In modern society, however, commons no longer exist. The role once played by commons is now performed by professional organizations and the critical exchange of ideas in the mass media. These have given birth to a sort of "virtual commons," a self-regulating society that exists outside the sphere of government.
在現代社會，這樣的公共空間不復存在，取而代之的，是以專業社團與民眾參與所形成的批判性輿論開創出的「公共領域」，也是一股別於政府的自主性社會。