Week 3 The Networking of Public Space Comment

The editor of the book Networked Public edited by Kazys Varnellis and contributor writer Anne Friedberg directs our attention on page 16 and 17 to the theorist Jurgen Habermas in his writings of the early 18^th century describes how people gathered in café’s or coffeehouse’s in Europe to discuss the gossip but more importantly the news media of the day. Through distribution of pamphlets which is the vehicle Thomas Paine in the 1760 and 1770s printed himself in his spare time and distributed copies of his famous publication “Common Sense” throughout the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which inspired America’s founding fathers to fight for freedom. Mr. Paine himself would congregate with others in coffeehouses mostly gin mills or pubs and debate the arguments of the times. I mention Paine  as one of many examples that we must look back at history in order to learn how information is acquired and transmitted, during this era information was communicated through the printing of broadsheets—a publishing term for a newspaper printed (wide sheet) and an example is the New York Times. NOTE: Thomas Paine has had an effect on my reading and writing during my undergraduate work at SUNY Sullivan and Empire how the printed word can influence others in open discussions both online classes and social media.

 

I ask the question: How did an 18^th century theorists Jurgen Habermas foresee the future how people would gather in public spaces? Some 300 years later since his writings people converge in coffeehouses around the world and gather in isolation (hyper-individualism) using cell phones and laptop computers. Finally, I’m looking forward further into the 21^st century how people will communicate by electronic means.

 

SIDEBAR: I prefer to speak to others in person either in person or phone.