The relationship between public and private is progressive and complex. Habermas states in Structural Transformation general themes of public vs. private in relation to politics that can be seen in any given society throughout the world. His overall vision is surmised in a general overview of what constitutes a public sphere. The question to then be asked is how does DailyKos.com apply to Habermas' ideals and does the site truly exhibit a public sphere?
A public sphere should not be curtailed to support any bias. DailyKos.com is subjective and distinctly promotes a leftist point of view explicity on its home page. The website compiles several different opinions that appear to be a news feed interspersed with (opininated) commentary from select authors. Alterations to the site can only be made by an administrator or power user and not the general internet using public. The site opens up at times to allows comments on live feeds where internet users can voice their opinion. These various restrictions destroy the basis of Habermas' ideals for a public sphere. Yes, the public has a chance to comment on feeds, but interaction between people in a public setting are the basis, according to Habermas, and the internet shatters this personal interaction entirely.
If we were to modernize Habermas' words then yes, Dailykos.com is a public sphere in the senese of the internet reaching the masses with the ability to voice their private opinions in a public setting (the internet). But the fact of the matter is that Dailykos.com objectifies what the general public can comment on, limiting opinions and molding them for the best interest of the site. Dailykos.com is a public sphere solely for the fact that it resides on the internet. People are not able to bring about issues without restriction from web administrators etc. thus making Dailykos.com a public sphere that is monitored and moderated to catered interest.
A public sphere should not be curtailed to support any bias. DailyKos.com is subjective and distinctly promotes a leftist point of view explicity on its home page. The website compiles several different opinions that appear to be a news feed interspersed with (opininated) commentary from select authors. Alterations to the site can only be made by an administrator or power user and not the general internet using public. The site opens up at times to allows comments on live feeds where internet users can voice their opinion. These various restrictions destroy the basis of Habermas' ideals for a public sphere. Yes, the public has a chance to comment on feeds, but interaction between people in a public setting are the basis, according to Habermas, and the internet shatters this personal interaction entirely. If we were to modernize Habermas' words then yes, Dailykos.com is a public sphere in the senese of the internet reaching the masses with the ability to voice their private opinions in a public setting (the internet). But the fact of the matter is that Dailykos.com objectifies what the general public can comment on, limiting opinions and molding them for the best interest of the site. Dailykos.com is a public sphere solely for the fact that it resides on the internet. People are not able to bring about issues without restriction from web administrators etc. thus making Dailykos.com a public sphere that is monitored and moderated to catered interest.
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