Well, in the first articles "Does the Internet Strengthen Community?", I think the appropriate answer is that it depends. I don't buy the notion that Choice and Community are inversely proportional. The decision by individuals to put their own needs above others is a choice, just as to put others before themselves is a choice. I think the breakdown in Community is directly proportional to the breakdown of traditional Christian values and the rise of a consumer culture that stresses (sells) putting oneself first. Please note I am not making judgements, I am not saying one set of values is better then other just that the traditional culture is breaking down and another is rising in its place.
I liked the article "Social Responsiblity And the Web: A Drama Unfolds". The article reminded me of a quote "Don't write down on paper what you wouldn't want to read in the paper". The same applies here. But this article does let me get "up on my soapbox" against "offended people". The problem is that it violates the rights of the offender, that is guilty until proven innocent. Anyone with an AS degree has learned about the "Barriers to Communication". So why do we immediately assume that when someone cries "They offended me", that this person has actually been offended, maybe they just don't understand what the offender said. Maybe, and I know this is a strech for most, the offended person misunderstood. And the easiest way to resolve this is to just ask - "Did you mean to offend me?". In this article we see that such simple logic eludes the masses. How many responded negatively? How many felt "offended"? How many called the police? But not one asked her how she felt. Not one asked her if she was joking, not one exercised (un)common sense. What does this say about the quality of internet "communication"? In fact was there really any communication (look up the definition of the word)? Well enough of my soapbox. TTFN
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