In it, those with nothing of value to contribute to the networks are discarded. In the end, the importance of Castells' work lies not in any one of these observations, but in his ability to show relationships among so many seemingly disparate phenomena. Castells says his own hopes for the work go well beyond scholarly debate. They sense it, but they don't know what it is. For many, many people there is no connection, no understanding, between what happens in their lives and what's happening in the world.
Understanding is the first step to transforming.
Not surprisingly for the author of such a sweeping interdisciplinary work, Castells has attracted critics. Some, like Mitchell Kapor, founder of Electronic Frontier Foundation and Lotus Development Corp., have tried to read Castells but given up. Even some academics find the information trilogy short on synthesis and long on collecting data. Bringing a lot of things together has always been his strength. Whether he weaves them together into a whole is something each reader will have to decide for himself.