Reciprocity Culture and Increasing Internet Usage

This graph should illuminate to the listener the extent to which people from both Honor and Non-Honor culture spend time in service to people they are indebted to. In both scenarios those that valued the same thing their culture did were more likely to act  more charitably and thus exhibited more culturally coherent behavior. In our grander discussion, it shows us how when cultures develop stronger polarization they in turn create stricter guidelines in how those from that culture should act. Members than begin exhibiting stronger adherence towards those traits, and because of this, are more likely to spend time helping those who they are indebted to. Considering on average the people who help us and owe favors to tend to be closer friends and culture members, this provides a neat way for cultures to remain strong through interpersonal acts of reciprocity. Adherence to norms creates likelihood to repay favors which in turn creates stronger bonds. If this practice stays strong among the United States respective liberal and conservative cultures, it could be predicted that polarization would only highten.

The increase of internet usage follows the trend of furthering dependence on technology not just for luxury entertainment but communication and basic work functions. We see that during the late 2010's a steady rise in gigabyte usage, with an incredibly massive spike coming up around September 2019, the beginning of the COVID pandemic. While the spike itself might be indicative of a short term problem, the trend that it supports itself on is still quite alarming. If American culture is quickly developing a dependence on internet exposure, then the politization of its various channels is highly likely to maintain turmoil for years to come

Reciprocity Culture and Increasing Internet Usage