"Digitisation really has the profound effect of democratising access," says Prof Stephen Brier of the City University of New York Graduate Center, a historian and co-director of the school's New Media Lab.
"It gives access to people to materials and documents that would previously only be accessible to very few."
These quotes were taken from a BBC article about the documentation of raves and mixes made by DJs, but I think it can be applied to a broader aspect of our generation. Consider social lubrication for our generation, it is largely based upon knowledge you consume. With the digital expanse and widespread access to technology it is now possible to become socially marketable in more innovative ways. Although this does not work exclusively to socioeconomic status or any other forms of identity it can create more dynamic forms of socialization. Social status can be determined through knowledge of the news, music, books, whatever.
Information becomes more widely available but then what is important is what you choose to inform yourself about. We have the potential to become our own Good Will Hunting (slightly less talented, maybe) with everything available on the internet. I find it incredibly interesting to think that an individual can decide what to consume, but it is relevant only if enough people agree. It seems like this is one of the trends that comes with digitization (+1's or like's).
