Book Review
In the chapter four- Friendship, Democracy and Citizen Journalism, Charles Ess discusses about aspects on online behavior which determine the interactions between people from different geographical, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. As Ess examines, diversity is a natural phenomenon which should be embraced by everyone. The development of technology has promoted online interactions. However, many people have not complied with the principles of online communication. Instead of appropriately using it to promote cohesion, they perceive it as a platform through which they can advance their imperialist ideologies.
In this chapter, Ess displays his literary prowess by producing a very insightful piece which displays how people fail to apply the ethics in the online media. He is right for asserting that many people misbehave a lot and fail to recognize that they have an obligation to conform to the set standards expected of them. Hence, they not only cling to their ethnocentric ideas, but try to force them on other people since they believe that they are special, superior and universally accepted (Baym 147).
I would like to commend this author for writing a very insightful and informative book. Actually, the ideas expressed in this chapter clearly show how the unethical behaviors of people in the online media impacts on the entire society. A part from giving real and relevant examples, Ess goes ahead to include discussion questions at the end of the chapter. This can help the reader in recapitulating the topic and carry out more research to bridge any gap. I recommend it to anyone who is willing to deeply understand more about the ethical issues surrounding cross cultural communication through the digital media.
Discussion Question
- What are the roles of ethics in digital communication?
- Do you believe that the Mohamed cartoon was a sign of ethnocentrism? Why?
Works Cited
Baym, Nancy. Personal Connections in the Digital Age. London: Polity Publishers, 2010. Print.
