The Internet is Killing Our Culture ?!

I must say it's a scary thought with regard to the internet. I always thought of the explosion of the web as a powerful culture-enriching tool to exchange knowledge and expertise. Many metaphysics gurus saw the internet as an inevitable physical expression of the oneness and connectedness of mankind, and so did I. But the issue that this weeks' reading raised in my mind is whether this connectedness is only enriching our repertoire of intellectual resources or is going too far beyond that to the extent at which indviduality and cultural uniquness are melting down.

Personally, I don't think there can be creativity and constructive change without diversity. I'm a strong believer in the saying, "It takes a world of differences to make a difference in our world" Again, the title is a scary thought. Imagine waking up someday only to find that your roommate is a clone of you wearing and looking totally the same. Not only that, but when you go outside, everyone; on the streets, in classes, in the metro, everywhere look the same. How boring & how daunting that is!

My conclusion is that there should be some limits set to the democratization of social media. I was shocked by Wikipedia's founder's disbelief in the intellectual authority of experts. It is those experts who are keeping your encyclopedia sane and nonsense-free. Without respect to their authority, knowledge just becomes sourceless. Let's believe in anything from wherever it comes. It's all connected, you know!