The distinguishing factors in modern communication are the methods and organizational nature of how individuals communicate with each other. Networked communication has replaced traditional forms as the dominant method of communication in contemporary society due to the technological advancements in communication technology (Castells 2000:5). Networks are defined as the constant interconnections between individuals and groups, in which social actors can communicate freely (ibid.:10). Due to the increased ease of communication due to networks, information becomes increasingly important, and is empowered through the rise of information technologies (ibid.:9-10). Castells defines the “Information Age” as “a historical period in which human societies
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Information technologies serve as a precursor to the network society as they allow for the surge of knowledge and information production, which subsequently transfigures every aspect of social life (Castells 2000:10). Information technologies can be characterized as technologies that communicate and process information, an eminent example being the Internet (ibid.). Information technologies such as the Internet allow for users to, in a sense, ‘disconnect’ from previous definitions of time and space, and connect to timeless time and the space of flows, where time is de-sequenced and social activity can take place without geographical relation (ibid.:14). Essentially, what this allows for is to experience time as past, present, and future simultaneously, and to engage in social activity without being confined to a concrete, geographical space (ibid.). For example, an individual in California may do an online conference with an individual in Japan now, without the confines of time and geographical space. This allows for endless possibilities for social morphology, for instance, calling attention to social justice issues without the censorship of the state, such as the ‘#BLACKLIVESMATTER’ movement on social media platforms such as Twitter, allowing social actors to communicate issues on a global-scale and grant the power over …show more content…
They intersect ultimately every aspect of social life (production/consumption, power, experience) as all interactions are framed by the social structure that the information network characterizes (Castells 2000:17). It is encouraged to note the significance of this in not only the current paradigm, but also how it will affect the coming on of a new paradigm due to the instantaneous connections it has allowed for. Not only do information technology and networks affect current culture, but have given the public more effective means to participate in and even shape the society that they live in. Although the interconnectedness that information technology and networks allow for is beneficial for contemporary society, its arguably detrimental effects (on the self) should also be noted and contemplated as culture progresses in order to maintain efficiency as a network
Information technologies serve as a precursor to the network society as they allow for the surge of knowledge and information production, which subsequently transfigures every aspect of social life (Castells 2000:10). Information technologies can be characterized as technologies that communicate and process information, an eminent example being the Internet (ibid.). Information technologies such as the Internet allow for users to, in a sense, ‘disconnect’ from previous definitions of time and space, and connect to timeless time and the space of flows, where time is de-sequenced and social activity can take place without geographical relation (ibid.:14). Essentially, what this allows for is to experience time as past, present, and future simultaneously, and to engage in social activity without being confined to a concrete, geographical space (ibid.). For example, an individual in California may do an online conference with an individual in Japan now, without the confines of time and geographical space. This allows for endless possibilities for social morphology, for instance, calling attention to social justice issues without the censorship of the state, such as the ‘#BLACKLIVESMATTER’ movement on social media platforms such as Twitter, allowing social actors to communicate issues on a global-scale and grant the power over …show more content…
They intersect ultimately every aspect of social life (production/consumption, power, experience) as all interactions are framed by the social structure that the information network characterizes (Castells 2000:17). It is encouraged to note the significance of this in not only the current paradigm, but also how it will affect the coming on of a new paradigm due to the instantaneous connections it has allowed for. Not only do information technology and networks affect current culture, but have given the public more effective means to participate in and even shape the society that they live in. Although the interconnectedness that information technology and networks allow for is beneficial for contemporary society, its arguably detrimental effects (on the self) should also be noted and contemplated as culture progresses in order to maintain efficiency as a network