In the mid-’60s Marshall McLuhan wrote that: “Due to the spreading of the electrical speed, we no longer have time to wait to see anyone.” (McLuhan 1999:151) Towards the end of the ’90s, a new resident of a detached housing estate in the Silicon Valley neighbourhood, inhabited by employees of a large, advanced technology corporation invites his neighbours to a barbecue. And he hears in reply :“Why don’t we just exchange emails?” “The e-generation Manifesto” published on the Internet just before the end of the 20th century ends in the following words: “It does not matter who we are, what we look like, where we come from — what matters is only what we think and what we have to say” (Manifest 2000).
The emergence and rapid growth of the Internet is equally a technological, political, economical, and a social issue: an IT specialist, a political scientist, or a trade and advertising expert are equally knowledgeable here as scholars: sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, philosophers and historians of art. This is caused by the fact that the Net creates a new communication environment at the macro- and micro-community level, and in interpersonal relations. Although the Net communication model is a fundamentally new phenomenon, and one which had been practically unknown to people before the end of the ’80s, it emerged in a space occupied by old models, founded on oral culture categories, and later on categories of literate culture, in its manual and typographic versions (Ong 1992), and eventually on message/electronic transmission culture paradigms (McLuhan 1975). Therefore, the Internet is becoming a special “transition field” for different communication models – towards models which are not yet fully recognisable and which philosophers of culture view with great concern now (Lem 2000). Some appreciate the advantages of the Internet as a way to overcome the temporality of communicating in writing, whereas others notice that stripping written messages of their temporal dimension amounts to attacking the traditional, “aristocratic” superiority of that communication form over the “plebeian” direct contact, i.e. oral contact.
Table of Contents
1. Enthusiasts and sceptics
2. Internet and real life communities
3. The identity problem
4. The digital “Me”, the digital “Him”
5. The reality conflict
6. Space, time, freedom
7. Entertainment on the Net
8. Net-escapism
10. Apologia for childishness
11. “Screen-agers”: ageing with the screen
12. The screen alliance
13. Questions instead of conclusions
Objectives and Core Themes
This work examines the sociological and cultural impacts of the Internet, specifically focusing on how the digital environment challenges traditional concepts of identity, time, space, and community, particularly within the context of post-communist societies.
- The conflict between traditional social structures and the "new" communication environment.
- The transformation of identity and interpersonal relations in cyberspace.
- The phenomenon of "net-escapism" and its relationship to ludic culture.
- The role of the Internet in the formation of an information society vs. a civil society.
- The specific challenges of informatization and the perception of globalism in Central Europe.
Excerpt from the Book
5. The reality conflict
Therefore, there is no way to describe the simulated world (i.e. the media world) other than the way we have been following in describing the “natural” sphere of our life for ages. But that happens every time there is a medium between us and the real world. Thus, the Internet, together with the virtual reality created by the Net, comes face to face with the physical reality and wins. First, (Godzic 1999:260):
[...] the Internet reality is composed of signs whose purpose is not to relate to the surrounding reality. They are more real than the reality, they constitute a hyper-real blend of imagination and reality, the true and the false — they are perfect simulacra of the present-day world. [...]
That means that an Internet user, by running a browser and taking advantage of the complex, unlimited link net, enters a world parallel to the reality: a world that is — as J. Baudrillard would put it — better than the original (Baudrillard 1997).
Naturally, this must, of necessity, give rise to a conflict: either the physical reality is considered to be a simulation or a simulated world is considered to be and valued as the real one. In that case, everything that appears on the Net — e.g. an algorithm of a stock exchange situation — begins to be perceived as a derivative of an algorithm of a computer game: there is an enemy who must be fought against using digital (i.e. ‘leading to his annihilation’) transmission methods. The world we perceive is Manichean blackness, contrasted with the
Summary of Chapters
1. Enthusiasts and sceptics: Introduces the debate surrounding the Internet as a transition field for communication models, contrasting visions of democratic communities with fears of homogenization and loss of local identity.
2. Internet and real life communities: Analyzes whether virtual groups constitute "societies" or "communities," noting the shift in how interpersonal relations are comprehended without physical presence.
3. The identity problem: Examines the challenge the Internet poses to the identity of the individual, highlighting the duality of anonymity as both an advantage and a source of threat.
4. The digital “Me”, the digital “Him”: Discusses the paradoxes of digital transmission, where the machine’s rationalization of human behavior creates new, sometimes irrational, consequences.
5. The reality conflict: Explores the clash between physical reality and simulated media reality, where the digital world is often perceived as "better" or more compelling than the original.
6. Space, time, freedom: Describes Net communities as structures alienated from time and space, where traditional hierarchy is replaced by a challenging ideology of unrestricted freedom.
7. Entertainment on the Net: Investigates the stereotype of the Internet as a zone of pleasure and the dominance of the ludic approach in shaping online interactions.
8. Net-escapism: Defines net-escapism as an "escape onto the Net," analyzing the compulsion to immerse in an alternative dimension that is parallel to real life.
10. Apologia for childishness: Argues that the Internet’s focus on autotelic, self-centered behavior serves as an apologia for immaturity and an uncritical view of the world.
11. “Screen-agers”: ageing with the screen: Discusses how the sensitivity of a generation shaped by constant interaction with screen interfaces blurs the distinction between real and virtual worlds.
12. The screen alliance: Analyzes the convergence of traditional media and the Internet, specifically how the desire for "real-time" interaction creates new forms of visibility and surveillance.
13. Questions instead of conclusions: Summarizes key factors associated with working on the Net and poses critical questions regarding the feasibility of combining e-business practices with the realities of post-communist societies.
Keywords
Internet, cyberspace, virtual reality, net-escapism, information society, civil society, media, communication, globalization, identity, ludic culture, post-communism, screen-agers, simulation, digital communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work explores the cultural and ideological transformations caused by the rapid growth of the Internet, analyzing how it reshapes social structures, interpersonal relations, and the identity of its users.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the conflict between virtual and physical realities, the rise of "net-escapism," the impact of digital media on traditional notions of time and space, and the specific challenges of informatization in Central Europe.
What is the main objective or research question?
The author seeks to understand if the Internet is altering our culture and ideology, specifically investigating how the transition to an information society impacts the development of civil society and individual identity.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs a sociological and cultural-analytical approach, drawing on established media theory, communication studies, and psychological perspectives to interpret contemporary digital phenomena.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines various aspects of the "Net outlook," including the nature of virtual communities, the "ludic" or playful approach to online interactions, the blurring of privacy, and the influence of new media on business and social collaboration.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Internet, cyberspace, net-escapism, simulation, identity, information society, and post-communism.
How does the author characterize the Polish "semi-open" society in relation to the Internet?
The author identifies Poland as a "semi-open" society where the process of transition to an open/civil society and the process of informatization often occur in conflicting dimensions, sometimes making it harder for civil ties to develop.
Why does the author suggest that the Internet is an "apologia for childishness"?
The author argues that the Internet fosters self-centered, autotelic behaviors and encourages users to view the world like children, favoring immediate gratification and chaos over the maturity of responsibility and form.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Zbigniew Bauer (Autor:in), 2001, People on the net. Can the internet can our culture and world view?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/10016
