Blogosphere? Twitter Sphere? Public Sphere?

In our contemporary culture technological devices are considered the norm and are used increasingly as social platforms to connect friends, family and everyone in between as Sun (2002, pp. 116) notes ‘the size of the mobile population worldwide is increasing’.

The blogosphere is a virtual space not too dissimilar to the public sphere where people can express thoughts, exchange opinions and information although in a much more informal, often non-intellectual, even illiterate manner. It is also an online, Inter(net) connected community whereby people can construct online identities as a means of personal communication.  

The blogosphere extrapolates on what was once conventional in a previous age and applies it to a society much more technology equipped and engaged. It substitutes the public spaces of coffee shops and day to day talking for the easy and accessible world of typing, texting, instant messaging and video chats. The key similarity between the public sphere and blogosphere is that they each inhabit a space that allows people to connect.

The twitter sphere is similar to the blogosphere in that it encompasses another virtual space where people can openly ‘tweet’ their thoughts to be observed and commented on by others. Although I am not an active user myself, the network allows people to get in touch with people who would usually be considered unreachable to everyday users.