Has the Internet Helped or Hindered the Creation of a Fair Public Opinion?
Start writing a post
Community

Has the Internet Helped or Hindered the Creation of a Fair Public Opinion?

Has social media expanded or reduced the public sphere?

23
Has the Internet Helped or Hindered the Creation of a Fair Public Opinion?
NordWood Themes

Traditionally, according to German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas, the public sphere has been perceived as a rational community of individuals in which the best decisions could be arrived at logically through discussion and debate. The public not only entails a space but also the people that constitute it. The public sphere has allowed the convergence of multiple perspectives and through social engagement and debate, the best solutions would ultimately be produced. In our digital age, it is evident that the public sphere that Habermas initially had in mind has been reduced, not expanded. One would think that with technological advancement would come the expansion of the public, given that greater access to different kinds of information as well as more creative modes of expressing an opinion, informing an audience and conveying a message have emerged.

According to Eli Pariser, the public now operates in a filter bubble. The filter bubble explains how objective facts are no longer accessible to everyone on the same level. Search results are personalized, products are matched to individual preferences based on certain factors and consequently, people are less exposed to contrasting viewpoints. Social media has certainly reduced the public sphere; through increased digital connection and the personalization of content, people are more concerned with their own beliefs and the presentation of their facts. Such a method of being informed is not reflective of democracy, which emphasizes and values the practice of freedom of speech. This ideal concerns being exposed to and reflecting on differing points of view. Instead, we see such exposure to other ideas being undermined. An example is the media, namely the news, which is supposed to serve as an impartial channel through which people understand the facts regarding a given situation. Rather, in the digital age, it has become increasingly apparent that a shift from unbiased observation and distribution of information to an exertion of a specific opinion on the public has taken place. Our society is a lot more divided when it concerns certain political and social matters and as a result, we find ourselves operating in a world where you must take a specific view and stick to it.

Stemming from this, we can see that emotion surpasses logic in some of the ways information is distributed and received. Individuals are becoming more accustomed to seeing the things that they approve of, and this inevitably weakens the practice of discussing, debating and considering opposing points of view.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Content Inspiration

Top Response Articles of This Week

Kick off spring with these top reads from our creators!

773
Hand writing in a notepad
Pexels

Welcome to a new week at Odyssey! The warmer weather has our creators feeling inspired, and they're here with some inspiration to get your Monday going. Here are the top three articles of last week:

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

No Sex And Upstate New York

A modern-day reincarnation of Carrie Bradshaw's classic column

3983
Pinterest

Around the age of 12, when I was deciding whether or not to be gay, Satan appeared on my left shoulder. “Ramsssey,” he said with that telltale lisp. “Come over to our side. We have crazy partiessss.” He made a strong case, bouncing up and down on my shoulder with six-pack abs and form-fitting Calvin Kleins. An angel popped up on the other shoulder and was going to warn me about something, but Satan interrupted- “Shut up, you crusty-ass bitch!’ The angel was pretty crusty. She disappeared, and from that moment forward I was gay.

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

To The Classes That Follow

I want you to want to make the most of the years that are prior to Senior year

4748
To The Classes That Follow
Senior Year Is Here And I Am So Not Ready For It

I was you not that long ago. I was once an eager freshman, a searching sophomore, and a know-it-all junior. Now? Now I am a risk taker. Not the type that gets you in trouble with your parents, but the type that changes your future. Senior year is exciting. A lot of awesome things come along with being the top-dog of the school, but you, right now, are building the foundation for the next 4 years that you will spend in high school. I know you've heard it all. "Get involved", "You'll regret not going to prom", "You're going to miss this". As redundant as these seem, they're true. Although I am just at the beginning of my senior year, I am realizing how many lasts I am encountering.

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

The Power Of Prayer Saved My Best Friend's Life

At the end of the day, there is something out there bigger than all of us, and to me, that is the power of prayer.

4730
Julie Derrer

Imagine this:

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

Why Driving Drives Me Crazy

the highways are home

3676

With Halloween quickly approaching, I have been talking to coworkers about what scares us. There are always the obvious things like clowns, spiders, heights, etc. But me? There are a number things I don't like: trusting strangers, being yelled at, being in life or death situations, parallel parking. All of these are included when you get behind the wheel of a car.

Keep Reading... Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments