Name: How is the Internet changing politics?
Uploaded: 2008-01-28T19:42:00-05:00
Duration: 1 min 25 s
Description: Politics are still shut off from reality, Kottke says.

Politics are still shut off from reality, Kottke says.

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Question: How is the Internet changing personal relationships?

Jason Kottke: Pretty much everyone I know I think I’ve met online first and then got to know them in real life – most people that I know. You know at the same time it’s hard to say whether or not . . . I think it’s kind of too early to say . . . I’ve spent . . . I’ve spent, what, 12 years online now, you know, communicating online; having relationships online; having friendships; and working, communication, all that sort of thing. And even . . . and even so I can’t tell whether that’s a good or bad sort of thing. Like I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now, you know, without the (31:44) Internet as a person. I’m not talking about, like, this job that I’m doing. I’m talking about as a person, I’m much more . . . You know the Internet . . . I was a really shy kid, and the Internet like really allowed me to express myself without fear of being socially awkward in front of somebody. You know that was a big thing for me. And you know that’s been invaluable for me, and I know a lot of other people too. But at the same time, you know, you hear people who say communication on the Internet is not the same as communication in real life. You know a handshake is not the same as an emoticon smiley. You know there’s a personal, human connection, touch thing you get in real life that you don’t online. But I don’t know. I have to say I’ve faired pretty well with that.

Recorded on: 10/9/07