Though somewhat idealistic, this video: Web 2.0: The Machine is Us/ing us (which I originally found through another blog) is a great demonstration of the use of new media to demonstrate a concept…about new media. Why do I call it idealistic? Maybe because of my post earlier today about a substitute teacher facing jail time because a school didn’t have antivirus software installed, and it didn’t occur to her to immediately pick up the evil computer and fling it across the room to cast its demons out. So on the one hand, we, as end users of a computer are more empowered than ever before, what with having access to all this xml goodness. And on the other hand, we have a society that’s “not quite there yet” in terms of both understanding these increasingly more complex tools and refereeing the human behavior surrounding the digital capabilities.

This sounds like a joke. A substitute teacher facing sentencing for not shutting down a computer fast enough? I found a discussion of this on Intellagirl’s blog, and the original link back to the PC World article. The analysis at PC World is enough for you to get a full sense of what unfolded. The author, Steve Bass, correctly pinpoints the blame back to the school not having antivirus software installed and firewalls enabled. But let’s take it a step farther. Isn’t the real blame the creators of malware who willingly and forcefully subject us to advertising porn as well as real porn through their malevolent tactics? I’m also wondering why the state of Connecticut is wasting taxpayers money to try a substitute teacher. Further, the comment from a juror on Intellagirl’s posting– “If a 40 year old school teacher does not have the sense to turn off or is not smart enough to figure it out, would you or any other person wanting her teaching your child or grandchild?”– doesn’t even make sense!!! It’s mind boggling. This isn’t a contract renewal meeting, it’s criminal court!

I hope this turns out to be some internet hoax.