Rushkoff’s last four chapters are social, fact, openness, and purpose. Rushkoff argues in the social chapter that the contact is important, not the content. We use social media to reach out others not to be categorized and marketed to. If that happens the message is lost. When Rushkoff spoke at our school he made an interesting point about how Facebook is cookie cutter. That no longer are we there to share and make new connections, but rather to represent some shell of who we are. In the eighth chapter Rushkoff says how fact will win against fiction, in digital technology. While he is right that we must tell the truth, people will believe what they want to. The Internet can make any quack, or conspiracy theorist feel right, if not righteous. The openness of the net allows for all opinions which is good yet so often poisonous. Yet Rushkoff is right we must be open, and share not steal. If we wish to create new things we must share, but sometimes the line between sharing and stealing get blurred. For instance, if I make a mash up video showing the stupidity of CNN, Time Warner could sue me. Yet if they were smart the would see their network is ripe for satire. Satire is under the fair use clause but this would not necessarily be allowed. In Rushkoff’s final chapter purpose(programed or be programed). He says “If we don’t learn to program, we risk being programed ourselves.” This means we must learn code, and understand the inner workings of computer, lest we become ignorant and complacent of the technology that surrounds us. If we are not careful we will be rewired instead of the computer.
