Critical reading of The Loneliness of the Interconnected by Charles Seife

From the very beginning Charles Seife lays out the foundation for how information and access to that information has changed over the years, in his article The Loneliness of the Interconnected. While the accessibility to information has changed in numerous ways, the way people interact with information has not. Seife is very critical of the Internet, which he considers to be the fastest way to gain access to information. The main argument the author makes is that people have become so isolated to one idea, or piece of information, that they are not being challenged. The Internet acts as a form of complacency, into which multiple ideas all over the world turn to the extreme and gain mass followings. While Seife’s opinion is made loud and clear, he does so in a mild manner. He lists many examples, both historical and modern to catch the reader’s interest. He intersperses amusing lines in between the examples to create a sense of camaraderie and understanding between the article and reader. Seife uses a few controversial examples yet he directs the focus towards how it relates to his argument versus letting the focus be shifted off topic. As in the case of Dorothy Martin the point was not express disdain or to show how ridiculous her theories were, but instead to show how people shelter themselves with information that has never been challenged. He also creates a strong flow between examples and his argument, and there is little break to distract the reader. Seife appeals to the logical reasoning of his readers, versus an emotional plea. He favors facts instead of personal examples, thus creating a sound argument. The length of the article also plays an important role in aiding Seife’s argument. By implementing a longer piece, he can create sub-arguments to strengthen the original. These sub-arguments give the reader more to consider the truth behind Seife’s words. Because of sound logic and many facts, Seife carries a strong voice. The article holds a fairly neutral tone throughout the entire piece. Its message is simple and concise, which is to encourage readers to challenge their ideas and beliefs more rather than blanket themselves with unchanging idea and information.