The Internet and Ideological Spaces
David Brooks of the NYT posted an opinion piece that challeneges the current viewpoint that the internet has created an ideological problem as users can subscribe only to content that fits their views. The ideology rhetoric often comes from the loss of the few big networks and media giants (which I think was a roadblock to Democratic space, itself). The new internet research shows that the network principles inherent to the tech spaces actually push users into "foreign" territory and require interaction with diverse and multiple ideologies.
Brooks' summarizes the argument well, and I look forward to encountering the earlier studies (the author, Sunstein
works in the Obama Administration but was formerly at the University of Chicago) and the current research (authored by Matthew Gentzkow and Jesse M. Shapiro, two Business professors at the University of Chicago). I mostly look forward to comparing these studies with the theory and practices of Benkler's book (mentioned below), The Wealth of Networks
.
I am most interested in how ideologies are generating such vicious speech, not merely in public squares, but also in tradition-ed communities, especially churches. Brooks concludes,
"If this study is correct, the Internet will not produce a cocooned public square, but a free-wheeling multilayered Mad Max public square. The study also suggests that if there is increased polarization (and there is), it’s probably not the Internet that’s causing it."
If his hunches are correct, and I hope they are - then there is possibility for cacophony amidst ideologies, which holds promise for both democratic and critical space - in churches, education, and possibly health care.... (one can hope on the latter, anyway).
At the same time, if his hunches are right, then how do we account for the rise of attention to ideology, hate speech, and community division? Romans 3 gets us thinking but I would like to see accounting for the rise of ideology in this late-modern age.
Brooks' summarizes the argument well, and I look forward to encountering the earlier studies (the author, Sunstein
works in the Obama Administration but was formerly at the University of Chicago) and the current research (authored by Matthew Gentzkow and Jesse M. Shapiro, two Business professors at the University of Chicago). I mostly look forward to comparing these studies with the theory and practices of Benkler's book (mentioned below), The Wealth of Networks.I am most interested in how ideologies are generating such vicious speech, not merely in public squares, but also in tradition-ed communities, especially churches. Brooks concludes,
"If this study is correct, the Internet will not produce a cocooned public square, but a free-wheeling multilayered Mad Max public square. The study also suggests that if there is increased polarization (and there is), it’s probably not the Internet that’s causing it."
If his hunches are correct, and I hope they are - then there is possibility for cacophony amidst ideologies, which holds promise for both democratic and critical space - in churches, education, and possibly health care.... (one can hope on the latter, anyway).
At the same time, if his hunches are right, then how do we account for the rise of attention to ideology, hate speech, and community division? Romans 3 gets us thinking but I would like to see accounting for the rise of ideology in this late-modern age.
Comments
Post a Comment