Benkler

Benkler discusses how much easier it is to promote things for ourselves without having professional help. Every day, social networkers are bombarded with advertisements and messages from every page they visit. He talks about how it’s easier to find our views and positions because surveys and poles are easily available. We are more knowledgeable about what’s going on in the world and encouraged to participate in conversation and debate. I found that while Benkler clearly thinks that social networks are a positive influence, I’m not so sure they are. For one, I’m so annoyed when I see advertisements that are specifically targeted at me. They have the right to promote whatever they want, but it seems that since I’m engaged, advertisers just know that I want babies and rings and dresses. They also constantly have ads for my sorority, like clothes, jewelry, and picture frames.

To use a social network other than facebook, I will talk about my blog for class discussion. It was a way for people to voice their opinions about just about anything related to the topic up for debate. It was interesting for me to just read what other people said because they were so blunt and confident with what they were saying and it didn’t seem like they cared if they offended anyone or not. It’s nice that we have social networks like that to post our feelings, but it’s not exactly a safe zone. Where ever there is one opinion, there are opposing ones.

Several weeks ago, a friend of mine was killed in a car accident. Through a blog, her family kept her friends and concerned classmates posted. Through this blog, people were permitted to leave comments, or inspiring thoughts. This blog was also used to promote a fundraiser in her honor, as well as a way to collect donations for flower arrangements for the family. Social networks not only allowed them to help us understand what happened, but presented them with the chance to be comforted by those they loved.