The Internet Is Evil! WAKE UP!

[Cupz]

Lately I've been getting allot of paranoid thoughts about the internet like that its going to become a prison for our minds very soon.

It started when I noticed how the world reacts to people with no at-all-times-connection to the Internet, as I was when I was moving from Rotterdam to The Hague. Willie and I still needed to reconfigure a couple of things there: a job, a bank, a school and a student loan. I guess I don't have to go into to much detail as you can probably guess how hard it is to do that without internet, in the Netherlands, this day and age, especially for the job thing. Most of the time you will be shown the door, because they'd rather have me use the internet. Especially government instances loooove to kick you out with a webadress.
It feels like if you where to cut yourself off from the Internet, you will need severe detoxing.
The internet has become more mandatory without a clear vision on what will happen in the future.


Then a thought arrived after a discussion with my friend about some peoples job not being anymore useful as a really really old computer. It made me think about the difference between human and computer. There is only one thing a computer can't do and thats think for itself (for now), as well as humans can. Hal9000 is still nowhere to be spotted.
The next step in slavery would be spending your life as a "computer controller" as a brain in a little jar. Whitecoats pay really well though...

Then another thought arrived. The internet is a really good way of keeping people occupied with trivial things. Everything there tries to distract you, everything tries to sell you something, everything wants to buy "who you are" and practical usefulness hasn't truly improved since web1.0.

Spray some brainfarts into some servers, for all the world to see. (28%)
Smell the brainfarts (12%)
Watch porn. (59%)
Anything usefull (1%)

[pianoforte]

i have often felt that it might be a good idea to just get rid of my laptop and instead keep a little notebook with a list of things i 'need' to do online (check email, check twoism, various other little things) and then go to a library or internet cafe once a week to get them all done in an hour.

short of that extreme, though, i've found it helps a lot to not just passively go on the computer when i'm bored or lonely or hungry or whatever. instead, now, i call my friends, play music, go out into nature or do other non-electronic things. that has been extremely nice.

my conclusion: the internet is not inherently evil, use of it just has to be self-controlled. it can be quite nice in moderation (twoism mostly, haha).

just my thoughts though.

edit: not using social networking helps. i have a tumblr, but that's pretty much it. less to just passively stare at. i don't watch porn or do the whole lolcat thing either.

[Techboy]

the internet isnt evil
the internet is just a collection of specifications on how to make bits look like websites
people are evil

[Mexicola]

the internet isnt evil
the internet is just a collection of specifications on how to make bits look like websites
people are evil

Correct.
The use of the word 'evil' is always subjective.

Like so many tools, it's the use of the internet, and the controlling of that usage which can be turned against the majority. But I do also understand the sentiment being proposed. I don't think there can be much doubt that the internet has become a highly convenient means by which to both enthrall and subdue the masses. However, it could also enable many, one day, to become our saving grace. Time will tell.

In the meantime, it's never been harder to step off the grid it would seem.

[jcnporter]

The way I see it, spending time indoors being passively entertained and communicating only indirectly with other people has never really been a good or healthy thing to do a lot of and no matter what the internet becomes, it will never be a good or healthy thing to do a lot of.
And whatever the next stage of the internet is (i'm guessing Google glass-type 'augmented reality'), it has always been extremely rude to be wilfully distracted when in the company of others and hopefully always will be.
While the internet is fantastic, it is not a new paradigm and despite the crap talked in various media, it will not change the fundamentals of life or communication. Industrialisation did not change our need for nature and connection with others and neither will the internet.
If we can manage to see the internet for what it is and keep a perspective on what is healthy and what is respectful to other people then there's no reason that it should be a problem.

[zeitgeist]

I know how you feel Cupz. I worked in IT for the last several years, but I've never had an internet connection at home. It was actually the reason I ended up having to leave that place. They wanted me to be on-call 24/7, but if I got a call at 3am, I would've had to go into work.

Thing is, I love the internet, but I also can hate "it" (or the people on it, or whatever it is). It's not really that I can't afford internet, although it's still pathetically expensive in the US, but I value my time away from computers gigantically. I feel like if I were able to come here or anywhere else online at anytime, I would have a large potential of becoming a hardcore potato. The ADD is strong with this one.

Even my friends give my girlfriend and I shit for not having access at home--we don't even have a TV. I guess my problem is equally as much with the tech as it is with how I know how I would indulge in it profusely if I were able.

I get an uneasy feeling.

[Cupz]

I don't fear twoism as there usually is little going on. That said, you could see my whole growing up into an adult reading my posts chronically, if you where pathetic enough to bother, as I've been here for so long.

I fear Facebook 2.0, actually facebook or something new, where they take this socialcloudthing shit next level and hook it to your social security (or whatever), maybe even making them mandatory or generating a profile at birth unless you specifically specify otherwise in a form made out of 20 pages (3 copies, autographing every page).

