“People look at me, and I dress a little unusually and they think, 'Oh you must be from California.' Of course, people in California think, 'Oh you must be from from Mars,' so, you know, your next-door neighbour is not necessarily the person that you are going to make a connection with.”

American critic, writer, and teacher

Howard Rheingold is an American critic, writer, and teacher known for his work on the cultural, social, and political effects of modern communication media. He has written extensively about the Internet, mobile telephony, and virtual communities. His work focuses on how new forms of communication change public life and social connection. He is especially associated with examining the wider implications of digital media, from online networks to mobile devices and the communities they help create.