The World Wide Web - Cultural Aspects

• creates an experiencial database for ordinary people
  • conversational, often very personal
  • world wide nature of database
  • development of "global mind"
  • perhaps more "homogenization" of cultures
• important viewpoints missing
  • biased towards well funded, computer literate people
  • important socio-economic, cultural , etc. groups not represented
• cultural change via exposure to wide range of peoples and ideas
  • personal ways of thinking from information, links selected
  • personal interests from information, links selected
  • exposing aspects of self to world wide scrutiny
• can create interest coalitions / networks for good or bad