Cotton candy.
Cotton Candy. A piece of enticing sugar momentarily satisfying your tongue but never really giving you the nutritional values you need.
This is what has been running through my head as I read Text Without Context by Michiko Kakutani in his New York Times article. (I was listening to Katy Perry too) I constantly nod in agreement to almost every point he makes. I grin as I read situations where I myself usually get into. Indeed reading his article made me think. He makes so much sense, I thought. But somehow I don’t feel the same kind of gloom he has for Web 2.0, I feel some kind of bother-it ignited a rebellious spark inside me.
Mediocrity is the enemy. According to the article, the ideas and information we get nowadays from the Internet are said to be second-rate, mediocre or lackluster-no formal and depth research about a particular subject matter. It can be written by anyone; any first-hand information we find online. It can be so convincing that we deem it to be true. This happens to us all the time. The article says we have jeopardized online information. We have “pasted-together” inferior quality content that we, Internet users, feast upon today thinking that these are what matters-- the essential information.
It reiterated the "instant" (snap snap!) mentality of the 21st century. Sacrificing the content of the carefully and intellectually written works for the speedy up-do-date substandard offers the Internet gives us.
Everything moves at a blistering phase nowadays. Not so long ago, we wait for the television to give us the news; today, at the very instant, we get the information we want thanks to social-networking sites like Twitter. I myself do not watch that much television anymore. I get all I know from the Internet. There was this one time when I turned on the TV and all that I saw was what the internet told me days earlier. I already know these things I thought.
The article also mentions that in the world of WRU, ROTFLMAO, LOLJK andWTFs, there is less and less civil discourse going on. There are no intellectual discussions about the things that really matter. What we have now is a culture of chat rooms, anonymous chatting sites and online groups discussing common and sometimes conflicting interests from people of different ages around the world. We have discussion threads that enable different opinions and various sides to be heard. We not only have third opinion but fourth, fifth, six and so on. Now let me ask, where’s the "less civil discourse" in that? It got me thinking, what do we call these discourse we have online nowadays, a barbaric one?
Freedom and Power. If by sitting on that chair hitting those letters on the laptop creating input for the Internet doesn’t make you powerful, then think again. I think these advantages are what an Internet newbie underestimate. An undying quote that we hear over and over (and over) says that with "great power comes with great responsibility." I think this should be applied to the Internet.
If not for the users (you and me) of the Internet and World Wide Web, these tools would be nothing. We are the power behind the Internet. It should not be the other way around. If we let over sensationalism, gutter press, and cotton candy mechanism run over the Internet, then we are in deep trouble.
I think the Intellectual Elite would fear the Internet for one very essential factor: the Internet is an equalizer. It is an equal playing ground for anyone with access to it.
Everyone has a chance to participate.
Everyone has a chance to share.
Everyone in the world.
We must make use of this advantage. To inspire people. To let people get into working.
This is one great challenge for the established people above the constructed hierarchy of the social world. It is theirs to ponder, How will we get into this pseudo-world that kids dwell most of their time upon these days? I think they are asking the wrong question right there. I think the appropriate query should be: How can these brilliant people bring back the true essence of the Internet? The Internet—--significant ideas shared among people that matter, you and me. Sharing ideas and information among peers. Making these ideas interact with other ideas and form offspring, which is another ideas.
The youth must be alerted! The youth of today has so much potential in bringing the Internet and the World Wide Web into good use. What we need is Internet education— that can lead the proper use of it. The image below shows you the State of the Internet. Take note how the youth takes over the Internet!
What the article lack is the answer to the posed problems in the Internet and Web 2.0. It presented a dark and pessimistic perspective of the Internet (and of its users, in effect). I see the answer to this sad reality is in theyouth and the users of Internet themselves. But I think the youth has more potential since they compose the majority of the Internet nation.
