Comments on: Recommended reading: A few vital links to share http://ryansholin.com/2009/08/24/recommended-reading-a-few-vital-links-to-share/ The future of news. And more. No funny stuff. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:22:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ryan Sholin http://ryansholin.com/2009/08/24/recommended-reading-a-few-vital-links-to-share/comment-page-1/#comment-16652 Ryan Sholin Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:11:36 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=1637#comment-16652 @Terry - I think television has a great deal more to do with increased polarization of opinion than recent changes in textual communication, but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein" rel="nofollow">Cass Sunstein</a>'s work is always a valuable reference point. In <em>Republic</em>, he worried about homophily in the Internet Age: Birds of a feather flock together, so what's to keep those birds from only hanging out with their own kind online? As we've learned, very little. But, I'm always happy to point out that many of those birds were dormant, sleeping islands with an interest, but no outlet or feedback channel or like-minded individuals in town to get to know, before the first time they logged on to a BBS or AOL or the Web. I believe the good that has come out of that easy connection-making power greatly outweighs the problems that homophily can cause. @Terry – I think television has a great deal more to do with increased polarization of opinion than recent changes in textual communication, but Cass Sunstein‘s work is always a valuable reference point. In Republic, he worried about homophily in the Internet Age: Birds of a feather flock together, so what’s to keep those birds from only hanging out with their own kind online?

As we’ve learned, very little.

But, I’m always happy to point out that many of those birds were dormant, sleeping islands with an interest, but no outlet or feedback channel or like-minded individuals in town to get to know, before the first time they logged on to a BBS or AOL or the Web. I believe the good that has come out of that easy connection-making power greatly outweighs the problems that homophily can cause.

]]> By: Terry Cabrin http://ryansholin.com/2009/08/24/recommended-reading-a-few-vital-links-to-share/comment-page-1/#comment-16648 Terry Cabrin Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:02:30 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=1637#comment-16648 How does the shift in news publishing relate to the growth of polarization of US public opinion? I assume most will just go to sources that validate what we already think... How does the shift in news publishing relate to the growth of polarization of US public opinion? I assume most will just go to sources that validate what we already think…

]]> By: John Robinson http://ryansholin.com/2009/08/24/recommended-reading-a-few-vital-links-to-share/comment-page-1/#comment-16524 John Robinson Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:35:14 +0000 http://ryansholin.com/?p=1637#comment-16524 I have been saying for some time that there is no newspapers. Lump us all together on some topics but hardly on all...and we shouldn't be lumped together on most of the topics in which people refer to us. I have been saying for some time that there is no newspapers. Lump us all together on some topics but hardly on all…and we shouldn’t be lumped together on most of the topics in which people refer to us.

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