»I look at the net as a neighborhood. I want to live in a neighborhood with funky houses, neighbors who greet me on the street and have something to say. Not amidst office sky-disgracers, plastered with useless billboards and littered with forgotten glossy flyers. I want my house to have a warm glow, like people really live there. I have given my... See more

I don’t want to sound too much like the "we should improve society somewhat" meme, because obviously, people are going to talk about being less online...online. Social media remains a key arena for discourse about cultural, technological, and social issues. That said, I want to make two points.

First, being offline has become an aesthetic language... See more

For those who remember a time in the last century when things were less homogenous, and different geographic regions might have their own distinct music scenes or culinary traditions, it’s easy to understand the appeal of an online equivalent to different, connected neighborhoods that each have their own vibe. While this new, more diffuse set of... See more