I came upon a post on social media from National Public Radio (NPR) that showed a scan of a memo from 20 years ago saying the Internet was coming to NPR. This really got me thinking about the role of the Internet in our lives today and how it can influence where we go from here.
We have adapted to the Internet in a very short time. The Internet is a virtual space rather than a physical one, but that just shows how elastic our minds really are. If we can so readily adapt to changes in our virtual environment, what's stopping us from adapting to changes in our physical environment? The problem is not simply that it is easier to adapt to "virtual" reality than it is to adapt to "actual" reality, but that we feel more in control of the virtual world than the real one. When we connect to the Internet we feel as though we have some level of control over what we put into and what we get out of it. But how is that any different from connection to and control of the real world?
Really it isn't the Internet itself that we have control over; the Internet is controlled by servers (computer systems), system administrators, Web developers/Web masters, Internet service providers (ISPs), and all of the legal regulations surrounding the Internet. We have certain "digital rights" but there are limits to them. Some things are illegal or at least discouraged on the Internet such as piracy and (cyber) bullying. But these things are true in the real world also. In fact, the Internet in many ways is a reflection of the real world. In other ways it is a virtual representation of what the world could be or what we would like it to be. But that sounds a lot like stories and art (written, verbal, visual, audio/visual, etc.) in the real world, doesn't it?
The fact is that no one person has absolute control over the Internet itself or its content. How is that different from the real world? Well, we believe that we have control over the Internet because we see ourselves as "connected" to it. We do connect to it, but only via our devices and their various user interfaces (touch, mouse, keyboard, voice). But we have a direct connection to the real world. There is no proxy between us and reality beyond our own thoughts. Does it not make more sense then that because of this "direct connection" to the real world we have much more potential for "control" over it than we ever thought possible?
What about that word, "control?" Control actually is the idea of setting limits on things. I think a more accurate term for what we desire would be "influence." Influence is the ability of someone or something to affect (or effect) another. What we really crave in life is not a sense of control but a sense of influence--to feel as if our actions have some kind of impact on the world. We have an innate longing to be of some value. People often confuse influence and control and seek to quench their thirst for influence through control. But that does not work because they are entirely different things. Control is the troll guarding the bridge. Influence is crossing the bridge in spite of the troll.
In the real world there are many "bridge trolls," but they are different from "Internet trolls." Internet trolls attempt to exercise influence by provoking a particular (usually negative) response from people. There are some "Internet trolls" in real life as well. My point in all of this is that we want to effect change in the real world but often feel unable to do so for lack of connection. In other words the "bridges of connection" we seek to cross are not simply "guarded by trolls" underneath the bridges but the view them is obscured by trolls. The trolls either come right out and say "You can't do that" or they highlight limitations--particular structures of control--that are designed to prevent us from crossing bridges. Too often we can't see the bridges that connect us because we're distracted by the trolls. If we do not know the bridges are there, how could we cross them?
The cool thing about the Internet--at least for now--is that it is open and lacks extensive controls. There are some general guidelines or "netiquette" and some laws set in place to protect people's rights, but it is open for sharing information and holding discussions. It is very possible that real life bridge trolls will seek to put significant limitations on our access to the Internet by slowing it down (bandwidth), limiting how much we can use it (data caps), and even what we can use it for (censorship). This battle to maintain an open and unlimited Internet (within reason) has been termed "Net Neutrality."
We have the power to determine the paths of our lives and have some influence on the world around us. This power can only be utilized if we know that we have it and have the strength of will and determination to use it. The Internet is a major source of information and inspiration that often is obscured in our daily lives. Popular media rarely highlights ideas and stories that make us think and inspire us into action. If the Internet is limited or censored to favor the status quo, it would be a major blow to the progress of mankind.
If you would like to follow issues of Net Neutrality and assist in keeping the Internet open and free, here is a short list of sites and online petitions dedicated to the cause:
https://www.eff.org
http://www.savetheinternet.com
https://www.aclu.org/net-neutrality
http://act.watchdog.net/petitions/4565?n=68036810.Kd1OLo
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/verizon_netneutrality?referring_akid=a149904420.7748020.V9Gewz&source=conf_email
http://act.freepress.net/sign/internet_FCC_court_decision2/?source=conf
As John Philpot Curran stated over 200 years ago (1790):
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance."
If we are to be free and able to care for ourselves and influence the world positively, we must not allow ourselves to be blindfolded. I feel as if there is some kind of "blindfold" placed over most peoples' hearts and minds by much of society and popular media. People who read and study diverse subjects and ideas generally have better "vision" than others. The same is true for people who travel to unfamiliar lands. Exposure to different ideas and ways of being has a way of "awakening" people to possibilities and inspiring them to action. For people who have limited access to educational materials or cannot travel long distances, the Internet affords them the opportunity to learn and explore when they otherwise could not.
There are plenty of trolls on the Internet and distractions that mimic old style news and media, but there is plenty of real and encouraging information on the Internet if you know where to look. Stay tuned to illumimate for some such Internet treasures in the future!
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