Reading Response:

The internet is a complex mediator of simultaneous connection & disconnection, as well as liberation & manipulation. It has the ability to dissolve pluralistic ignorance and band people together to fight for resistance against oppressive powers. However, it can also be used by oppressive powers to isolate people in their own individual islands of biased information, shaping their worldviews in complete divergence from their neighbors, manipulating them to vote a certain way, left unable to communicate their choices to those with differing view points. It can be used to create community and safe spaces, utilizing ‘likes’ as a powerful tool of visibility and recognition amongst like minded peers. And it can be used as a tool to bully, relentlessly inflict psychic damage on others behind a screen with no real consequences. It is neither inherently good, nor bad. And we need to mindful of the fact that it is certainly is not neutral.

Online Community:

I’m in a Facebook group that was created by a friend called “innocuous things that happened today”, where people share not so extraordinary anecdotes about little nice things they experienced that day. I consider it a community because it involves sharing, and people mutually acknowledging and supporting each other’s moments of happiness.