Unit 2: Understanding Local Networks

Lesson 2.1

The Concept of Network and Local Networks

Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Let’s Connect 3

Discover 4
The Concept of Network 4
Networks and the Self 4
Local Networks 5
The Family 5
The Community 6
Trends and Networks 8

Wrap-Up 10

Try This! 11

Challenge Yourself 12

Reflect on This 13

Photo Credits 14

Bibliography 14

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Unit 2: Understanding Local Networks

Lesson 2.1

The Concept of Network and Local

Networks

Introduction
According to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, “man is by nature a social animal.” We
build relationships with different people, because of the need to connect and relate with
others. This notion is the foundation of the concept of networks.

Networks are not only important for the creation and propagation of trends. The networks
we belong to play a significant role not only in our movement in society but also in our
individual lives. Likewise, individuals such as yourself are also integral to these networks.

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Unit 2: Understanding Local Networks

For this reason, knowing more about networks is part of the endeavor of understanding
yourself.

This lesson begins with an overview of the concept of networks and local networks, which
will serve as the springboard for understanding the relationship between networks and the
self, and vice versa.

Learning Objectives DepEd Learning Competencies

This lesson serves as an enrichment lesson for the
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following DepEd competency:
following: ● Define strategic analysis and intuitive thinking
(HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-1).
● Define networks and local
● Explain strategic analysis and intuitive
networks. thinking (HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-2).
● Attain facility in strategic analysis
● Identify the role of the self within
(HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-3).
a network. ● Use intuitive thinking in dealing with varied

● Discuss the relationship between activities (HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-4).

● Differentiate key components in strategic
yourself and the members of
analysis and intuitive thinking
your network. (HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-5).

● Elaborate on the importance of
networks for the creation and
progression of trends.
● Examine how the map of social networks can
be used to introduce creative solutions to a
particular problem in a community using
intuitive thinking (HUMSS_MCT12-Ic-e-6).

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Let’s Connect

Tracing My Virtual Network 10 minutes

Choose a social media platform that you frequently use. Think of the names of the people
you have connected with due to common connections with your family or friends. Answer
the questions that follow.

Guide Questions
1. Which social media platform do you use most frequently? How many people are
connected with you through that social media account?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How many people in that social media account have you built connections with
because your family and friends know them? Provide a short description of these
connections (at least two to three sentences).
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are the factors that have helped maintain your connection with the friends of
your friends?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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Discover
The Concept of Network
Networks are all about connections. Two or more entities interrelated with one another is
called a network. Even before we, humans, became inhabitants of this world, networks
already existed among various species. Arguably, the existence of a network is an ongoing
process tied together with the natural order of things and of life.

According to the researcher Itai Himelboim (2017, 3), “a network is a constellation of nodes
connected by links. In many (social) networks, these links are mutual.” Members of a
network maintain relationships in a shared environment where the resources that satisfy
their needs are found. Aside from the need for resources, the connected members of a
network may also communicate to exchange information.

Network link nodes come in different types and forms, thus creating different kinds of
networks. What is referred to as “nodes” in a network can be people (like your teachers and
classmates), other life forms (like fish and other sea creatures), concepts (such as culture and
trends), or institutions (like state universities and the local government). To understand
these dynamics, we need to understand the network to which an individual belongs to.
“Networks vary in terms of their interconnectedness” (Himelboim 2017, 8), so we have to
begin by tracing our personal and social networks and by identifying our role in these
networks.

How do networks enable the progression of trends?

Networks and the Self

As social beings, it is natural for us to relate, communicate, group together, and create ties.
For the French intellectual Bruno Latour (2005, 28), “relating to one group or another is an
ongoing process made up of uncertain, fragile, controversial, and ever-shifting ties.” As one
famous maxim goes, “no man is an island.” It is naturally difficult to live in solitude because,
in the first place, we were born in a world filled with other humans and entities. The

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environment surrounding us is composed of other social beings, who may be available for
us to connect and relate with. To be human is to belong to a social world. Thus, building and
sustaining networks is a corollary to the completion of an individual person’s sense of self.

Local Networks
Local networks are the kinds of networks that extend outside the self. Highlighting that
humans are social beings, there is a need to relate with others as part of ensuring survival.
There are specific networks that people rely on to satisfy some needs and hit certain goals.
Commonly, these connections are found within one’s local networks. The following
discussion will tackle the networks closest to any human in the social world—the family and
the community.

The Family
In his work titled Politics, Aristotle mentioned the importance of a family to a city-state or a
polis. For him, the advancement of city-states from villages to competitive cities begins with
the family. Nation-building depends on the family. By the same token, sociology labels the
family as the basic unit of society.

