I'm constantly fascinated with the internet phenomena and how it has changed our society in such a short time -- it's only been about a decade, maybe a decade and a half since it exploded and it became necessary to modern society!! Can you believe that? I mean, I still remember when they first installed computers in my grade school, and they had to put them in the hallway because we had no "computer labs." Anyway, found this article bit about why we social network:
The Internet is for talking. Sometimes, it's also for stalking. Yes, we share a lot of personal details on the web, attempting to carve out identities that bear vague resemblances to the complexities of our actual beings. Religion, political views, relationship status – all fair game.
We also like to catalogue our favorite things. Having favorite things is a way of saying, "I have opinions. I have a personality. I exist!" Every time we tell Facebook our new favorite movies, we affirm our existences. This makes us feel complete. http://www.retrieverweekly.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=3621&format=html
Of course, Baudrillard also has an opinion about all this virtual socialization, though he only got the beginning surge of the wave before he died. Mostly, though, he talked about the explosion of information, how suddenly it's everwhere and there's so much of it. Interesting point: the explosion of information results in a lack of an authoritative source. Everyone now is a source, whereas in the past it was someone authoritative: a professor, an author or an artist, a journalist, etc. But today, CNN uses blogs and emails and video diaries and interviews of the common people as part of their news-making. Youtube provides as much entertainment as a Hollywood film. It's the democratization of society. There is no longer an elite, more informed, and thus more authoritative source -- everyone has a say. It's the Roman forum par excellence, where all the citizens can interact.
Oh, and I just joined LibraryThing. Wanna be my friend?
http://www.librarything.com/profile/Chamelline
1 remarks:
Interesting post. I do agree with you that the internet has the possibility to democratize our society globally. However, I think there are a lot of major barriers to that process still in place. Foremost is that computer literacy is one of the many forms of literacy (also voter literacy IMO) that has either been in decline or has not shown substantial improvement within our generation. If, you know how to use it the internet can bring you a host of information. Unfortunately, much of the poor and working class do not have access to a computer or have the training to use one if they do. The second problem is the very deliberate censorship of information (supported by many of the major information sources like Google and yahoo) in countries around the world. Look up (probably not actually on Google though) the Golden Firewall, China, and Google to see more about that.
Like many of the 'modern' technologies that have been hailed as the next step in creating a more equal society, I believe that the internet's possibilities are diminished by the circumstance in which it exist.
That came off feeling kind of negative to me. I'm sorry. I like the post. And I share the sentiment about hoping to change people's opinion of the net. It infuriates me that people malign it as a tool that separates people. In fact I think it gives (some) people access to more information and communities than they ever could have had. I don't think I would be the person that I am if I had not been an internet junkie since I was 13.
And I'm done rambling.
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