What is convergence? How is convergence changing communication professionally and socially? What has changed since these videos on convergence were made?

Convergence is the melting of barriers between communication, content, and computing.  It’s driven by a persistent drive to simplify life, and it deconstructs walls that have been very permanent over the years.

For instance, Americans tend to use social networks for entertainment or fun, but over time networks like Twitter and Facebook have become powerful tools for objects like campaigns, and company ads. These networks which were formally tools used for fun, have become powerful ways for individuals to gain respect and a following.

Twitter and Facebook have also helped individuals profile each other without visibly tracking individuals. People are able to “follow” their acquaintances and learn about them from what they post or what they’ve posted before. Seeing a post about Animal protection being shared by an individual, followed by a post about saving trees might allow you to understand that an individual is sensitive to the destruction of the environment.

Henry Jenkins, the author of Convergence Culture, argues on his blog that the consumer ( users of Social Networks) are the driving force behind this culture because we provide the content that spurs the growth of this culture. With no content from us, the culture itself would die out, but there’s no incentive for this culture to die, and therefore it has only grown over the recent years. Society has accepted this culture and continously fosters it through merging of Social Platforms ( eg: Facebook acquiring Instagram, etc.) in which one platform envelopes another, making it even easier for the convergence culture to take effect.

Sources: 1) Media Poster 2) “communication, content, and computing” 3) “blog” 4) Convergence Culture Cover