The net that binds翻译.doc

The net that binds Andrew L. Shapiro In the vacuum created by the decline Putnam has noted in traditional community forms, new forms of community have arisen. One vibrant movement has been through the Internet , where we have seen intense interest directed to the formation of cyber-communities . These virtual communities represent interest groups that form across physical space , transcending the boundaries and limitations of physical proximity . Cyber communities offer the appeal of relationships and bonds based more strongly on commonalities of interests and goals than by the serendipity of geographic location . Is a community that is based on cyber-space the same as previous communities that were based on face-to-face interaction ? Are there qualitative differences that should concern us or is the recent increase in the global community a harbinger of a more tightly integrated society ? One of the curious things about living through a time of whirlwind change is that it is often difficult to understand exactly what is changing. In recent years, new technology has given us the ability to transform basic aspects of our lives: the way we converse and learn; the way we work, play and shop; even the way we participate in political and social life. Dissidents around the world use the Internet to evade censorship and get their message out. Cyber-gossips send dispatches to thousands via e-mail. Musicians bypass record companies and put their songs on the Web for fans to download directly. Day traders roil the stock market, buying securities online with the click of a mouse and selling minutes later when the price jumps. There is a common thread underlying such developments. It is not just a change in how we compute or communicate. Rather, it is a potentially radical shift in who is in control--of information, experience and resources. The Internet is allowing individuals to make decisions that once were made by governments, corporations and the media. To an unprec-