People may think we hardly ever use filters, but we use them in everyday life. In “Seeing Ourselves Through Technology, Chapter 2” (Jill Walker Rettburg) starts off the chapter with a statement that I honestly agree with. She states, “Filters have become an important part of popular visual culture” (Page 21), this is true in many ways, because we do use them from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed without noticing sometimes. Below I’ll explain exactly how we use the filters from culture to technology views.
Non-technology forms of using a filter can be hard to point out but are important too, when we wake up every morning, we automatically start using filters such as putting clothes on and for some girls putting on makeup. Like when we are going to hang out with family we put on a casual form of clothes, but when we want a business look we put on suits etc. to look formal. This can be a process of filtering how one may view us. Another example can be, when someone makes coffee or tea, they use a filter. In the chapter Rettburg said “Technically the coffee filter does stop the ground coffee beans from getting into the pot beneath, but the point of a coffee filter is to add flavor to water by slowing its flow through the coffee beans.”. So, if you think about it, when we someone makes a drink that involves water to go through something or mixing. It goes through a filter process to takeout what’s unwanted. Although people may not notice but picking who you become friends with or talk to, you are filtering your surroundings. For example, when you go to school you meet new people and from those people you decide who you feel more comfortable with and the others you just block out, like a filter process.
Filters used in a technology form are seen obvious, we use them from taking pictures to posting them, from reading emails, to shopping online. When someone takes a picture such as a Photographer and he/she dislikes it, they either used filters to change its view and make it become more realistic or just retake it already having that filter in effect, therefore they know what the outcome will be. When we read emails or shop online, we use the same process of using filters, we select what we want to see and what’s new. Even though these may not seem like big changes to something, they can describe who we are and how much these filters affect us.
Now there are apps where you can enter daily data in and it’ll give you all this feedback, but then you can see what you want and the changes through the days from this filter process. Also, if you think about the Fitbit or Apple watches that collect data, these use a filter process like the apps. They collect the data in the same way then put it in charts for you to see your progress.
In conclusion, the term filter can mean many different things, but all add up to doing the same process. People may seem like they never use filters or try to avoid using filters, but they are everywhere and like Rettburg said “Filters have become an important part of popular visual culture”, which is 100% true from my point of view.
Juan's Blog 