Thursday, November 10, 2005

Back to the PATHOLOGY of CyberCulture

Yes, I am sure some folk think I am odd (in many ways, but let's stick to the subject at hand) that I grouse about Cyberculture, and yet seem to be on line all the time. In defense of myself, I say things like, I use the internet; I don't have to love it to use it, and I do not love it.

The way I described it to a friend the other day (HOPE they are still my friend, but that is currently entirely up to them, I suppose), I described the net as "An Electronic Conveyor Belt for Data."

I know the more commonly used expression is data pipeline or just data pipe, or stream, but if I had to choose from among the others, I'd choose stream. To me, I see the net as something that is constantly moving and allows for many people to access that flow, and once you are close enough to the flow, it is very easy to grab from it. I think the pipe analogy is too restrictive. Yes there are more secure areas, and content, but for the most part, the net is a fairly unrestricted thing.

But the important thing is, it is a THING. It is not a world of its own. It really does not have it's own rules (excepting things like http protocols and other techno-bits.) Yes, it does seem to have the appearance of a special 'culture' but what really is that culture? Is that culture basically limited to a small percentage of hard-core users, who glory in the sociologically-quantifiable patterns and rituals of any other sub (or deviant) group? Or does the mere fact that one uses the net to send email and shop and pay bills, make someone an "insider?" I don't think many will affirm that last one. That is the borderline of arguing from the absurd extreme. But I hope I am getting my point across. At least, I am hoping I am raising the right questions in your mind, dear reader.


But I do confess; once upon a time, I was a newbie, and I was into it severely. I used to love looking for something new, and hopefully interesting, every day. But those days are long gone.

I should have realized (maybe I did, on some level) that the net lost its allure to me, when I started thinking of it as something to KILL TIME with.

Anyway, I was supposed to talk about pathology of CyberCulture. I will do less talking, and some copy/pasting, instead, as I found a good article yesterday, on such.

Well, admittedly, the article/essay confirms some biases I already posess, so accuse me of that inferior method of thinking, if you will. I think the stuff makes objective sense.

But to be fair, I could be wrong. I will not jack the whole article, but will pull a couple insightful bits, and link to the rest of it.


Online Relationships: Functional? Fear & Rejection Abound


"[t]he online relationship world appears to be buffered from the typical relationship definitions that rule relationships in reality. While online we do not believe we are addicted to email, bulletin boards, mailing lists, chats, and so forth. We feel that is typical. Online sexual encounters are just as devastating as those which are in reality because emotions are involved."


* * *

"Overall, out of all of the individuals that I have met online, I really have not remained friends with any of them for long periods of time. Eventually the “addictive” nature of online relationships and friendships with men and women tend to fall short of the true relationships and friendships that you can have with individuals in reality – a relationship with a person that you can see, feel, touch, and yea, even smell.

So what is the solution for these individuals who are addicted to email, chat, and so forth? That remains to be seen, but it will probably take an incident of extreme hurt and pain to make them realize that most of online relationships are basically addictive and hurtful in the end. Very few of them mature into something more than a basic friendship of perhaps a year or two, and seldom do relationships stay in place for longer than 5 years. "

http://www.epinions.com/content_4140736644


Personally, I don't believe I was ever 'addicted' to the email or the text chatting. I have mostly disliked, if not hated that part of being on-line.

However, I have earned my share of emotional scars, from my time on line. But in my case, I think that was more due to what the Internet IS NOT, as opposed to what the Internet REALLY IS.

There is a nuance I was going for, there. Hope you get it. Other than that, that is all I am going to say about it!

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