2008 Woodie Awards
Web democratizes communication, risks loss of human interaction
More information requires better judgment, caution
By: Joel Hersch
Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Features
"I hate books," Christine DaSilva said. "Smelly old books."
The Internet makes everything so much more convenient, sophomore DaSilva said. She checks her e-mail 10 times a day - and don't even get her started on Facebook.
"I have problems," DaSilva said about her Facebook dependency.
The Internet has proven itself to be a phenomenon in that it has changed the way people think, learn and interact, said Carolyn Dusenbury, university librarian. But with the available resources and capabilities come heightened user responsibilities.
"On the Internet, there are so many people contributing to the content, and while some are providing useful knowledge, others are just making noise," Dusenbury said. "Students need to know how to evaluate what's garbage and what's not."
Working on the Web can be dangerous if one doesn't act as an educated consumer, Dusenbury said. There are reasons to be wary.
"But the Internet is here. It is what it is … and everything rolls along to its inevitable consequences," she said.
The Internet is a wonderful tool, said philosophy professor Tom Imhoff.
"It's a wide-open, democratic exchange of ideas not based on authority," he said.
Mainstream news outlets such as CNN and Fox News are narrow in presenting conflicts and solutions, Imhoff said.
"We don't need pundits telling us what to think," Imhoff said.
The only danger is to the status quo, he said.
"People will get new ideas and develop new ways of thinking and then people will want to change things," he said. "And the status quo never likes that."
However, losing contact with other people on a physical and social level is a concern,
Imhoff said.
"On the Internet, there is a sort of controlled, cyber interaction," he said. "But part of being a human is about surprises and spontaneity - things that make life so much richer."
If there was one central negative aspect of the Internet, it would be online gaming and online communities, said senior Gianpaolo Martin, an exercise physiology major.
"'World of Warcraft' destroys people's lives," Martin said.
Finding an alternate reality on the Internet that one is more comfortable with than real life is a danger, he said.
"Just the act of looking into someone's eyes is important to us as humans," Martin said.
History professor James Matray has been around to watch the Internet emerge and take a hold of society.
"It's a daunting and intimidating change, but resistance is futile," Matray said.
Senior Luke Miele prefers the Internet to traditional media, he said.
The Internet essentially allows people to have a conversation with anyone in the world, Miele said. It allows the user to contribute to the creation and understanding of the knowledge.
On the Internet, people are subject to many different planes of thinking, Martin said.
"There is so much individual contribution on the Web that it can come off as static," Martin said. "But if the user knows how to sort and make sense of that static, they can make themselves a clear picture."
Joel Hersch can be reached at
jhersch@theorion.com
The Internet makes everything so much more convenient, sophomore DaSilva said. She checks her e-mail 10 times a day - and don't even get her started on Facebook.
"I have problems," DaSilva said about her Facebook dependency.
The Internet has proven itself to be a phenomenon in that it has changed the way people think, learn and interact, said Carolyn Dusenbury, university librarian. But with the available resources and capabilities come heightened user responsibilities.
"On the Internet, there are so many people contributing to the content, and while some are providing useful knowledge, others are just making noise," Dusenbury said. "Students need to know how to evaluate what's garbage and what's not."
Working on the Web can be dangerous if one doesn't act as an educated consumer, Dusenbury said. There are reasons to be wary.
"But the Internet is here. It is what it is … and everything rolls along to its inevitable consequences," she said.
The Internet is a wonderful tool, said philosophy professor Tom Imhoff.
"It's a wide-open, democratic exchange of ideas not based on authority," he said.
Mainstream news outlets such as CNN and Fox News are narrow in presenting conflicts and solutions, Imhoff said.
"We don't need pundits telling us what to think," Imhoff said.
The only danger is to the status quo, he said.
"People will get new ideas and develop new ways of thinking and then people will want to change things," he said. "And the status quo never likes that."
However, losing contact with other people on a physical and social level is a concern,
Imhoff said.
"On the Internet, there is a sort of controlled, cyber interaction," he said. "But part of being a human is about surprises and spontaneity - things that make life so much richer."
If there was one central negative aspect of the Internet, it would be online gaming and online communities, said senior Gianpaolo Martin, an exercise physiology major.
"'World of Warcraft' destroys people's lives," Martin said.
Finding an alternate reality on the Internet that one is more comfortable with than real life is a danger, he said.
"Just the act of looking into someone's eyes is important to us as humans," Martin said.
History professor James Matray has been around to watch the Internet emerge and take a hold of society.
"It's a daunting and intimidating change, but resistance is futile," Matray said.
Senior Luke Miele prefers the Internet to traditional media, he said.
The Internet essentially allows people to have a conversation with anyone in the world, Miele said. It allows the user to contribute to the creation and understanding of the knowledge.
On the Internet, people are subject to many different planes of thinking, Martin said.
"There is so much individual contribution on the Web that it can come off as static," Martin said. "But if the user knows how to sort and make sense of that static, they can make themselves a clear picture."
Joel Hersch can be reached at
jhersch@theorion.com
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