Thread: The 57th Parallel Analyzes: Understanding the Internet

In the event where the internet itself fought against the bills known as SOPA and PIPA, I was impressed to see how a divided but strong community came together to start something I dubbed the “Online Revolution.” If you notice, strong communities are ones with strong universal beliefs that unify one another in a matter of harmony. What is odd is that the internet is not that. It does not contain universal beliefs. The internet itself is not of an origin, it does not contain a universal tribe and most people don’t even interact with one another or if so, only for a few minutes most of the time. Think about that and then think, ” how is the internet still functioning?”

I believe I found the answer to that from extensive thought: Unlabeled Communication. The very mind has compulsive labeling and in a place where anonymous discussion is the most common feature of the internet, the compulsive labeling is broken and it is lead to intellectual thought and reasoning that allows for the labels to occur. An example of that would be the anonymous image board site known as 4chan. Christopher Poole (the founder) wanted people to remain anonymous because he didn’t want people to label others based on their appearance or profile information but have others learn about each other out of discussion where those can understand after a time of discussion to determine whether or not someone is a “newfag” or not.

Is it possible for the internet to unify? Yes. The Online Revolution is an example of that. Over 200 million people went against these two bills in a time where the whole internet community agreed that their world was threatened to lose the very thing that made it powerful. Its ability to communicate. The beauty of the Online Revolution and the internet in unification is that the very internet foundation does not have a leader or a founder. No one can own what is based off of the free mind. This threat from SOPA and PIPA that caused the Revolution is the reason why. Everyone knew that the internet is the epitome of a hive mind of freedom and these bills stirred the hornet’s nest.

Communication in this medium has led to many feats occurring. Occupy Wall Street, Spring Arab Protests, The Online Revolution and indie games such as Minecraft or League of Legends gaining popularity are examples of communication at its best. Communication in a world where governments run best with our mouths shut is what caused these events to occur. It was never a gunshot or an assassination. Far from it. It was the very core of our medium holding to its actions.

Without the internet, the world we know would be in turmoil. People who wouldn’t need to would still suffer, people’s ideas never written, an artist’s work never appreciated. Without the internet’s free communication throughout the very minds of those who follow, we would be censored and those who created said censor would never be stopped. So when I see those who support SOPA and PIPA and such acts of legislation, in which I have seen before, it makes me feel as though a lot of people take the internet for granted without truly harnessing its power and need to remember that our very own use of a keyboard and a forum is something that shouldn’t be held back but embraced to see the power it has produced.

I agree with you 100% about not holding back but embracing the forum. Makes total sense to me.

Up until a few weeks ago I had never heard about SOPA. Then I saw it on Attack of the Show. It was very interesting to here the guy talk about it. I did learn a lot and was brought up to speed quite quickly.

I could not honestly imagine a world without the net. I mean I use it all the time. For work, for fun, for communications. I would be lost without it.