posted on Dec, 18 2017 @ 03:24 PM
When I was a kid growing up the fax was the most advanced way of communicating. The television had 2 channels and some foreign ones, the newpapers
actually contained news previously unknown. The first video game I ever played was the first video game ever(for home entertainment), pong. You had no
controller, just a dial. Most fun you can have with 12 pixels, it was awesome.
Thing where a lot simpler back then. Sure, nostalgia and me being a minor then is a factor but life was different. I'm not saying better, just
different. You had to be there and even then your experience may differ.
My first real online interaction was with a chat program called mIRC. It was interesting and exciting to talk to random strangers from around the
world, but I soon learned that people like to pretend for whatever reason. Mostly innocent sometimes sinister but never truthful.
Another thing I learned about the difference between the digital life and the real world involves poker, texas hold'em to be exact. I used to think I
knew everthing there is to learn, which is sort of true because it's easy to learn but difficult to master. So without going too much into the game
of poker, it basically boils down to you trying to tell a story about the hand you have using your playchips. Well turns out this is a lot easier
behind a screen then it is sitting at a table with other people. The amount of non verbal communication is pretty impressive when focussed on.
Just watch
this video with Tom Waits that partly inspired Heath Ledgers Joker, or
this one with Tom Delonge discussing ufos with Rogan.
So in this new age of digital information and communication where do we get our digital credibility? There are some many sources offering a wide
variety of flavours. Flat earthers are rising in numbers, all thanks to the internet. And if you can't find anything you just start one of your own
and pretty soon followers will find you. No longer will you need to learn and understand, you just look it up and accept whatever you find or continue
searching untill you do.
I had high hopes for the digital revolution. I mean I wasn't expecting hive mind borg level, but this is the other extreme end of the scale. I'm not
sure what the answer is but what should be our finest hour is turning into a soap opera.