Ben Agger Questions My Wired World

In my Rhetoric class, we were told to read this chapter from a book about one's virtual self identity. This is a summary of what I read, and to be honest it really made me think. Does the wire world with infosphere really sets us free or is another tactic to keep us restrained? Think about it.


Agger, Ben. "Everday Life in Our Wired World." The Virtual Self: A Contemporary Sociology. 2003. 1-41. Print.

Agger Summary

Ben Agger’s first chapter titled Everyday Life in Our Wired World from his book Virtual Self introduces the concept and background knowledge of sociology and our now wired society. Agger utilizes his life experiences as well as using references from many notable theorists of sociology. With this information, he connects how sociology affects the wired virtual world and in turn how the wired virtual world influences sociology.
He states that society has progress into this postmodern era in which there are no longer just lower, middle, upper classes but in reality, many others are present due to one’s virtual self. These classes are determined of how you are perceived as your virtual self, which Agger refers as a person connected to people from around the world as well as the world in general through a technological way, whether that be with cell phones, the internet, laptops. Agger is a loyal follower of Marxism, as he believes in the idea that society and classes are being exploited through capitalism. Agger recognizes a sociological category determined by capitalism which is everydayness. The everydayness of each person is dramatically different as social classes dominate others with laborers and the wealthy according to Agger’s interpretation of Marx’s ideals. He also mentions the capacity of practical reason, which he states as one’s ability to complete things under uncertain and unpredictable conditions. This is essential if one wants to be successful and in a high class when it comes to everydayness within the wired world. Throughout the chapter, Agger refers to other social movements such as the Women’s Rights Movement and Civil Rights Movement as well as his protest to conflicts throughout history from our capitalist economy to the Vietnam War.
An important question Agger proposes that within our wired world does that help our society by setting us free or does it take us under even more control? He also questions whether or not the advancement of technology makes it easier for our everydayness and maybe break down the extreme social classes to a less extreme definition? Agger predicts that with the wired world people from all insubordinate social classes will be able to use the wired world to unite as a group that would challenge the high society classes and monopoly. Though Agger is a strong opposition towards capitalism, he says that people should not be afraid of technology, which has stemmed from capitalism, as the opportunities it provides for laborers in trying to fight capitalism are perpetual. Throughout this chapter, sociological background was given in depth with commentary and anecdotes from Agger about social movements especially Marxism, in which he favors greatly above capitalism. He introduces the wired world in our society and how it actually creates a new society with potential opportunities for those in lower classes of real world society.