Inequality: Can Social Media Resolve Social Divisions?

Danah Boyd, the author of “Inequality: Can Social Media Resolve Social Divisions?” approaches the topic in a couple of different manners.  Primarily, Boyd uses her own experiences to convey the message that the internet will not and is not helping to quell the inequalities which exists across the country, but especially among youth.  Boyd discusses all of the abnormalities or signs of division which she notices while talking with teenagers about their daily lives and more specifically their social media accounts.  All of these informal interviews can be considered Boyd’s fieldwork which is used to ultimately come to her conclusion regarding the topic. 

In order to further strengthen her argument, Boyd goes beyond fieldwork by bringing in outside information.  One of the first instances of this comes when she alludes to the Atlantic Telegraph Company and the resulting assumptions that the telegraph will bridge cultural divides across the world.  These references, which oftentimes include other works of literature strongly support Boyd’s argument by provided a level of authority or proof.  The author becomes much more respected when she brings in outside information to back up her opinions and fieldwork.  For example, she mentions the works of a linguist, psychologist, and a philosopher to strengthen her argument.  The secondary research which Boyd completed not only strengthens her argument, but it also shows a wide variety of approaches to the issue.  Embracing the complexity of the issue through these various opinions of experts, combined with her own fieldwork results in a solid and well-formed article. 

As well-formed as the article is with the fieldwork and secondary research, the article would not be complete or nearly as interesting if Boyd did not personally reflect on her discoveries.  She presents the reader with a strong opinion that we do not live in a postracial society, and that, in fact, segregation and inequality is alive and well in society.  Her opinion is voiced following the discovery of this inequality, first seen with Keke in Los Angeles.  Rather than simply stating facts, Boyd allows the reader to have insight into her thoughts, as seen in a particular statement, “What struck me as I talked with teens about how race and class operated in their communities was their acceptance of norms they understood to be deeply problematic” (303).  Overall, the combinations of personal reflection, fieldwork, and secondary research resulted in a solid and convincing piece of literature.