As a teenager myself, I see a lack of awareness of the possibilities I can do. I would confine myself to the comforts of the social networking terrain of the Internet. A usual line-up would compose of unlimited checking of Facebook updates, sending and responding to funny quotations and tweets in twitter and browsing through endless Tumblr posts. I’m quite sure I’m not the only one in the world having the same Internet habit. In behalf of these people, I say what we need is a real-time smack in the head—that light bulb moment when we say, “Wow! That hit me”. I think the youth have some real reality check WebPages to check out. And it is never to late.
“…what the Web 2.0 revolution is really delivering is superficial observations of the world around us rather than deep analysis, shrill opinion rather than considered judgment.” –Andrew Keen,“The Cult of the Amateur”
Yes. They may be superficial but they are still observations. By superficial I think Mr. Keen refers to it as shallow and cursory observations. I say, “at least these people voice out what they think”. The generation we have now is one that speaks out—even the shy and meek and the unsocial. I take pride to be part of this generation. The Internet is indeed the Great Leveler.
We should not discriminate the opinions of people neither do we have the right to do so. The Internet is not just limited to the intellectual elite but it is also for the many who are just getting started and those who lack general awareness. Tim Burners Lee gave the World Wide Web for free. He didn’t come up with a manual saying it was only for the learned and the affluent. It was for everyone who has an Internet connection—which by today is increasing everyday.
What Web 2.0 needs is a reality check on the information they get and send off. We must not condemn this new age Web 2.0 but rather improve it. Let's remind ourselves that we do not need to burn the house to roast the pig. The answer to this "Internet content quality" decline is that we should get smarter. We should outwit these kinds of content.
We are smarter than we think we are.
We have to be reminded that they are in a wide social circle and what we put up online contributes to this mass social circle. We must be constantly reminded that the Internet is not Neverland. We are not free from responsibility in the online world. Produsers have to be instilled the responsibility. Once this happens, then we are on the right track my friend.
We have to be instilled the feeling that we are indeed significant in this large arena of the web. Some people might think, “Hey I’m anonymous, I can do whatever I want and get away with it”. These kinds of people must be reminded of their responsibility. And what if they don’t listen? Well we’ll just have to wait for it until they do. With enough motivation and persuasion, it can happen. We can start off by ourselves. Spread the word around.
Responsibility. Spread awareness about the consequences of irresponsibility in the use of Internet. The youth has so much potential in them. We just have to instill in them this potential. They need to get inspired. Deep analysis and considered judgment must have its prerequisites too you know. Where else but from superficial observations and shrill opinion. Let the "cult of the amateur" mature and you’ll be enthralled by the wonder it brings.
This Internet we have. It’s not all cotton candy after all.
The World Wide Web isn’t a utopian world. We must accept that fact.
But I guess that’s just the way the world let’s us battle away the evils of complacency.
FOR THE FULL TEXT WITH PHOTOS,
You can access my webpage at: http://marjisthinking.freewebpages.org/sample7%201.html
Wow Marji. I can feel your passion. Good on ya!
ReplyDeleteI think we are entering an age where exploration and fluidity of all concepts and constructs are beginning to be accepted. But there are some who take it upon themselves to place some kind of, well, road markings, if you will, in an attempt to keep things "orderly." And you really can't blame them for doing so -- most everyone born before you is coming from a different paradigm, and just like each generation before it, they have to come to terms with the changes. The thing is, they never thought such revolutionary and evolutionary events could happen in their lifetimes. Honestly, it's mind blowing.
In a way their circumspection helps. It helps us make sense of the "blistering pace" you described. It's a hand-holding trek through the waves of information and technology. It's a contribution to the pluralist thought and discussions; it's a critique of how we're living our lives today compared to about 20 years ago.
But yes, like everything that's written, it should be taken with a grain of salt. We should be careful that this doesn't dictate how everyone should see the internet (and I don't think it will). I like that you see it as a great tool, and yes I totally agree that we need new kinds of literacies. The question, however is, how do we get from here to there? Too much control and we end up where we were prior -- passive audiences. There has to be a balance, a middle path. And that's why we're here.