As capitalism runs its course and develops new technologies, society is left to pick up the pieces and figure out where these new technologies will lead them. Ever since I learned to use the Internet as a child, I have become accustomed to seeing more and more fascinating technology developments that have changed the way I communicated as the years went by. Now that the Internet has infiltrated more aspects of human life, it has become necessary to reflect on how this critical juncture will continue to affect our society. In Digital Disconnect, Robert McChesney provides an analysis of the arguments that the celebrants and skeptics used to express their views of the Internet. McChesney then moves past these arguments to explain how the PEC plays a key role in determining the direction that the Internet is heading towards. By assessing McChesney’s views, I hope to develop my own interpretation of the Internet’s impact on society.
As this critical juncture begins to take place, there has been much debate between scholars as to whether we should be enthusiastic or wary of these new changes. In Digital Disconnect and in his lectures, McChesney observes both views in an attempt to advance the discussion. On one side, the celebrants are embracing the Internet as a medium that will change society for the better. In Digital Disconnect, McChesney says, “In sum, the celebrants reaffirm one of the most important original arguments from the 1990s, that the Internet will be a force for democracy and good worldwide, ending monopolies of information and centralized control over communication” (McChesney 8). In my opinion, this celebrant view should only be regarded as a best-case scenario because of the unexpected obstacles for society that can...
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... using the PEC, I have been able to analyze a few problems with the Internet, and I have been able to develop an understanding of how these problems can affect our democracy. These problems include heavy commercialization, media consolidation, and a lack of a public sphere.
With an entity as vast as the Internet, it is not surprising that a variety of unanswered questions will arise. I’m positive that the Internet will continue to confound scholars as it continues to quickly evolve. By analyzing the views of the celebrants and skeptics, I have been able to understand the potential that the internet has. By using the PEC, I have been able to understand how democracy and capitalism relate to the issues of the Internet. In the future, I hope that society can develop a further understanding of the Internet and move toward the Internet that the celebrants had hoped for.
Schmidt, E. E., & Cohen, J. (2014, March 11). The Future of Internet Freedom. Retrieved September 26, 2017, from
Purdy, Rob. "The Internet: Boon or Detrimental to Society?" n.d. Web. 6 February 2012 .
In conclusion, Carr and Gladwell’s essays have proven that the internet positive effects are outweighed by its negative effects. Carr has found he is unable to finish a full text anymore or concentrate. He thinks that the internet has taken our natural intelligence and turned it into artificial intelligence. Gladwell discusses how nowadays, social activism doesn’t have the same risk or impact as former revolutions such as the Civil Rights Movement. The internet is mostly based on weak ties based among people who do not truly know each other and would not risk their lives for their
From 1992 to 1995, the concept of the Internet, the technology moved from primarily government and research usage to that of the general public. Terms such as “log on” and surf were born, along with perhaps every conceivable usage of the Internet, from commercial purposes to pornography. With the introduction of Mosaic, the first truly successfully graphic user interface for the Internet, popularity took off, even being proposed as a candidate for Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year”. Starting between 1994 and 1995 though, the perils of internet usage began to emerge, at first in the form of disrupting online business operations. The Internet, quickly dubbed as a new social system in which the newcomers, unaware of the existing rules, redefined what the Internet was all about.
Internet as a medium has been a thoroughly discussed topic, especially in recent years with the rise of the World Wide Web. Analysis of relevant literature in the topic shows that the internet is not a new medium. This argument can be shown by looking more in depth into what defines a medium and what defines the internet. From that analysis by looking from a historical point of view the internet can be seen as an old medium which uses re-mediation to deliver content to users. The connection between internet and its users has helped the internet influence the way media is viewed today. Although the internet is not a new medium the content it presents is new. The advances in technology have helped the use of the internet reach new heights in terms of interest and it's capabilities are now being utilised by the masses. This rise in popularity has given the implication that the internet is new. These points can be analysed in more depth which has led me to take the stance that the internet is not a new medium.
Page 2:The Internet is a boundless system used for the individual to enhance, and occasionally consume their internal programming of a daily schedule, their life. It has not only transformed how humans interact and communicate with one another, but has offered a new form of government involvement.
