#socialtheory

Hot take from this week's reading: the internet did NOT completely revolutionise society. I know. Controversial.

Ralph Schroeder's Social Theory after the Internet (2018) basically argues that scholars have been overcomplicating and over-hyping what the internet actually does. Here's the breakdown.

The problem? Most communication theories were built for either mass media (TV, newspapers — one to many) or interpersonal media (phone calls — one to one). The internet does BOTH simultaneously, so old theories just… don't fit anymore (Schroeder, 2018).

Schroeder looks at three big theories and explains why each falls short:

Castells' network theory — ignores how different countries (China, Sweden, Malaysia) have completely different media systems.

Mediatization theory — useful but too vague; doesn't distinguish between politics, culture, and the economy.

Actor-network theory — so focused on individual contexts that you can't generalize anything useful.

Instead, Schroeder (2018) proposes we look at the internet's role across three separate social orders:

🏛️ Politics — the internet lets leaders bypass traditional media gatekeepers (hello, politicians going live on TikTok), but it also fuels populism and disinformation. Dobber et al. (2022) found that micro-targeted political ads online can directly influence how people vote. Scary.

📱 Culture & Everyday Life — Schroeder (2018) calls this "tethered togetherness", we are constantly connected to people and information via our phones. Not revolutionary, just… more intense. The anxiety of leaving your phone at home? That's tethered togetherness.

💰 Economy — big data allows companies to target us with disturbing precision. Every ad that feels like your phone was listening? That's the economic internet at work.

The key takeaway: the internet intensifies existing social patterns, it doesn't replace them. It's a powerful tool shaped by the society it operates in.

References

Dobber, T., Fathaigh, R. Ó., & Borgesius, F. J. Z. (2022). The regulation of online political micro-targeting in Europe. Internet Policy Review, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.14763/2022.1.1614

Schroeder, R. (2018). Social theory after the internet: Media, technology and globalization. UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781787351226

You ever scroll TikTok for "5 minutes" and suddenly it's 2am? Yeah. There's actually a whole field of social theory dedicated to explaining why that happens and what it means for society.

Week 2 lecture introduced us to social theory as a tool to understand how power, behavior, and communities work online. Think of it as the glasses that help you actually see what's going on beneath the surface of your For You Page.

Here are the theorists you genuinely need to know:

Rheingold said online communities create real social bonds, no physical presence needed. Reddit users raising money for strangers? That's his whole point.

Castells argued modern society runs on digital networks, information and power flow through them globally and instantly. One viral tweet can shift a news cycle. That's network society.

Danah Boyd introduced "networked publics", social media spaces that are shaped by the platform's own design. TikTok's algorithm decides what kind of "public" you're even part of (Ojala & Ripatti-Torniainen, 2024).

Henry Jenkins gave us participatory culture, users aren't just consumers, they're creators. Every meme you've remixed? That's participatory culture in action.

Axel Bruns called it produsage, you produce AND consume at the same time. Wikipedia editors and TikTok creators who also doom-scroll. That's all of us (O'Boyle, 2022).

Papacharissi pointed out that online spaces blur public and private life. Posting your 3am thoughts publicly? She predicted that.

Now here's the big question, is social media actually a public sphere where everyone can speak freely? Spoiler: not really. Surveillance, unequal access, and corporate algorithms all get in the way (Staab & Thiel, 2022). Especially in Malaysia, where social media shaped the GE15 election but also spread disinformation (Tapsell, 2023).

Social theory isn't just for textbooks. It explains your entire online life.

References

O'Boyle, N. (2022). Produsers: New media audiences and the paradoxes of participatory culture. In Communication theory for humans (pp. 175–204). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02450-4_7

Ojala, M., & Ripatti-Torniainen, L. (2024). Where is the public of "networked publics"? European Journal of Communication, 39(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/02673231231210207

Staab, P., & Thiel, T. (2022). Social media and the digital structural transformation of the public sphere. Theory, Culture & Society, 39(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/02632764221103527

In today’s fast-paced world, we’re constantly being bombarded with productivity hacks and time management strategies. One of the most popular trends in time management is “Time Detting,” a system that promises to organize our time into neatly defined blocks and help us accomplish more than ever before. It sounds ideal, right? Who wouldn’t want to check off tasks with military precision? But there’s a catch.

Following a rigid system like Time Detting can actually harm us more than help. It puts us under constant pressure to be efficient and productive at all times, turning every minute of the day into a potential failure if we don’t stay on task. This leads to stress, burnout, and a never-ending cycle of “self-imposed obligations.” We’re constantly chasing deadlines and tasks we’ve set for ourselves, leaving little room for rest or flexibility.

It’s no secret that this kind of pressure can erode our mental health. As we stress over completing tasks within a specific time window, we lose sight of what truly matters: our well-being. There’s a reason that therapists and psychologists continue to be busy—more and more people are finding themselves caught in the spiral of over-scheduling and over-committing, all in the name of productivity.

But it’s not just the psychological impact that makes rigid time systems dangerous. It’s the fact that these systems neglect the concept of Chronos time—the time we must adhere to and use to accomplish specific tasks, such as meetings, deadlines, and appointments. Chronos time is the “must-do” time: the strict deadlines that demand our focus. But there’s another type of time that’s often overlooked—the flexible time that lets us get things done without the oppressive pressure of sticking to a fixed, minute-by-minute schedule.

This is where “light” time management comes in. In contrast to rigid systems, flexible time management encourages us to set goals and complete tasks within a reasonable timeframe—whether that’s within a day, a week, or even longer. Rather than stressing about precise deadlines, we allow ourselves some breathing room to approach tasks when we feel ready. It’s about striking a balance between deadlines and flexibility, giving ourselves grace and room to adapt. This type of time management is often dismissed in favor of more rigid, popular systems like Time Detting.

Unfortunately, society’s obsession with productivity often leaves the more flexible systems in the shadows. People tend to think that the more rigid and structured the system, the more successful they’ll be. But in reality, this leads to higher levels of stress and anxiety. We place unnecessary pressure on ourselves, leading to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. The constant need to perform at our highest levels leaves no space for relaxation, creativity, or spontaneous thinking. And without those things, true productivity—and true happiness—becomes unattainable.

So, what’s the solution? The key is to find balance. Recognize that Chronos time is necessary—deadlines must be met, meetings must be attended, and certain tasks must be completed at specific times. But equally important is the flexible time that allows us to do what we need to do without the crushing pressure of being “on the clock” every minute of the day. This approach doesn’t dismiss productivity; rather, it promotes it in a healthier, more sustainable way. After all, no one can be at their best when they’re overwhelmed with stress and constantly feeling like they’ve failed.

By shifting away from rigid time management systems like Time Detting and embracing a more flexible approach, we can allow ourselves to breathe. We can prioritize our mental health, take care of ourselves, and still get things done. It’s time to rethink how we manage our time—not by constraining ourselves with overly strict schedules, but by embracing the natural ebb and flow of work, rest, and creativity.

In Conclusion:

“Productivity is not about cramming every moment with tasks. It’s about working smarter, not harder. When we embrace both Chronos time and flexible time, we can achieve true balance and success—without sacrificing our mental health.”

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In this article by Robert Atkinson, the question at to why bid businesses have gone from American symbols of pride to that of “universal scorn”. Meanwhile, small business remain pure in view. Since being center stage, big businesses had committed “corporate scandals” such as manipulating derivative markets.

The article itself illustrates with its scandal example that big businesses hold a certain power not simply because it owns means of production. There are other factors which small business do not benefit from that cause these large corporations to have a large amount of control and power which connect to Max Weber’s social theory.