William J. Mitchell

In the following viewpoint, William J. Mitchell argues that the Internet encourages a variety of social relationships. He asserts that as individuals become more interested and bonded with each other using electronic media, they inevitably desire more face-to-face meetings. Moreover, according to Mitchell, the locations of Internet connections in coffeehouses and libraries can further social interactions. Mitchell, a professor of architecture and media arts and sciences and the dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, is the author of E-Topia: “Urban Life, Jim—But Not As We Know It,” the source of the following viewpoint.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What are some of the advantages of online meeting places, in Mitchell's opinion?
2. In the author's view, when are "virtual communities...