Now, over the years I have seen the internet grow & expand with more people coming online as the cost of computers & the cost of getting online has reduced. To me this has been one of the most if not the most fantastic global human communication achievements of the 20th/21st Century. (i’m not saying there isn’t a downside, more on that further down).
For the first time in our histories, we have truly, global communication in real time. It has allowed the many peoples of this planet, from different cultural backgrounds to speak to one another without Government, Business & Media filtering. If we so desire we the people can make sure it stays that way.
Now as we all know, our conversations & our traipsing around the www , what sites we visit, what conversations we take part in, heck, even who we email are not trackless. Governments worldwide have & are listening & watching what people are doing. Big Corporations are doing the same, they are wanting your data, they want your input & content to make money. Not necessarily for you, but for themselves, definitely. Hence, the growth money wise in social media.
But the internet is a curious thing, its not fixed, whilst many people, simply use well known sites , (I don’t need to mention them by name you know what & who they are), for their social media, news, films, music, etc. The www is bigger, better & more complex than that & as of yet, Governments & Big Business do not & cannot fully control it.
I personally think this is a good thing, if not the best thing about the world wide web. Sure, (heres the bad stuff), there are people out there uploading & spreading horrendous political, religious, ideological, sexual content. It cannot be denied. However, Think of the www as a society, the good actually out weighs the bad.
There are more people uploading, downloading & sharing content that is positive than the few who are not. If that wasn’t the case the www would have collapsed long ago & been an electronic ghetto. Well it isn’t, is it?
There are some who seem to `shout louder than others’ be they Corporations, Government, or individuals. It may seem that they are the `internet’. Have to say in all honesty they are not. Not one Government, not one Corporation, Religion, Media Oligarch, Media outlet, etc has that kind of power. Unless you or I let them think they have.
Therein lies the danger, if the majority of www users, be they those who consume content or upload content allow Govermnents, Big Corporations &/or the latest Guru/Messiah/Prophet to dictate global & local content on the www then it will surely just become a global pacifier, truly then it will be the opium of the masses. Everyone logged in, tuned in & dropped out. Where as at this moment in time we are not simply passive consumers.
So, wtf is this blog entry all about? Is there a conclusion?
Well that’s for you the reader to decide. I’m just making conversation.