Communications and Cyberspace Chapters 2, 3, 21

Chapter 2 is titled "CyberWalden: The Online Psychology of Politics and Culture." The author, John M. Phelan, writes, "Cyberspace is a new field for old dreams. It is the latest meeting place for both doing things together and trying to figure out, as we never cease to do, where we really are." Cyberspace gives people the ability to control devices to give them feedback and to live as if those devices are a part of them. The feedback is what gives users a sense of feel, and makes them demand much more speed than is necessary. 

Chapter 3 is titled "Who Shall Control Cyberspace?" The author states that cyberspace is for the most part decentralized and uncontrolled. Although those who first inhabited the internet are proud of its openness and libertarian, self-governing abilities, it is incredibly easy for political and commercial entities to exploit those who use it. The author believes that in the future, those who control society at large will control cyberspace, which in my opinion is a scary thought. 

Chapter 21 is titled "The Information Arms Race." Although cyberspace is supposed to be free and open, businesses have exerted much influence over the way we use the World Wide Web. We now have terms like e-commerce and e-shopping, as well as advertising all over websites. The author describes this as a form of information warfare and compares it to the history of cultural imperialism. Much of what we know and use in cyberspace, he argues, is becoming commercialized by business interests, which goes against the freedom and openness that cyberspace originally stood for.