To describe and explain the necessity of a family, Aristotle considers a number of factors,
such as the lack of self-sufficiency, need for reproduction, fulfillment of basic needs, the
necessity of labor, child-rearing, and worship of the gods. First, considering that no man is
an island, there are things that humans cannot fulfill on their own. However strong-willed a
person may be, at least once in his or her life, the lack of self-sufficiency emerges in some
situations. Thankfully, a family fulfills this need by being a person’s first constant group of
companions in life. When human beings mature, this need for companionship may be
evident in a person’s natural desire and need for reproduction, alongside the ability they
possess for its fulfillment. However, humans, unlike animals, are bound by social norms in
the fulfillment of this need. For instance, society has long believed in the value of marriage
in legitimizing a union and validating the fulfillment of pleasure in the act of reproduction.

The next characteristic, the fulfillment of basic needs, is closely interrelated with the
necessity of labor, which is one of the means to fulfill a family’s needs. It is the duty of a

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parent to provide the basic needs for the members of the family, especially their children.
Providing children with food, shelter, clothing, and education is part of child-rearing. The
parents or the elder members of the household with the capacity to work can help in
fulfilling such basic needs. As for the parents, neglect of these responsibilities may equate
with some serious legal repercussions.

Finally, the members of a household typically commune in the worship of the gods. In the
context of today’s setting, this can be understood as a family’s practice of shared religious
beliefs and practices.

Aristotle’s description of a family may not be perfect, but the concepts he advanced are
foundational to understanding our first network. Before we step out of our homes and build
connections, the members of our family educate and nurture us with deep-rooted
knowledge and experience that we may further use to contribute to the local community we
belong to.

Check Your Progress

Why is the family important in nation-building? Explain your
answer briefly.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

The Community
Moving beyond the self and the family, the network extending outward from the family is
the community. Through it, humans normally create links with their neighbors, friends, and
peers in school or in church, and so on. The community we belong to allows us to join
groups or regroup, thereby expanding our network. With these opportunities, we develop
our personality and sense of self as we meet other people who may influence our outlook
and way of life. The knowledge and traits we have adapted from our family may be
witnessed by other members of the community, and vice versa. Being in a community

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teaches us to have a broader perspective regarding ourselves and others.

Fads, ideologies, and other aspects of culture also spread because of the interactions that
members of a community share with one another. In time, fads may turn into trends. For
instance, in the conservative era of the 1940s when rock music was at its early stages, this
new genre of music was just a fad in some parts of the Western world. It introduced a vibe
that charmed some people through its expressive use of the electric guitar and instruments.
Years later, different rock bands eventually emerged in the spotlight, and since then, rock
music had become a trend. This would not be possible without the unceasing exchanges
happening within the community.

Fig. 2. The rock artists Kurt Cobain from Nirvana (left) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (right)
have been well-known throughout the 1990s until the present.

The Origins and History of Rock Music

Tim Grierson, “The Origins and History of Rock Music,” LiveAbout,
last accessed on November 3, 2020.
https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-rock-music-2898293,

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Trends and Networks

With the human need to group, regroup, and build networks, specific cultures and
ideologies were exchanged without interruptions. In these cases, networks enabled and
expanded the progression of trends. In the absence of networks where various persons are
linked together to share resources and communicate their ideas, trends might not grow and
sustain. In modern times, advancements in technology have facilitated the formation and
strengthening of connections, leading to the fast-paced spread and development of trends.

Fig. 3. People of all ages in different parts of the world can easily engage with their networks
through various online communication platforms.

For example, in 2004, a group of Harvard University sophomores launched a

communication platform for their fellow students in the university—Facebook (then called
thefacebook.com). When the said students used the internet to attempt to enrich the college
experience, it gained immediate attention and became the talk of the town. By now, the use
of Facebook has become a trend. Networks are created or built through Facebook, but the
social media platform is also maintained by these same networks. To this date, at least 2.6
billion people across the globe are active Facebook users.

Why Facebook Suddenly Closed 155 Accounts Targeting the Philippines

Ralph Jennings, “Why Facebook Suddenly Closed 155 Accounts Targeting the
Philippines,” VOA, September 28, 2020,
https://www.voanews.com/silicon-valley-technology/why-facebook-suddenl
y-closed-155-accounts-targeting-philippines.

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In Philippine Context
One of the major reasons why Facebook continues to be a trend or a regular commodity
in the Philippines is because it can be easily accessed by citizens across all socioeconomic
classes. Facebook is widely used in the country for several reasons. First, Facebook can be
used for free in the Philippines, albeit with some limitations. With a stable Internet or
mobile data connection, anyone can use the networking site. Second, the platform is
simple and provides easy-to-avail services. With its simple blue and white layout, you can
get the impression that Facebook is not trying to be too complicated. It is basically for
connecting with people, and it still fulfills its purpose even after several updates.

The youthful Philippine population is also a key factor why Facebook is such a knockout.
Filipino users aged 18 to 24 constitute the highest number of active users on the site.
People of this age are usually more enthusiastic and outgoing, and Facebook’s features
allow them to be expressive.

