‘No Man is an Island’

No man is an island entire of itself; every man 

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; 

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe 

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as 

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 

own were; any man’s death diminishes me, 

because I am involved in mankind. 

And therefore never send to know for whom 

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. 

FREE WRITE PROMPT/QUESTIONS 

Is the message of Donne’s poem still relevant? Do you agree or disagree with the theme/message of this poem? How does it apply to your life? To modern society? How does the message of Donne’s poem fit in with the idea of a network and the topics we’ve been discussing?

How do you define the term “connect”/”connections”/”connected”? What different ways can you define this term? How do you think different people think of this concept differently?

Before you really analyze things with your network visual, etc., predict to what extent you think you are influenced by others.  Do you agree with the claim in the book “Connected” that we are influenced up to three relationships away from us in our behavior and daily lives? What are the pros and cons of being influenced by others? Do you consider yourself to be influential to those around you? How do you know?