Prosumer approches, crisis of value and the political economy

** This blog is probably not very coherent, but I’ll try my best. My father was in the ER this weekend with what they thought was a heart attack. My Family is in CO so I spent all weekend waiting around by my phone freaking out. But I’ll try my best.

The prosumer approaches to new media was very hard to focus on because it jumped around with all the different links and side notes and trying to listen to what the guy was saying was all a bit confusing It wasn't very clear to me what exactly he was talking about when he mentioned "Nontextual communication". I understand it is basically the video and photo use to relay terms, ideas and thoughts without a written docuement, but what are the boundaries for nontextual communication? What all is included and what all is excluded? And what exactly is a prosumer? I understand a consumer, but I’m a little confused as to what the term means and why he chose it as part of the title.
I thought the sound snippets over the September 11th video really put in perspective how important sound is to a video. The video reminds me of the article from a couple of weeks about on The Five Principles of New media and how he had the student's works as examples for his teachings. As well as the Photoshop article that also used students examples. I thought the idea of the video paper for the end of the year assessment was a great idea and allows the teacher to fairly grade them based on what they have learned in the class. This is also an idea I can take with me into my teaching career.
The other readings were a good bit wordy and a little confusing! I’m still confused as to the plain definition of an ethical economy. The "definition" he lays out about ethical economy is that he called it this "Not because I necessarily believe that it is inherently better or nicer than the mainstream corporate economy. Instead, my choice of the term ‘ethical’ refers to the fact that this economy is largely coordinated by respect, peer-status, networks, friendships and other forms of inter-personal recognition; and it is geared towards the accumulation of such forms of interpersonal recognition, what sociologists would call ‘social capital’." I kind of understand what he is getting at but think that I am a bit confused. He says that the economy is driven by social status and the respect of my peers? I can see how some people would purchase something because it is cool or the "in" thing, but I just figured that was a phase people go through and that when you get old you get mature and stop doing that. I find it hard to believe that I am that highly influenced by my friends and peers as to what I will purchase, how I am going to spend my money.