Brey, Philip. (2006c). ‘Evaluating the Social and Cultural Implications of the Internet,’ Computers and Society 36(3), 41-48
This essay will discuss how the chosen medium, which is the internet, applies to Poe’s seven new technologies rules. The internet is define as a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. Moreover, It is derived from combining the word ‘Inter’ (reciprocal, mutual) and ‘network’ together. The internet is considered a new media. Rouse (2005) noted that, “New media is a catch-all term for all forms of electronic communication that have appeared or will appear since the original mainly text-and-static picture forms of online communications”. Therefore, according to Bal (2010), New media is not a technology, it is merely to pin point precise life cycle of an ICT technology. In addition, twenty years ago, the internet and digital processes were the new media. (Bal, 2010).
The Internet’s roots can be traced back to 1962 (“Internet History” n.d.). With the Internet, people are provided with the power to search vast amounts of information and have the ability to participate and engage conversation in many forums. The Internet allows people from different cities and countries and with different backgrounds to connect and communicate in a digital world. As opposed to sitting in a room with a hardwired connection, people can now go mobile with the Internet. Laptops and smartphones allow the Internet to fit in backpacks and pockets. The question remains – does the Internet threaten democracy or help it? With information comes misinformation, and the answer isn’t simply yes or no. However, more times than not, the Internet aids democracy by creating a citizen who’s more aware of a variety of issues.
Surveying the Digital Future: How the PC and Internet are changing the world. (1999, June). Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Communication Policy.
Since the industrial revolution, one and one important inventions were created. In March 1989, Tim Berners-Lee implemented the first successful communication between Hypertext Transfer Protocol clients. The most influential technology to humans nowadays, internet, was made at this time. Internet brings a lot of new changes to humans. A favorite view of the Internet holds that the democratization of communications will bring about the democratization of the world. In fact, the relationship between cyberspace and political liberalization is far more complex. Ian Bremmer, the author of “Democracy in Cyberspace: What Technology Can and Cannot Do for Us”, points out that internet has a both-side effect that it can help promote consumerism and democracy while it can also help authoritarian government to guide people’s emotions to what they want. However, Naomi Klein, the author of “Fences of enclosure, Windows of Possibility”, points out that the Internet helps the process of globalization destroying old fences. Old fences are those boundaries that obstruct people to communicate with others in physic and spirit. Disappearing of old fences hurts the normal people and create discordant elements to different countries. As a matter of fact, internet and globalization have a double-side effect. They improve life for individuals, but they also bring new challenges.
We are at the height of the digital age, a closely integrated society where information is being commodified, and sold. This is referred to as an information economy, and it is a global epidemic that is only being made possible by our growing dependency on the Internet. The Internet has successfully woven itself into the very fabric of our society, and the implications of this integration can be taken very arbitrarily. On one end of the spectrum it is seen to be both a social, and societal detriment. While on the other, it is seen to be a necessary tool for innovation, and a medium for efficient communication. It is clear that the Internet is very much a part of our society, but what were to happen if it were to play an active role in the construction of our democracy? To understand the answer to this conundrum we must first take a look at how each side of this controversy understands the concept of democracy itself.
...our direction” (p. 163). He goes on to say that “If we’re ever to recapture these fundamental kinds of information, it’s necessary to start by remembering just how divorced from the physical world many of us have become” (p.164). These passages from the essay give the results of survey great support. As time goes on society gets further and further away from their roots. Technology is spreading all across the world. Other countries of the world are devoting just as much time to these new technological marvels as Americans do. It is my belief that before it is all said and done every person in every city across the globe will own a television, and be connected to the internet truly making it a World Wide Web.
Change has always been for the better, but when it comes to change in technology; it’s not necessary that the change is going to be good. Technology has been advancing rapidly and is given more importance now than ever before. Every day, technology enhances our modern lifestyle. Although electronics allow us to connect and communicate our ideas with people, they also brainwash us into spending more time using our devices rather than spending quality time with friends and family. It may be hard to believe, but statics show us that almost sixty percent of teens that were surveyed said that they had a slight addiction to the internet and more than forty percent of teens are addicted to their phones. There is no doubt that the internet is very useful, keeping in mind all of its benefits, however its advantages are not the only things we need to focus on. Some of the negative effects internet is leading to are harming us online and in reality. The internet is negatively affecting major parts of our lives, such as affecting us online and in reality, internet becoming an addiction and lastly its negative effect on our culture and religion.
The internet has influenced, and is still influencing the way society communicates in many different ways. The rise of the internet has caused people to communicate differently in areas never dreamed of before the internet came into existence. Education has been revolutionized through the world of the “Information Super Highway”. Medicine has also seen reform as the internet improves research and communication. Individuals are starting businesses from scratch, while others are selling household items for extra cash. This internet “typhoon” sweeping the globe has become a way of life for many individuals all across the globe.