My Take on Closer Together Further Apart

Overall, I found this book very interesting. I often think about the effects video games, television, the Internet, and most importantly social media have on our society. This book, along with this class, helped me understand more explicit things about this field of study. I now understand that everything is moving so fast and sometimes it is best to sit back and not get so wrapped up in technology. One of the biggest takeaways I had from this book was how the Internet is affecting how we portray ourselves and view others. People seem to post pictures of themselves or statuses for the pure purpose of gaining likes. For some reason, my generation seems to value likes immensely. I fear this type of behavior because it seems very self-centered. It does nothing to expand people’s creativity or open their minds to new things. I believe that being open to change and opinions different from your own is one of the most crucial things our society needs to grasp moving forward.

Although I accept the fact that the Internet can bring people and information closer together, I worry about the affect it will have on our parenting, work, and relationships. Closer Together, Further Apart only reassured me of these thoughts. Although we still do not know the long-term effects of our behavior, our race still must proceed into the information age with caution. One of the few things that brings people happiness in this world is connecting with others. Humans as a race could have some serious societal problems if the Internet eventually takes that joy away. Schneider and Weiss did an excellent job studying these effects and I have to say that I agree with almost everything they had to say. This semester has been a pleasure and I thought most of the readings were very relevant and informative. They have helped me mold my opinion on today’s network society and realize the importance of using the Internet effectively.

Works Cited

Jan A.G.M. van Dijk,"Social structure" in The Network Society(2006).

Ramesh Srinivasan, "Bridges between cultural and digital worlds in Revolutionary Egypt," The Information Society 29 (2013), 49-60.

S. Craig Watkins, "The very well connected: Friending, bonding, and community in the digital age," The Young and the Digital (2009). 

Weiss, Robert, and Jennifer P. Schneider. Closer Together, Further Apart: The Effect of Technology and the Internet on Parenting, Work, and Relationships. Carefree: Gentle Path, 2014. Print.