be interesting to explore psychological research on how social media affects emotional sharing and what healthier alternatives exist for seeking support.

Trauma dumping on social media is a tricky situation, partially because it can be very overbearing for other users on a site and on the other hand, it isn't necessarily a healthy coping mechanism for the poster. There is definitely a time and place to share such strong emotions, but to share it to a public space to users you aren't particularly close with could result in more harm than good.

One interesting source related to the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal is Monica Lewinsky’s 2015 TED Talk, The Price of Shame, where she discusses the impact of public shaming and how she became one of the first people to experience cyberbullying on a massive scale. She describes how the internet amplified the scandal, making her a target of relentless mockery and harassment, which connects to the idea of memes evolving and spreading rapidly. This makes me think about how scandals today, fueled by social media, can escalate even faster and have lasting consequences for those involved.

Memes evolve like living things, spreading and changing based on what grabs people’s attention. Just like how internet trends explode overnight. This makes me think about why some memes last for years , like the "Rickroll" while others fade quickly. The idea that memes follow evolutionary forces also explains how misinformation spreads when it’s catchy or emotionally charged.

Echo chambers occur when individuals are repeatedly exposed to information that aligns with their existing beliefs, reinforcing their opinions and limiting exposure to opposing viewpoints. Social media platforms contribute to this effect by using personalized algorithms that curate content based on users’ preferences, replacing traditional news editors. As a result, echo chambers can deepen ideological divisions and make it difficult for individuals to critically evaluate alternative perspectives.

The idea that systems can have their own biases and responsibilities separate from individuals is thought-provoking. Even well-intentioned people can operate within structures that unintentionally reinforce inequality, such as standardized testing in education, which may favor certain socioeconomic groups. This makes me think about how difficult it is to create real change.

The Inclusive Design Research Center’s perspective on disability as a mismatch between user needs and design is a powerful shift from traditional views. This idea broadens the scope of inclusive design beyond just physical disabilities, emphasizing that anyone can experience exclusion based on various factors like language, culture, or age.

The concept of masking made me think about how societal pressures force individuals with disabilities to hide their struggles, often at a great mental and physical cost. It also connects to the broader discussion of neurodiversity, if environments were more inclusive and understanding, would people feel less pressure to mask, or is masking an ingrained response to past experiences of stigma?

The "Redskins Rule" is a well-known example of a spurious correlation, but similar cases exist, such as David Leinweber’s finding that butter production in Bangladesh correlated with U.S. stock market performance. This highlights the risk of mistaking coincidence for causation in statistical analysis.

This kind of tracking can feel invasive, because it allows advertisers to follow users across different websites and target them with highly specific ads. However, it also enhances ad relevance, which can be useful if users are genuinely interested in the products being promoted.

One detail from the historical origins of the term "troll,", is its connection to the early Usenet group alt.folklore.urban (AFU) in the 1990s, where "trolling for newbies" was a playful inside joke among veterans. This original form of trolling was seen as a way to identify insiders and create group cohesion, which contrasts sharply with the often harmful and malicious connotation of trolling in today's online spaces. It’s interesting to reflect on how this term evolved from a lighthearted practice to something far more toxic in modern Internet culture.

It's fascinating to see how trolling originated as a form of gatekeeping in early Internet message boards, where experienced users would assert their superiority by tricking newcomers. While it may have initially been a playful way to build in-group identity, today trolling has evolved into something more harmful, particularly on modern social media platforms where anonymity and massive audiences amplify its impact.

A fascinating detail from David Robinson’s analysis is the stark contrast in sentiment between tweets from Trump’s Android device and those from the iPhone, with the Android tweets being more aggressive and negative. This insight highlights how data science can reveal patterns in communication that might otherwise go unnoticed, raising questions about authenticity and strategy in political messaging.

Inauthenticity is fascinating because it shows how human nature hasn’t changed much over centuries, people have always been susceptible to deception, whether it’s low-quality copper or staged photographs. It makes me wonder how we can better protect ourselves from modern forms of inauthentic behavior, like misinformation online.

It's very interesting to read that 4Chan didn't originally have image boards and only text boards. I wonder if the addition of image boards to the platform contributed to the the platforms hateful memos.

Although the creation of 4Chan wasn't originially intended to be such a hateful and troll like platform. It has since spiraled into something very sinister and it almost seems like now the core value of the platform is to share or see something offensive and hurtful. Of all the "social media" platforms, 4Chan is definetly the most toxic and harmful.

Design Justice talks about how marginalized communities can lead design practices to dismantle systemic inequalities and promote collective liberation and ecological sustainability.

I find the distinction between raw symbolic data and other types of data that require simplification to be symbolically represented is very interesting. It demonstrates that purely symbolic data, like mathematical rules or precise counts, inherently retains its integrity without the need for abstraction or approximation.

Pseudocode is a simplified, language-agnostic way of describing the logic and steps of an algorithm or program using plain language and basic programming constructs. It helps developers understand and plan code structure without focusing on syntax or language-specific details.

I think that allowing bots on social media greatly increases their margin for profitability. By allowing bots, large companies can use them for advertisements and to bring more engagement to the social media platform. Besides automated content, bots can inflate activity on the app brining in more advertisers and investors.

I think an ethical question facing the designers and programmers of social media platforms are to what extent could this programs negatively affect its users. I think programmers are responsible for designing safe and healthy platforms and knowing when and not to include certain features like alt-text.

Confucian ethics emphasize ren and li as essential principles for cultivating moral character and social harmony. These traits, performed through rituals such as ancestor worship and ceremonies, reflect a commitment to personal and societal development. However, some suggest that such frameworks limit adaptability in modern and more diverse societies.