Filipinos also use Facebook for a variety of functions. Filipinos use Facebook to have fun,
as evidenced by memes circulating on the platform. Filipinos also use social media sites
for corporate matters, such as conducting meetings, joining professional communities,
and other business purposes. Facebook is also used by Filipinos to voice out their
advocacies and even for activism. This is all possible because of Facebook’s convenience
and its ability to conform to the culture of society.

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Wrap-Up
___________________________________________________________________________________________
● A network is composed of two or more entities interrelated with one another. It
is a constellation of nodes connected by links. Networks enable and expand the
progression of trends.
● The self plays an important role in building and sustaining networks.
● Local networks are the kinds of networks that extend outside the self, such as
the family and the community.
● The necessity of a family is based on humans’ lack of self-sufficiency, need for
reproduction, fulfillment of basic needs, necessity of labor, child-rearing,
and worship of the gods.
● The community is a local network that extends beyond the self and the family. It
is important for the emergence of fads and trends.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

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Try This!
A. Fill in the blanks. Fill in the blanks with the missing words to make the statements
correct.

1. Since it is naturally difficult for humans to live in isolation, the famous maxim
says that no man is an __________________.

2. A network is a constellation of nodes connected by __________________.

3. In sociology, the local network called the __________________ is considered the

basic unit of society.

4. The kinds of networks that extend outside the self are called __________________.

5. The Greek philosopher Aristotle thinks that the __________________ is an integral

part of the polis.

B. True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write false.

_______________ 1. Human beings are social animals.

_______________ 2. Local networks can include one’s parents, best friends, and
classmates.

_______________ 3. Networks do not necessarily involve links among entities.

_______________ 4. A person’s basic needs and the need for child-rearing are
fulfilled with one’s peers.

_______________ 5. The self has an important role to play in various networks.

_______________ 6. The “constellation of nodes” that define a network can be in the

form of a teacher-student connection.

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_______________ 7. The community may include one’s schoolmates and

churchmates.

_______________ 8. The knowledge and traits we adopted from our family may be
witnessed by other members of the community.

_______________ 9. Networks have nothing to do with the progress of trends.

_______________ 10. The links that connect a network may involve the flow of
communication and information.

Challenge Yourself
Short-Answer Response. Answer the questions below.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a person’s immersion in local

networks? Discuss at least one example for each.

Advantages Disadvantages

2. How can the community influence an individual or its members? Provide some
examples to support your answer.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify it based on your needs.
Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels

1 2 3 Suggested
Criteria Score
Beginning Proficient Advanced Weight
Proficiency Proficiency

Knowledge of Familiarity with the Familiarity with the Familiarity with the

the topic
topic needs topic is fairly topic is exceptional. ×3
improvement. evident.

Clarity of ideas The presentation of The presentation of The presentation of

ideas is incomplete ideas is good. ideas is exceptional.
presented ×1
and needs
improvement.

Grammar and Grammar and Grammar and Grammar and

structure
sentence structure sentence structure is sentence structure is ×1
needs improvement. good. exceptional.

Total Possible Score 15

Reflect on This
In what ways can you influence your local networks, such as your family and circle of
friends? Elaborate your answer by providing some concrete examples.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Photo Credits
Kurt Cobain by perishperish is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Creative Commons.

File: Red Hot Chili Peppers 2012-07-02 001.jpg is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia
Commons.

Business traveller and airport phones by MattHurst is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via
Creative Commons.

Bibliography
Aristotle. Politics. Translated by Ernest Barker. Revised with an Introduction and Notes by R.
F. Stalley. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

"Facebook Usage in the Philippines: The How's and Why's." Redkite. Last accessed
November 3, 2020. https://redkite.com.ph/facebook-usage-philippines-hows-whys/

Himelboim, Itai. “Social Network Analysis (Social Media).” The International Encyclopedia of
Communication Research Methods 1, no. 1 (August 2017): 1-15.
10.1002/9781118901731.iecrm0236.

Keeley, Brian. Human Capital: How What You Know Shapes Your Life. Paris: OECD Publishing,
2007.

Latour, Bruno. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. New York:

Oxford University Press, 2005.

Latour, Bruno. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. New York:

Oxford University Press, 2005.

Menand, Louis. “The Elvic Oracle: Did Anyone Invent Rock and Roll?” The New Yorker,
November 16, 2015.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/16/the-elvic-oracle.

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Mohsim, Maryam. “10 Facebook Statistics Every Marketer Should Know in 2020”. Oberlo, May
10, 2020.
https://www.oberlo.com.ph/blog/facebook-statistics#:~:text=1.-,How%20Many%20P
eople%20Use%20Facebook%3F,site%20on%20a%20daily%20basis.

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