Is the social divide that happens in day-to-day life that much different when a computer is involved? I'd have to say no. The things that divide social classes, whether they are adults or teenagers, are still the things that will divide them online. Factors such as social class-standing, zero exposure to individuals unlike one's self, even narrow minded thinking may play a part of why people only interact with certain types of people. I don't believe adding a social networking site into the mix changes that. In my opinion, that is like saying that peole who own telephones will talk and interact with people they do not know. Which isn't the case at all. People who have the means to interact with individuals they are unfamiliar with typically still choose to talk and interact with people they know. As Danna Boyd stated"We cannot expect technology to automatically integrate people and generate cultural harmony."
I'm a big fan of the telephone example you used, and I think that something like facebook can be extended to that metaphor even more. You can get all these people's phone numbers (aka "friends")but you're probably never going to talk to most of them, unless you really are a big social person.
ReplyDeletetechnology cannot automatically integrate people and generate cultural harmony. but i think it definitely gives it an open area to welcome it if people are willing. like tom stated above. "you're probably never going to talk to most of them, unless you really are a big social person."
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