The Internet

It will never tell a lie...

For many, and most of it is opinion-based, we grew up in a “golden age of X” where something we were into just hooked us in the right way and we became fans for life. This can apply to anything from video games, comic books, movies to even music and television. For a time, this was good...and then we had this thing come out called the internet and it has been a big mistake for our society and we have not forgiven its invention.

So that last sentence was a joke, well kind of a joke but it’s also kind of true isn’t it? Think about some of the most toxic things in your life. I’ll wager one of them involves the internet, maybe even more than one depending on the situation. Today we all actively ask if the internet or anything else with it is too much of a good thing. The answer is kind of simple but also complex, it is good for a lot of good reasons but it is also much like a 2 headed coin bad.

Usually, when we are on the internet we are looking for something to kill time or maybe satisfy an intellectual interest or passion we have for a franchisee or even a movie or song. That leads us to find groups of like-minded people, be it social media or another platoon. It’s at this point I think of the song “Liar” by Rollins Band, the song starts soft and relaxing the singer Henry Rollins talks about how the person feels and how they are isolated and alone, until they meet him, and everything they say he agrees with and you slowly let your defenses down. We’ll circle back to this in a bit alright trust me I’m working towards something.

That first interaction with a group or fandom is honestly true, when you first find people who have interests like your own you do feel a sense of belonging, and hey that’s an addictive feeling, you feel for the first time cause maybe you know some deep cut thing none of your friends do but they do it...well hell it makes you feel perhaps a little more full of yourself? Maybe not, but if it does not at least it makes the group sink its grip into you more.

Now, there is where the 2 headed coin comes into play, on the one side it can look very good, and you think maybe just maybe I can let my hair down a bit and become part of this community. The question is, did you notice on the other side of the 2 headed coin that little scruff or scrape? Did you perhaps see the opinion you had while agreeing with some part, maybe a larger part than you think looks down on you because you have that opinion. Or the opinion is considered so obscure that it makes you feel like you are a smarter more knowledgeable person on this topic at large? You grow a sense of entitlement and you take your place among the elite…

Let us flashback to that song earlier, did you watch the link? Did you see him running from the “real” world to the other side? This for me kind of sums up a lot of groups online, at first and if you are aware of the other side it can be a great thing. However when you dig into the deeper perhaps underside of the group you find something a little more...unsettling, suddenly those people are taking topic X way too seriously. Or the opinion is not based on anything factual or even with a hint of logic it is an opinion and that is the law of this person or group and you accept it as fact.

That is the good and bad of the internet these days, I know I just spent the last page and a half outright shitting on it. However, I have to admit I’ve gained a lot from it. I’ve met people I would have never met if I just did not hop online and hell I met my wife this way. It has opened my mind up to things I would have never thought of and in a way challenged me to do better. If I wanna do something, in a lot of ways I can honestly just do it, whereas in the past you had to come up a rung and you had to pay dues and maybe if the stars align and you meet the right person or people, you’ll hit the next level and your dreams will come true. That is still the case but the avenues opened up are massive by comparison to one ladder. If I wanna just put something out there, I can and if I promote, pass the word along, or even again right hands in right people it can take off for the world to see.

The thing is, the internet can also isolate you, it can reinforce bad ideas you may have thought in another situation or perhaps a group of people. You’d of dropped and continued nothing more than an odd thought. The thing is, wrong groups can make those things fester, and take root and now suddenly something is inferior because a fictional female character's ass isn’t shapely in one shot of a trailer from an upcoming show and therefore it is now inferior to the other in every way possible. By the way, expect that to come up when we come back from hiatus on the podcast...that is irking me more and more when I think about it.

That isolation can lead to some bad things as we have no doubt seen, people will feel alone and be drawn to like-minded people, where normally this could be good that small group builds walls and now people get some very disturbing ideas that can result into harm unto themselves or others. Or just that the person’s opinions are irrelevant and stupid cause this group thinks theirs is right? In a lot of ways, the internet has reinforced some of the more childish nature of us as a society. Timmy says his dad can kick my dad’s ass can today be considered my person in government can kick your person’s ass in a fist fight. While yes the idea of a senator or even a leader of a country walking out with a steel chair to do damage is funny (hell I used it for an image on this site). It’s the insanity of it that works, it isn’t funny when it happens to everyone...that should be cause for concern and or even yes dismissal from office.

We need to grow up, I know people like saying “I can’t adult today” but well I’m gonna be honest with you: I enjoy being an adult, we were kids and hey I had fun, and yes I still indulge in childish things from collecting toys to reading comic books and yes even playing video games. I am not saying stop doing that stuff. BUT, what I am saying is you become an adult it is assumed you live in a society, and you will contribute. If you find let’s say, I don't know a copy of a lost “Doctor Who” serial that many would love to see, perhaps consider it as a benefit to others giving it back to the world, maybe work out a deal to get a copy or something for your collection. That is a fair request in my mind, but if you are holding onto something maybe it is better to share it with your group or world?

Honestly, most people in possession of those may not feel the same way, it’s now theirs like Smeagol in “The Lord of the Ring” It is their precious, and they do not feel that others are worthy, or probably more likely they are holding it for value and eventual cash in to never work again or something. Apply this scenario to a lot of places, and yes even in real life you’d be amazed how it is not a good thing when you start thinking about it.

Others always talk of a bygone era, where things were simpler, granted most of those are thinking of a time when women, people of color, or gender orientation was not discussed and looked at as weird. That is not a time I want to see back, if anything more inclusion is a better thing, but we can also go back to a time when we had to grow up at times and even accept that hey bills come before a nice little trinket we want. Instead of sitting at home playing games with friends at times go to their house or even city and hanging out in person with them. A lot of people say when it comes to people who are on the internet that streaming, and playing games what have you is childish, and you need to focus on more important things. To that, I have a simple counter

Can you do the following?

1. Pay your bills and provide a living for yourself others or pets.

Can you do this, okay cool we’re square have fun play with that thing you like, or do what makes you happy. However, one other thing, let’s just say something happens the internet goes down and you now can function without it. There was a time when we didn’t have it, and well we went outside and did things or got something to eat or went to places. You can still do those things.

The point is, while the internet is great and it is in a lot of ways a good resource and even for some a way for us to interact, it is not everything and it can also warp and distort views of things. But it also has made us act like children in a world where now children are making decisions on things, and we’re seeing some of those choices affecting us in ways that are...well just not good. With that in mind ladies and gentlemen of the internet….

...It’s time to grow up…

Thanks for checking out this post of The Desk of chaos, I know it has been a bit since I posted but life happens ya know? If you liked what you read consider subscribing so you can get emails of posts

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