When we think about the word culture various things come to mind. Perhaps the word invokes thoughts of religion, various ethnic groups, or arouses thoughts of what it means to be a part of the corporate world. If culture “involves at least three components: what people think, what they do and the material products the produce,” (Bodley, John H. “An Anthropological Perspective” Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States, and the Global System, 1994) then the internet would embody the artifact that represents American culture best.

Since it’s creation, countless people have relied on the information super highway, to process, sort, and view data. The internet tells us not only what people may be thinking, but often times why they may be thinking it. Want to know more about why an author may be interested in a particular topic, simply look up their webpage, and read their about me page. Need help developing your critical thinking skills, but lack the time to enroll in a traditional class, no problem, just enroll and take one online.

Everyday tasks, which use to take days to perform, are now being done with as little as a click of a button. Have a bill due today, no problem, simply log into your online checking account, select your bill from the bill pay section, and with in a matter of seconds, off your payment goes.

It is a tool that improves efficiency, in banking, in e-mail, maps... To escape the use of the information super highway is almost to escape being American. From schools, to businesses, libraries to internet café’s, the internet is an intrical part of most American’s daily lives. From shaping the type of information we learn to the way we learn it, the internet is by far one of America’s greatest artifacts.