Diana Bang's ETEC 531 e-portfolio

The term cyberculture originated in 1963 by Alice Mary Hilton. She defined it as “that way of life made possible when an entire process of production is carried out by systems of machines monitored and controlled by one computer.” It is used to “denote not merely the new method of production but the vast influence of cybernetic principles and techniques on all phases of human life” (as cited by Petrina, n.d.). Hilton helped make a distinction between cyberspace and cyberculture without making it a dichotomy. The implications of cyberculture is that it “intensifies conditions through which the world is already divided.” Hilton remarked that cyberculture develops “new, revolutionary conditions for redividing abundance, labor, privilege and wealth” (as cited by Pertrina, n.d.). Thus, the implications are that civil liberties, human rights and redistribution of wealth are a part of cyberculture. It’s important that we know about the origins of cyberculture as Hilton provided a basis to compare and re-consider our current definitions of cyberculture. Additionally, it was interesting to note that Hilton’s overly optimistic notion of new technologies influencing the elimination of poverty and repetitive labor changed with the Vietnam war and social unrest. Instead, she ended up becoming wary of technology and abandoned the naive enthusiasm of her earlier work.

Reference
Petrina, S. (n.d.). On the origins of cyberculture. Retrieved from https://www.vista.ubc.ca/webct/urw/lc5116011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct