Digital media have deeply incorporated into our lives. As a phenomenon whose implications have not been analyzed properly yet due to its recent emergence, it offers a vast field for controversy. Some studies focus on the negative effects of new media emphasizing people’s possible addiction, losing touch with reality, and even changes of identity (Frissen; Pavlik). However, there are also "digital optimists" who take a positive stance toward the present and the future of digital technologies, Alison Gopnick and Mike Keefe among them. In this essay, I will dwell on some of the positive aspects of digital media as highlighted in the articles under review, illustrating the points with examples from my own experience. To begin with, digital media is nothing but a new system of abstract signals indispensable for human communication. According to …show more content…
In his article Keefe argues that social media is a powerful tool of enhancing relationships which spring up in offline life (Keefe 433). I can't but agree on this point. For example, when I created a Facebook account and joined several online interest groups, I killed two birds with one stone. On the one hand, the circle of my friends expanded and, on the other, I got access to like-minded people who opened up new horizons for my leisure activities.
Finally, digital media and online learning resources offer new opportunities for professional development and self-education. Constant exploitation of various gadgets considerably improves one’s technical skills, what is essential for effective functioning in contemporary society (Keefe 434). In this respect, I agree with Keefe that the role of digital devices in shaping people's personalities should not be underestimated. In my opinion, the tendency towards blended education where live interaction and online learning merge will continue to grow in popularity in the