Has the Internet contributed to the construction of a global village or to the destruction of community?

Answer 1

Sorry to be duplicitous, but I would have to say both. It depends upon what your eye is focused on, I don't believe that any one item or thing has inherent evil or good values, rather it is the energy of human beings that makes it good or evil. (example, a knife is not evil, only the actions done with the knife by a human are deemed good or evil).

Porn: It is no doubt that the internet pornography business drives and fuels the internet. The makers of porn are behind the the changes in streaming video and the mass market distribution of their products. I believe this is a destructive force.

On the other hand, you have millions of people communicating over a system that has developed from a dial-up modem connecting to a BBS server in someone's house to a global community of thought and action. Never before have people had the amount of ACCESS to other people's thoughts, emotions and feelings as we do now. I think this has helped to foster a global village concept and this is positive. I have friends from Istanbul to Australia that I never would have had access to before now.

On the other other hand, things are indeed what you make them to be. Some people have turned the internet into a scam, a money making fraud, and a way to create a fantasy character that they would never be in real life. There is something about sitting behind the protection of a computer screen that causes people to say, think, and act different then they would in public or while having a face-to-face or even a voice-to-voice conversation.

One must also be wary of the concept of "truth" and who holds it. Just because someone posts information in an answer or on a blog, it does not necessary make that information true. A quick visit to any number of urban legend websites will show that truth is often in the eye of the beholder and many a vicious lie has been spread via the internet for whatever purpose.

It is quite an interesting question you pose and I wish more people had given it the thought and time and attention that it deserves.

Answer 2

The more time you spend self-absorbed into music, TV, the internet, the less community there is.

However, people are getting quite comfortable with the internet, cell phones, etc. and the inclusiveness it provides.

How many people write letters today and think great thoughts thru a correspondence, and there are many like this, life between Jefferson and Adams in their waning years. Now a quick email, text message or phone call. Thus, more connection and less depth.

I guess I look at it as you now have more choices on how to connect with people. If community is the best, then it will resurrect as the possible problems with electronic connection become apparent, if there are any.

So, basically saying, there is a profound shift going on, but it is too soon to tell.

Ted