DAY 46 June 24, 2008

Sensibilities in the Age of the Internet: Nash Reading

In an article about "Freethought Culture and the Historical Context of Communication Media", David Nash compares how religion is inserted into technological innovations historically, and at present, the time of the so-called Information Revolution. From now on I will refer to "cultre" instead of religion, for the purpose of this article, for three reasons: it is the focus of my internship, religion is a cultural construct, and religion is a facet of "culture".

Nash discusses the Internet's role in how opinion is formed by studying how identity is shaped online, and what effect that has in the real "offline" world. The internet is used to build intellectually constructed houses to provide mental support and shelter which can shape and affirm an individual's identity. Nash argues that the ability of the internet to provide cheap, uncensored publishing affects how people construct who they are and how they interact with information. Compelling stuff.

The term "cyberspace" was coined by William Gibson in 1981, but it was then was completely different from what it is now. Cyberspace represents unlimited space, time, and distance; encompasses all forms of computer-mediated communications, and denotes a permanent virtual space. Computer-mediated Communication (CMC), as Nash posits, can contribute to community and individual identity and is linked to changing ideas about the community and how it will evolve over time. CMC is limited by who has access to a computer and internet connection, which makes it primarily the domain of people of the West, and wealthier stratas of the rest of the world which exclude the 80% of the world that does not have time for anything but work or sleep throughout the day. CMC has the power to challenge the legitimacy of authority and makes it impossible for institutions to control what is being said about them. CMCs can create a world of particular beliefs and values, and participation in that cyberspace denotes shares experiences, beliefs, and ideas about the world. 

Academics such as Brenda Brasher have made arguments that the replacement of tradtional culture by popular culture is mediated by the internet, and that it hosts a plethora of previously unrepresented - or underrepresented - communities. As Nash argues, the Internet is organic, uncensored, and in a state of constant change to suit the needs of its users.

I am ending this hastily with a list of benefits and consequences to the internet in identity and community-shaping:

The benefits of Internet-based identity shaping and participation: 

• Transcends space and time
• Allows individuals without access to a institution access to an institution
• Old ideas can be preserved
• New ideas can be developed quickly
• "Information Revolution" creates a global village
• One can choose his or her level of participation
• Denotes plurality and diversity
• Information more easily spread (because it is less controlled than other forms of media)
• Links development issues in communities which can quickly be acknowledged and discussed (the "Knowledge is power" idea)
• It provides means for contacting others and gaining support
• It is more sustainable (no paper, less pollution)

The consequences of Internet-based community shaping:

• There are issues related to unequal access
• Security risks (to computers, individuals, families, digital warfare, surveillance, etc.)
•  Social vulnerability based on notions of technological dependency
• Privacy is traded for the use of this technology
• Increased levels of consumption result (with online "supermarket" and the updating of the technology and planned obsolescence)

Many of these points are found in my lecture notes from RLGN 1450 with Nicole Goulet, and are not my original thoughts.