"Network is the Message"

With Castells idea that the "Network is the Message," he is implying that the network, or channel, through which a message is passed can greatly influence the meaning and implication of the message. With the rise of the Internet, individuals were able to communicate at a rapid pace and with several people at one time, which allowed for messages to be communicated quicker and to a great number of individuals. This created an entirely new environment for social interaction, as well as new mediums for messages to be sent. Case and point, blogging.

discussion questions

1. How did people become to trust the Internet as an objective and reliable source so willingly since Castells describes the Internet as being up to the reader to “filter, interpret and use according to his or her own context”? 2. What did the creators of ARPANET initially intend to accomplish with their idea of “changing the world through computer communication”? 3. How does the cyber-communication dynamic change for someone who is a hacker?