What is interesting is that, although it is framed as a war between the elites and Main Street, the Tea Party is actually really good for the elites.
Living as we do in the age of Facebook, we shouldn't be surprised that some countries are starting to imagine themselves more as social networks than as a physical place.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the shift in perception of identity and community in the digital age, where social networks may influence national identity.
In the digital era, exemplified by platforms like Facebook, the concept of community and identity is increasingly shaped by virtual connections rather than geographical boundaries. Freeland suggests that the way nations define themselves is evolving, with social networks becoming a central part of what it means to belong to a country, reflecting a more interconnected and virtual society.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a presentation about the impact of social media on politics, you could say, 'As Chrystia Freeland notes, we're living in an age where nations might see themselves as social networks.'
More from Chrystia Freeland
All quotes βThe irony of the political rise of the plutocrats is that, like Venice's oligarchs, they threaten the system that created them.
All of us can agree that we want government to work as well as possible, and we should all applaud efforts to improve it. But there is no escaping the divisive and essential questions: What is the purpose of the state, and whom does it serve?
In a globalized economy, jobs no longer need a passport, but workers do.
This is the 21st-century paradox: Even as political democracy has become the intellectual default mode for much of the world, the private sector usually trumps the public one when it comes to accommodating consumer choice.
One of the most important political and economic facts of this young century is that capital has been slipping the traces of the nation-state. Business is global; government is national.
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My number one piece of advice is: you should learn how to program.
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Regardless of what the naysayers believe about human interaction and social media, the data show us that the abundance of technology is actually increasing the abundance of happiness all over the world.