James Frank, writing in What you see…and the Net Effect, remarks: 

"…the more I studied the future of technology in the online world, the more I learned I had to place it in the context of history, and of how individuals have used their access to telecommunications technology."

     Frank’s point is a major focus of this section. As a whole, this section looks at how people will actually experience using electronic mediums of communication, both as individuals and in communities. Pam Takoyoshi, Neil Postman, and others, have pointed out that just because we have a new technology, or a new way of communicating, does not mean that we will know what to do with it to improve society and human relationships. Overall, we may be inclined to use these technologies to do more harm than good. Or, we may use them to reshape the world into an entirely better place. In any case, nobody seems to be arguing that electronic communications will have no major effects. Some of these effects have already been felt. 

     Neil Postman--who is referred to, in detail, later in this section-- reminds us there are winners and losers with any new technology. Winners and losers have already clearly been identified in association with networked electronic communication, most strikingly in the huge gap between those with computer/Internet access, and those without: the familiar First World/Third World, rich/poor divide.

      However, success and failure in using this technology is not a simple dichotomy. Some individuals and groups will certainly use the technology to their distinct advantage. Others will not use the technology at all--either because they have no access to it, see no need to use it, or discover that using it provides them with little or no advantages they wouldn’t have otherwise had.  Many others will use the technology to some small advantage, according to their purposes and capabilities.   Still, others will witness uncomfortable and detrimental impositions upon their livelihoods and quality of life.  A rising tide never lifts all boats. The changes felt will affect individuals, as well as entire societies.

     In this section, I review the work of Sherry Turkle, who concentrates on what the technology means to us as individuals, uncovering liberatory benefits; Mike Davis, who worries that Turkle may be shortsighted, and Stephen Doheny-Farina, who argues for building local communities with the web. I also provide some background, and a unique parallel to the issues raised by Doheny-Farina, in the work of Jurgen Habermas. 

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