There are many books that discuss the harmful effects of cyber distractions upon society and the individual. Such works offer compelling arguments that contribute to the growing skepticism in the general public about our relationships to our machines. Unfortunately, Cal Newport’s Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World is not one of … Read more
Although it may seem that we are more connected than ever on social media, the actual civic involvement of Americans has fallen drastically. It is something that cannot be reduced to some local, ethnic or income-related cause. Rather it affects everyone and is leading to social unrest, polarization and lack of civility. Sociologist Robert Putnam … Read more
There is a social media app popular on campuses nationwide called Yik-Yak. The way it works is that short Twitter-like messages (yaks) can be posted anonymously within a short-radius area. The best yaks are then voted up or down a list by those within a given place. All these short messages, however, disappear into oblivion … Read more
