Mob-ility: The social psychological foundation of online rabbling

Abstract

This paper develops a theoretical and conceptual system to grasp the interpersonal relationships on the net, which we have named \"mob-ility. \" One of the debates regarding interpersonal relationships on the Internet is that of the nature of virtual community. Some researchers consider the Internet to be the key to restoring the intimate, affective, and primary relationships in \"estranged\" modern life. In contrast, other researchers dismiss this hope and regard the anonymity, fluidity, and electivity as threatening to the community aspect of both virtual reality and real life. This is what we have termed the Community Question of virtual community, as appropriated from urban sociology. We contend that all dichotomized choices are symptoms of the inclination of thinking under the influence of scientific rationality, but miss the ambiguity and ambivalence of the postmodern culture of our era. The theory and concept of \"mob-ility\" attempt to transcend this dilemma and reexplore the Community Question of virtual community with new thinking for us to manifest the characteristics of Taiwanese Internet culture.