I don't see anyone bothered about it. Nobody cares. It is going to happen. This is how human evolution will proceed. Cyborgman shows and tells about all he does everyday.

[FernieCanto]

the internet isnt evil
the internet is just a collection of specifications on how to make bits look like websites
people are evil

Yep, that is basically it.

I mean, it's not like I want to diminish or discredit the concerns with what the Internet will become or what it will turn us into, but sometimes the concern just turns into plain fearmongering. And the exact same thing has happened with TV, and other things in the past as well. In the end, society always finds a way to adapt itself to things. TV hasn't killed cinemas, social life, art, communication and human interaction. Mostly, it forced people to find new ways of doing old things.

I do think that the "social network" thing is becoming a bit too much, but part of me still hopes that this is mostly a fad. It's a new toy for people to play with, and eventually, they'll get tired of it. Sharing everything will eventually become boring, new things will emerge, and society will carry on. Call me overly-optimistic, but I'm not ready to sound the alarms yet.

[Ender]

I fear Facebook 2.0, actually facebook or something new, where they take this socialcloudthing shit next level and hook it to your social security (or whatever), maybe even making them mandatory or generating a profile at birth unless you specifically specify otherwise in a form made out of 20 pages (3 copies, autographing every page).

Reminds me a bit of how Google is forcing everyone with youtube accounts to have Google+ accounts and use their real names. For now, they allow you to undo it after the forced Google+ account creation, but who knows for how long.

Also how twitter now mainly shows your real name, if you specify one, instead of your twitter nickname (although it's been that way for a while now).

Seriously, what is this shit with forcing people to use their real names?

[jcnporter]

I mean, it's not like I want to diminish or discredit the concerns with what the Internet will become or what it will turn us into, but sometimes the concern just turns into plain fearmongering. And the exact same thing has happened with TV, and other things in the past as well. In the end, society always finds a way to adapt itself to things. TV hasn't killed cinemas, social life, art, communication and human interaction. Mostly, it forced people to find new ways of doing old things.

I get what you're saying, however I'd recommend reading 'Amusing Ourselves to Death' by Neil Postman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death

They were kind of right about TV.

[Cupz]

I'd recommend reading 'Amusing Ourselves to Death' by Neil Postman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death

They were kind of right about TV.

Looks like an interesting read. DL'd and reading

[Mexicola]

I fear Facebook 2.0, actually facebook or something new, where they take this socialcloudthing shit next level and hook it to your social security (or whatever), maybe even making them mandatory or generating a profile at birth unless you specifically specify otherwise in a form made out of 20 pages (3 copies, autographing every page).

Reminds me a bit of how Google is forcing everyone with youtube accounts to have Google+ accounts and use their real names. For now, they allow you to undo it after the forced Google+ account creation, but who knows for how long.

Also how twitter now mainly shows your real name, if you specify one, instead of your twitter nickname (although it's been that way for a while now).

Seriously, what is this shit with forcing people to use their real names?

Ha! Been ignoring THAT request for over a year now. Every time I get 'We'll ask you again later.'.

Yeah? Good luck with that - you keep asking YouTube/Google, and I'll keep saying fuck off.

[Techboy]

Also read Big Babies by Bywater.
There is a good reason for Google wanting you to use your real name on YouTube - because it's notoriously got the worst comments section on the entire internet barring 4chan and not much else. It's too "mainstream" for its users to be trusted with anonymity. At least on forums there is moderation.
I don't agree with it, I just understand it.

[naicob]

the internet isnt evil
the internet is just a collection of specifications on how to make bits look like websites
people are evil

People are evil, but the internet allows them to be even more evil. At one time in the not too distant past the evil of Gangnam Style would have only been suffered by one tribe. Today the entire planet is exposed.

There is human evil, and then there is internet human evil.

[saturdayindex]

The internet is a HUGE force for evil. It's a straight, no-corners-cut ticket to Hive Mind and the death of the Individual.

Ralph Waldo Emerson would HATE the internet.

I've been tripping around Thailand for just over a week, with very little internet access, and my mind has expanded tremendously... I've really been getting back in touch with myself.

[OverTheHorizonRadar]

I always recommend Network, one of my fave movies ever. Still applicable today.

These days I try to limit my internet use to language study and the occasional odd task, like this post.

[Headphase]

Something that annoys me about the internet is that EVERYONE is on it.

And with everyone on the internet, that means all the jackasses of the world are on the internet as well

[pianoforte]

And with everyone on the internet, that means all the jackasses of the world are on the internet as well

[pianoforte]

but honestly, if you really want to say 'fuck you' to the governments and corporate interests monitoring your internet usage, delete your social networking accounts and connect with your friends in real life instead. it is a much more satisfying experience to have an irl conversation with someone vs. a chat over instant messaging, let me tell you.

[Techboy]

http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/5/50680 ... al-network
I think it is officially time to start a new internet.