The Structural Formation of the Public Sphere - Essay Example

Why is it important for democracy to have an autonomous public sphere? Where is this public sphere to be found in America today? In your opinion, is it autonomous? Jurgen Habermas, in his book The Structural Formation of the Public Sphere, stressed the importance of a public sphere within a society. This public sphere will be the melting pot of different ideas and intellect from the citizens aiming for the welfare of the general public. In this form of communication, crucial public opinions may be formed. Modern democracies should definitely have an autonomous public sphere in the area of mass media. The media as a channel for public participation and as a tool for the carrying out of desired social changes are significant in present-day democratic institutions (Thornton para 1). Participatory democracy through the independent public sphere could be successful if it is carried out with rationality. Political discussions should be devoid of emotions but critical arguments. It is also imperative that the participants will stick to the objective of shelling out the truth. In order to convey only the truth, an autonomous public sphere within a democracy should be able to compromise status discrepancies (Habermas as cited in Lemert 382-383). All participants should stand on an equal ground. In modern democracies, concentration of power and domination is not as close as to being legitimate or publicly acceptable. According to Habermas, the public sphere should be revived so that publicity will not be used as an instrument of manipulation and deceit. It is essential nowadays to maximize public opinions so as to form a logical agreement for the benefit of the majority. Public opinion is powerful in itself. It can serve as a preventive mechanism against the generation of monopolies which are capable of usurping power and control from the general public (Habermas as cited in Kivisto 76-78). The mass media in the United States is the domicile of the nation’s public sphere. The media is a powerful conduit for public discussions. Status and racial differences are thwarted in the printed and broadcast media because of its accessibility to all. Average American citizens are exposed to a variety of media: newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and nowadays the internet. Public opinions are largely affected by the information delivered from the media channels. The consequences of the media to the American public have massive domino effect since it can in turn dictate the formation of power relations and admittance to power. In the modern democratic framework of the American nation, media has the first-hand in manipulating voters’ decisions. The dissemination of public opinion through media sources can resolutely state the result of elections. The mass media have earned its commanding position as a public sphere in modern democracies through profoundly affecting public will of decision makers. (Kellner para 21-23). Nevertheless, the power of the American nation is not anchored on participatory democracy. It is apparent that the most gruesome wars in history were staged by America for the sake of imperialism. By creating global hostilities, America became a great nation. The fact that there still exist an extreme discrepancy between the poor and rich testifies to the reality that there is no genuine participatory democracy in America. Racial discrimination is still present on the streets. Colonialism is still felt to a large extent. America latently exploits the natural resources of other countries until now. America’s democratic constitution is under question because of its ambiguity. Its moral principles seem to be manipulated by the few. American democracy becomes a sphere hostile to the people. The continuous advancing of technology is a challenge to the American nation. It is whether America would be able to use these technologies wisely for the creation of an independent public sphere; a genuine tool that would cater to the needs of the American masses (Students for a Democratic Society as cited in Lemert 352-353). What kinds of organizations exist within this public sphere to promote democratic communication? Search for a website for such an organization and describe briefly the organizations goals and strategies? Communication technologies began to take progressive form nowadays. The mass media not only hosted printed and broadcast sources but also computer and information technologies. Information became more accessible through computer and other entertainment-oriented sources. Media became a more progressive public sphere as new communication networks were established. The consumption of information is in this day and age not limited to the elite, corporations, and government. Citizens are now able to access important public information through communication networks and centers. This universal admittance to essential information will consequently affect the participation of individuals in democratic nations. As the citizenry becomes adequately informed and kept up-to-date with critical occurrences in their society, the more successful the public sphere of the mass media will be. Information technologies could be used either as an advocacy or an opposition against the framework of modern democracies. Nevertheless, communication technology is multi-directional which can link individuals with diverse social, cultural, and political experiences across continents. Individuals are now given the privilege to participate in a public debate or discussion by means of the ingenuous modem. Groups of people who upheld different social views and objectives can now affect public opinion through the web sites, online community bulletin boards, or computer-generate symposiums. Computer data bases hold tons of media sources ranging from newspapers to actual conferences and political hearings. Organizations of environmentalists, peace advocates, feminists, post-modern literalists, and others have setup their own data bases for the intellectual consumption of responsive citizens (Kellner para 35-37). The National Organization for Women in the United States is so far the largest feminist advocacy association in the nation. Evidently, the general objectives of the organization is to promote public participation of women, to break the age-old barriers between the unequal status of the women and the men, and to eliminate discrimination that women are still suffering in the modern period. The organization prides itself as one of the minority of multi-issue progressive society in the advanced industrial nation of the United States. The pioneers and the members of this feminist organization aim to tear down any forms of oppression ranging from racism to the extremes such as gender intolerance and homophobia. Moreover, the organization aspires to tilt the balance of hierarchies. They envision a society wherein the authority and privileges are not concentrated in the hands of the few but to equally scattered all over the social classes. In order to achieve these fervent objectives, the feminist organization will endeavor in the execution of feasible strategies. One is to inform both the general public and the media on the current condition of women’s opportunities; second is to arranged large-scale public rallies and protests consisted of individuals from diverse backgrounds; third is to detest companies that further demean women and “colored people”; fourth is to pass legislations that would endorse equal right for women; fifth is to guide and motivate eligible voters to participate in the public opinion polls; sixth is to enlist more members and feminist representatives in the different political sectors; seventh is to shore up court cases against transgressors of women’s rights; and lastly, to establish alliances with other progressive groups (NOW.org). Just like the National Organization for Women, different interest groups have been empowered by the availability of computer-supervised channels wherein they could lobby for and fight for their visualized ideal future. This is the new public sphere, the innovative information technologies. Works Cited Kivisto, Peter. Key Ideas In Sociology. Thousand Oaks, California, 1999. Kellner, Douglas. " Intellectuals, the New Public Spheres, and Techno-Politics." Education, Technology, and Society (1997). Lemert, Charles. Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 2004. Thornton, Anita. Does Internet Create Democracy? Sydney: University of Technology, 1996. National Organization for Women (NOW). Taking Actions for Womens Equality Since 1996. United States of America, 1995-2008. http://www.now.org/ Read More