"Inequality: Can Social Media Resolve Social Divisions?" Inquiry or not

“Inequality: Can Social Media Resolve Social Divisons?” by Danah Boyd illustrates how even with this new and innovative technology that we have today, race is still a huge issue in the United States. Most people argue that the internet connects people around the world, which gives them tools to be more tolerant. This is not the case in today’s society people do not take the opportunity to utilize these tools. Boyd does tons of research interviewing various students to prove this point. That is why I think that this is an inquiry essay, specifically an exploration. Boyd is engulfing himself into the internet culture endlessly observing the social divisions that the youth has made by taking notes and adding some of his own reflection. Analyzing how Myspace and Facebook in particular has created a cultural boundary between young people. Several people that he talked to did not even notice that there was social division, until Boyd pointed it out by looking at the people that they are friends with or their comments. Most of them where from people of the same race or background as them, due to the simple fact that people hang out or talk to people that they share things in common with. Then reflecting to himself that the internet is not the answer to solving this longstanding problem. People are the only thing that can fix this, because we are the ones who make up the daily norms, so we are the only ones that can change it. It is not enough to rely on endless amounts of information to stop racism anymore because most people do not look at it. Instead the internet has amplified the issue by calling people who use one website “ghetto” or “lower class” then another.