Article Review: Challenging the Consensus

This was an interesting critique of Cass Sunstein's article claiming that the internet is destroying democracy. Quite to the contrary, claims Henry Jenkins. The internet gives us another source of information and defies traditional mass media filters.

Jenkins states that we are not insulated or isolated to one medium of communication, and we receive information from a variety of sources. He rebuts the Sunstein's "lack of diversity" argument by stating that people can be members of different groups, which afford them a variety of opinions.

I also enjoyed his example about the "churning" cycle of the internet. When he gave testimony on Columbine High School, Jenkins found his testimony ignored by the mainstream media. Through one e-mail, however, he reached a wider audience - eventually attracting the attention of the mass media - because his e-mail was widely circulated throughout the internet.

Lastly, his point about "para-sites" or websites that pull together a supportive argument from a wide variety of sources seems to support Sunstein's conclusion that internet leads people to draw conclusions to fit their ideology or point of view. Many blogs only pull together all the articles that support their position.

Jenkin's strongest point seems to be his conclusion that the mass media can isolate opinions just like the internet. Mass media broadcasts like the NBC Nightly News pick their stories to broadcast just like the internet.

In sum, I think this was a strong critique of Sunstein's article. Jenkins takes a more practical approach, and makes a stronger argument in my opinion.