How the Internet enables intimacy
In her speech “How the Internet enables intimacy”, Stefana Broadbent identifies a new phenomenon in a modern social communications. Nowadays, with progression with modern communications channels such as email, cell phones, social media and instant messages, the communication between the closest friends and relatives penetrates the domains of people’s lives that had previously imposed isolation - schools, hospitals, workplaces, offices and factories. Ms. Broatbent gives this phenomenon a name of “democratization of intimacy”.
Technology revolution in communication channels and emergence of mobile phones, smartphones, instant messengers and social media like Facebook, greater penetration of broadband, 3G and 4G internet enables communication with a greater number of people. But in the same time, people with hundreds of contacts in their friend lists still maintain regular communication with only a few people – their closest relatives and friends they value the most. So, the biggest share of online and mobile communication via modern channels is still occupied with interaction with up to five people. This paradox – maintaining regular communication with a narrow circle of people when there’s access to hundreds and thousands of contacts, - is named “cocooning”, “disengaging from the wide public” by sociologists.
There is another side of this phenomenon. Interaction with the significant ones takes the bulk of a person’s online and mobile communication, and this communication is maintained from everywhere. In earlier stages of society development (industrial society) people at work where isolated from their private lives and, therefore, from communication with friends and relatives. Now, in the era of information, private communication penetrates the domains that previously didn’t allowed it. People use modern instant communication channels to reach their beloved, their friends and family members from offices, workplaces, hospitals, educational institutions – from places that banned private communication previously. Even migration workers, expatriates can maintain communication with their families via Facebook or Skype.
The scale of this phenomenon impresses the modern sociologists – according to Broadbent, 50% of emails at work are private; 75% people use their cell phones for private conversations from work; 100% people use text messaging for private purposes while at work. People benefit the opportunity to be in touch with their families and friends throughout the day and from everywhere in all types of situations.
“Democratization of intimacy” phenomenon concerns various areas of lectures and presentations. It demonstrates the impact of modern media on communication patterns of people; it involves the changes in social stratification (as previously only top classes enjoyed the possibility of merging their professional or business and personal lives, and now this option is available to everybody). This trend also demonstrates the fusion of various areas of people’s social lives – people can be close to their families and friends despite of occupation, workload and geographic location; they are able to maintain the desired work-life balance.
Works Cited
Broadbent, Stefana, How the Internet enables intimacy. TED talks, November, 2009. Web. <https://www.ted.com/talks/stefana_broadbent_how_the_internet_enables_intimacy/transcript?language=en#t-42000 >.
