Here is where you can learn why I am on line and what I have been doing for the past decade. I am fortunate to have been a professor of sociology for over two decades – with tenure (i.e., freedom of inquiry and speech!!) That allows me to truly focus on what most interests and inspires me. I was asked to write up the following “Impact Statement” that describes my research and teaching work. After that I guide you through my various haunts here in cyber-space. Hope that you can see that I am serious about the Internet and have been an innovator in this important area.

Bridging the Digital Generation Gap

The Internet represents the most significant technology to impact society in the last decade. The explosion of online communities and virtual social interaction present challenges and opportunities for educators, public officials, and others. My objective over the past decade has been to investigate, analyze and teach how the Internet impacts individuals, families, communities and institutions. Like any innovation, early adopters of the Internet will receive a major competitive advantage over those who are slower to embrace the web world.

Research by the Pew Internet Project and others document a very large disconnect between our young people (who grew up on-line) and their parents from the boomer generation. Social networking – finding information, support, and friends — has always been a major function of communities. The Internet represents a new way to organize communities outside the confines of place-based communities. This is particularly true for the first generation to grow up technologically savvy and constantly connected. Unlike their parents, most young people live, play, and meet up comfortably online — using many forms of media simultaneously.

The Internet will have increasing impacts on all aspects of social life; but there remains substantial disagreement as to the nature and value of these impacts. Media reports on the Internet use have emphasized potential risks and fears. As a result, many adults resist using the Internet, except as part of work. Young people believe the Internet affords a new and different avenue of social interaction that enables them to form relationships that otherwise would not be possible, thereby increasing and enhancing community connectivity.

Powerful social and technological trends have converged and created an entirely new way of engaging the Internet as a set of relatively open social networks or communities. Anyone can now join and even create a staggering variety of online communities. However, as with any revolutionary change, myths and misperceptions are also common — as media focus on the real and potential social problems of social networking sites. Politicians, the media and the scientific community finally realize the important roles of the Internet for online communication, outreach and scholarship.

What Has Been Done

My research, teaching and creative artistry have sought to better understand and bridge the growing gap between people before and after 1980. Research has helped us understand the growing generation gap based around receptivity to the Internet. My early attention to the youth has enabled me to emerge as a lead scholar of the digital divide between the generations. In fact, evidence suggests that I have been uniquely successful in building a reputation where young people seek out and trust my insights and advice. In fact, there still is interest in my teaching which aims to improve our understanding of the relative effectiveness of distance education ; especially for the social sciences.

Given that I want to reach young people, I realized long ago that books or print in general were not an option. I began work on a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed website tribute to the sixties counterculture that today’s progressive youth would find informative and inspirational. The site (www.hiphappy.com) has been online for five years and receives a steady stream of contacts. In many ways, today’s youth are asking many of the same questions their parents did in the sixties. Some want to give service to society — in light of global problems they see. Others want to drop out and live off the corporate grid. One big difference now is that youth suffer from information overload and inadequate critical thinking skills. They have gotten very good at questioning authority and ignoring their parents suspicions. Seems that in some ways, little has changed since the advent of rock music. However, the pace and scope of change are overwhelming. The youth need to have the confidence and capabilities to take leadership for our future.

Impacts so Far

It is difficult to evaluate the actual impacts of web-based research and education. Various metrics are available to track traffic and engagement with others on the social networking site MySpace and my other initiatives. It is now clear that I was one of the first people over 30 to jump into the turbulent waters of the Internet. I began using on-line networking sites almost ten years ago and began monitoring how young activists were using these emerging tools. About five years ago I developed my own peer-reviewed website aimed at documenting the lessons and legacy of the sixties counterculture. This was originally developed at NC State — but moved three years ago to www.hiphappy.com.

I joined MySpace almost three years ago when membership was under 30,000 (it now exceeds 210,000,000). At that time; I was one of the few people over 30 who had ventured into that new domain (and probably the first “professor.” My profile – where I describe myself as a “virtual sociologist” has been viewed almost 40,000 times. For an individual (not band or famous person), I now have an unprecedented number of friends (over 5100) who visit my online classroom for the masses. These friends have left over 5000 comments, indicating higher levels of connection. Have written over 110 blogs that have been “read” over 33,000 times.

In early February of 2008, I launched this blog outside MySpace called “The HipHappy Times.” It is positioned as The Place to Get Hip, High and Happy by Learning, Laughing and Loving; and can be viewed at http://hiphappy.wordpress.com. I am in process of moving some of my best postings over to “The HipHappy Times.” This should allow me to start placing higher on Google searches; which should also facilitate my connections to MSNBC and other places where I hope to be serve as cultural commentator .

Another indicator of impact involves the level of media attention that my work has received. My teaching and Internet-scholarship were featured in four articles during Fall of 2006 (three in the “Technician” and one in “The Independent.” My teaching, research and extension activities have improved societal understanding of the issues and implications of this growing generation gap. This work has enabled me become an acknowledged expert on youth culture, cyber-communities, and the legacy of the sixties social movements. In addition, I also am pushing the frontier of teaching sociology via formal distance education and informal social networking. For more information about my professional work see the page “About Dr. Tom.” For more on my social networking and other informal activities, keep reading and check out my other sites!!

DrHipHappy’s MySpace Profile

I have been active on MySpace for almost three years. Please check out my profile and add me as a friend. I created over 120 BLOGs there and will repost the best on here – with revisions and combinations. You can learn tons about me on my profile!!

Dr Tom’s “Formal” University Profile

I also have an academic website that is for mainly archival purposes. This has most of my publications, academic vita and so on. Most PDFs address the social and environmental implications of agriculture.

HipHappy.Com – Tribute to Sixties Counterculture

Almost five years ago I began work on a site that would summarize and popularize the legacy and lessons of the sixties hippie counterculture. Have not done much work on the latest version but plan to use much of the content in PDF books that will soon be available.

My Profile on Plenty of Fish

I have been successfully meeting amazing women through this great FREE website. It has powerful search features and communication tracking features. It is run by ONE guy out of his Vancouver, BC home. If you are looking to meet people, this is a wonderful pond in which to fish!!