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Cyberculture Exercises

Cyberculture

The artificial world of the internet (Text 2)

Source Text

1 The internet and the World Wide Web have provided a new medium for culture, generally labelled cyberculture, because it exists in cyberspace, ‘the conceptual space where computer networking hardware, network software and users converge’ (Gauntlett 2000: 220).

2 The internet and the Web made possible a culture apparently free of many of the constraints that operated in other media. The web was decentralised and outside the control of governments, elites, and businesses. Information could be freely exchanged without anyone censoring or editing it. When on the Net, people were anonymous and could assume, and play with, any identity they chose. With others they could construct their own virtual communities, their own society, their own world. They were free of their relationships, their communities, their bodies.

3 Indeed, Sherry Turkle (1997) argues that they can become free of themselves. In a world of screens, this virtual world can become more real to people than the ‘real world’ and can shape their behaviour in the ‘real world’. Aspects of identity developed in the virtual world can form the basis for relationships in the ‘real world’.

4 With the growth of what Silver (2000) has labelled ‘critical cyberculture studies’, the celebration of cyberculture has been moderated by a growing awareness of its limitations. Many familiar constraints are at work behind the scenes.

5 The inequalities found in society at large are present in the world of the internet too. The rapid rise in numbers of those using the internet led people to view cyberculture as a new popular culture, but there is plentiful evidence of a growing digital divide between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. Cyberspace has also been considered a predominantly male space, with a typically ‘male frontier culture’ (Silver 2000: 26–7).

6 Arguably, a ‘technocomplex spiral’ has brought about control by a technical elite. This spiral is the result of the vast, and ever increasing, amount of information available on the Web, which has led to the invention of advanced tools to enable users to find what they are seeking and manage the flow of information. It has become increasingly difficult for ordinary users to operate according to their own values, as they are dependent on the tools created and controlled by the technical elite. These tools are constructed according to the beliefs and values of the elite and in the language it has developed (Jordan 1999: 101).

7 Nor is cyberculture free of commercial and political pressures. Commercial pressures are blatantly present in the pop-up advertising which finances so much ‘free’ activity. Commercial interests also steer and manipulate users in covert ways, and governments can find ways of censoring Web content.

8 This raises the broad question of quite how different cyberculture is from other cultural media. That it is different to some degree is undeniable. It does provide opportunities for individuals and groups to engage in cultural exploration in a relatively unconstrained way. Cyberculture is by no means immune, however, from the social processes of manipulation, domination, and commercialisation that operate in society at large and shape culture in general.

GLOSSARY:
censor (v) – to remove parts of a book, film, etc. that are considered to be offensive, immoral, or a political threat
constraint (n) – a thing that limits or restricts something
converge (v) – to move towards each other and meet at a point
elite (n) – a group of people in a society, etc. who are powerful and have a lot of influence
predominantly (adv) – mostly, mainly

Task 5: Authors' Stance

Decide which of the following statements represents the authors’ stance in Text 2.

Cyberculture is unlike other cultures and gives its users freedom. Cyberculture allows a certain degree of freedom, but with certain limits. Cyberculture is broadly similar to other cultures because it greatly limits users’ freedom.

Task 5: Identifying Main Ideas

Note down the main ideas and supporting evidence for paragraphs 3–8 of Text 2. Use your own words where possible.

Paragraph 3:

Paragraph 4:

Paragraph 5:

Paragraph 6:

Paragraph 7:

Paragraph 8:

Model Answers

Para	Main Idea	Supporting Evidence
3	People on the internet can become free	People can develop parts of themselves; virtual world becomes more real than 'real world'.
4	Cyberculture has grown, but has limitations	It has similar constraints to the real world; celebration moderated by awareness of limits.
5	Inequalities exist in the internet world, just like in the real world	A digital divide is developing – possibly racial, with white male users dominating (male frontier culture).
6	Technical elites have led to ‘technical spiral’	Users cannot easily operate according to own values, as they depend on technical tools controlled by elite.
7	Commercial + political pressures exist too	Pop-up advertising; governments can censor web content.
8	Cyberculture certainly somewhat different to other media + is relatively less constrained	Social processes (e.g. commercialization) work in both real + virtual worlds.

Task 6: Critical Thinking

Look at the specific sentences in the text (or click Show Hint to find them) and answer the questions. Then identify the specific word that dictates the meaning.

1. Refer to Paragraph 2, Sentence 1. Do the authors think that cyberculture is really free of the usual constraints?

Yes No

Which word helps you answer?

2. Refer to Paragraph 6. Are the authors certain that cyberculture is controlled by a technical elite?

Yes No

Which word helps you answer?

3. Refer to Paragraph 7. Do the authors think the presence of advertising is a good thing on balance?

Yes No

Which word helps you answer?

1. No. Word: apparently (minimizes the message).

2. No. Word: arguably (suggests it is open to debate).

3. No. Word: blatantly (maximizes the message - implies it is obvious/shameless).

Academic Language Focus: Expressing Stance – Adverbs

An author or speaker’s opinion, attitude, or evaluation of something is known as stance. Text 2 contains a number of words which express the authors’ stance. In this text, most are adverbs.

1. Adverbs which modify (add to or change the meaning of) another word, e.g. an adjective:

a new medium for culture, generally labelled cyberculture
made possible a culture apparently free of many of the constraints
commercial pressures are blatantly present
to engage in cultural exploration in a relatively unconstrained way

2. Adverbs which add a new meaning to the whole sentence or part of a sentence:

Indeed, Sherry Turkle (1997) argues that …
Arguably, a ‘technocomplex spiral’ has brought about control …
Cyberculture is by no means immune, however, from the social processes of manipulation

Both types of adverb can maximize (strengthen) or minimize (weaken/soften) the message.

Task 7: Expressing Stance

Select the two most appropriate adverbs to complete each sentence.

1. Increased choice of television programmes has _____ resulted in loss of quality.

indeed

fortunately

arguably

2. The impact of playing electronic games is _____ beneficial in increasing brainpower in children.

possibly

perhaps

overall

3. _____, younger readers prefer digital to print media.

Generally

Apparently

Blatantly

4. Identity theft has _____ increased since 2012.

relatively

certainly

unfortunately

5. _____, the most effective advertisements are pop-ups, as these attract attention immediately.

Mistakenly

Arguably

Overall

6. The use of e-media for reading classic books is _____ widespread among older consumers.

surprisingly

mainly

relatively