Umberto Eco and the global village: decoding social media's tribal dynamics

This article begins with Umberto Eco's critique of social media, articulating his concern that these platforms amplify voices unnecessarily, giving public resonance to what was previously confined to informal conversations. The article utilizes Marshall McLuhan’s “global village” metaphor to discuss how digital modernity may represent a return to tribal and undemocratic dynamics, despite the apparent openness and global connectivity. By examining the contrast between the village and the polis, the article highlights how the web can limit, rather than expand, true democratic dialogue and cultural maturation, often confusing the private with the public and the real with the virtual. The author calls for reflection on the need for a "global polis," a virtual society that fosters independence and individual maturation within a globally connected network.