Critical Perspectives

In Chapter 1, 'From Locomotion to Telecommunication, or Paths of Safety, Streets of Gore', I was struck by the story of David Alsberg. He was an innocent bystander killed by a stray bullet during a robbery in Times Square. The book describes how his family grieved, but so did his online world- the friends he had in cyberspace. They had an online wake for him in an electronic forum- I thought of the WOW funeral we observed in class. The chapter went on to quote the population of cyberspace ( between 30-35 million people ). As more people are choosing to communicate, explore, discover, and socialize online, rather than doing so in the real world, are we becoming a generation that seeks social isolation. As cyberspace grows, are we retreating to the confines of our own homes- behind our own computer screens?

The epilogue of chapter one said it best:

"Once upon a time, not so many years ago, people could go out into the city lights when the fancy struck them, when they had nothing better to do, when it occurred to them that it might be fun to be with others. Sometimes it was necessary to walk into the street to find out what was happening in the world. They wandered out into the square to talk, to the cafe to contemplate their lives over a cup of coffee, to the park to stroll among others, to the pub to flirt with those who were there to rush the blood, to the bench where ancient memories reside, to the chess tables to advise and criticize, to the public realm to vanquish loneliness, discuss politics, or simply talk. But it is no longer that time past, and the old and familiar have often become hostile and menacing. We sadly step back and find other possibilities and less threatening opportunities to play and frolic- safely, often alone."



Communication and Cyberspace: Chapter 1