Enlightenment

     I think the public sphere is needed in our society.  People need places they can go to have conversations with people who have opinions that are similar to theirs.  The public sphere is unavoidable.  The saying "birds of a feather flock together" will always be true.  People with similar interests will find time to meet together and discuss among themselves what they please whether it be a book (book clubs), politics, the government, art, and so on.  A book club is a perfect example of the public sphere.  A group of people meet together every so often and discuss a book they are all reading and talk about their feelings toward it and then gossip and so forth. 

    Without the public sphere our society would become disconnected.  The public sphere offers people support for their opinions.  People seek groups for reassurance that they aren't the only one that thinks what they think or feels how they feel or believes what they believe.  In the absence of the public sphere, our society would be less creative and more critical.  People would be less likely to put their ideas out there not knowing how the public will react and having no one to back them up.  We need assurance.

     The public sphere present in our world says that we are all dependent in some way.  We will always care what others think regardless of how laid back we think we are.  We need support and confidence to know that our ideas are like and that others agree with them.  No one wants to feel alone in the world and the public sphere is like the clique you put yourself into in high school.  That clique gives you a sense of belonging and companionship that everyone needs, no matter what age.