New Media and the Internet (original) (raw)

My discussion focused on the overarching themes of my thesis, beginning with the social origins of language and tracing these themes as they are exhibited in online social networking practices today. Aspects of the "virtual campfire" can be seen as alleviating some of the alienation wrought by the conditions of modernity. While I contend that meaningful interactions are just as likely to occur online than off, online interactions differ in the manner by which they encourage and enable the persistence of individual identity.