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THE INTERNET IS ALIVE!
The Internet is:
- NOT an information highway for cruising
- NOT a library for reading
- NOT a game board for playing
- NOT a resort beach for surfing
- NOT a medium for chatting
- NOT a shopping center for buying
The Internet is nothing like a newspaper, magazine, radio, CD,
movie or TV. It can not be compared to anything we know from
previous experience. It is a dynamic, thriving, chaotic, growing,
learning organism. It has:
- A Skeleton
- A Circulatory System
- A Nervous System
- Organs
The whole system may be called:
- A Global Society
THE SKELETON
The skeleton, which supports the Internet, does not consist of the
physical "backbones," wires, cables modems, computers and
other high-tech components. It is the broad overall system for the
communication of ideas. The skeleton is mental.
Upon this skeleton is placed a circulatory system to give the
system life, a nervous system to control its life, and various organs
to make it a useful, living, expansive, global creature.
* The Internet is alive! It's all mental.
THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Like humans, the Internet has pumps to keep it alive. But the
Internet differs from humans in 2 ways:
Humans have 1 pump - the heart. The Internet has millions of
pumps: Each Internet site is a pump.
The human pump PUSHES blood to bring oxygen to organs of the
body. Each Internet pump PULLS people to it with ideas
* The Internet is alive! Ideas are its lifeblood.
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
The nervous system of the Internet is remarkably similar to the
human nervous system, except that it works with people rather
than neurons. The human nervous system consists of billions of
neurons, each receiving signals from other neurons. When the sum
of the signals at a neuron exceeds a certain threshold, it "votes" in
favor of some action. It's like a town-hall meeting: majority rules.
The nervous system of the Internet is composed of people instead
of neurons, each making choices with their browsers and other
software. Here too, majority rules: user actions determine what
happens on the Internet.
* The Internet is alive! People are its masters.
THE ORGANS
Internet organs are intellectual, of course. Because the Internet is
so young, it does not yet have a fully developed set of organs.
Organ development is occurring in phases:
1 - Technological:-
This first phase started in the '60s when ARPANET, the forerunner
of the Internet, was developed by ARPA (Advanced Research
Project Agency) in the Defense Department. This organ was a
means for defense contractors, universities, laboratories and others
involved in defense work to exchange ideas via a network that was
secure. Because it was decentralized and did not have a central
control point, parts of the network could be bombed without
affecting the rest of the network. Research
In the '80s, ARPANET expanded into a full-blown research network
connecting our universities and industrial laboratories. It was
renamed the Internet. This research organ is still powerful today -
though you may not realize it because of the excessive hype of
business boosters.
2 - Business:
This organ began its development in the early '90s. But it did not
grow much until 1995, when the Internet was privatized. Since then
the business organ has been growing like Topsy.
3 - Social, Political, Cultural:
The Internet is not only for
business. Already you find such things
as cancer support groups, art shows, concerts, voting. Many
organs that are now in development, will be just as important, and
perhaps more important than the business organ.
* The Internet is alive! A network for learning.
THE GLOBAL SOCIETY
Not only is the Internet a living organism, it is a living society
comprised of living people. People on the Internet form networks to
make choices and to learn.
1 - People Network
The Internet is not merely a living creature. It's a living society.
Every aspect of its life is caused by people, not machines. The
machines are there only to enhance relationships among people.
Don't be distracted by robots. All of them are servants of people.
The Internet is not a highway for information, but a network for the
flow of ideas, for learning. Everything is mental, not physical.
Everything happens fast, because communication is
instantaneous.
2 - Chaotic Idea Flow
Ideas flow through the Internet in unpredictable ways. Very unlike
TV. On TV, the advertiser does not bother with ideas. He sends
"information" one way - direct to you. On the Internet, all people
may partake in the flow of ideas. As a result ideas on the Internet
may:
BRUSH - One idea doesn't meet another idea, but brushes it
slightly. They may warm each other as a result. Sometimes the
brush enhances further development of one of the ideas.
MERGE - Two ideas, when brought together produce a bigger,
richer idea. They feed on each other and mushroom into something
better
COLLIDE - Ideas may come from opposite directions and bang
into each other to produce sparks. The sparks may lead to brilliant
breakthroughs.
Brush, merge, collide. These are only suggestions of the
possibilities. Serendipity occurs in all places and at all times,
making possibilities infinite. I visit a site and like its format. I copy
it with a little modification, as my own. Someone else visits my site
and makes further changes for her purpose. I send email to a
colleague making a suggestion; he modifies it and uses it for a very
different purpose. It's as though you're part of a never-ending
brainstorming session.
3 - Personal Choice
People are individuals on the Internet. They are autonomous. They
make choices. Something they can not do when watching TV. On
the Internet a person may:
ACT - Initiate any type of action: go to any site, start his own
site, send a message to anyone. On TV, only the advertiser may
ACT
REACT - Respond to another's action: buy something, reply to a
message. REACT is all a TV watcher can do
INTERACT - Be part of a to-and-fro exchange: a dialogue, a
discussion, a transaction. This is one of the most important
characteristics of the Internet, one that gives it power
Act, react, interact. They represent various aspects of the power of
a person to be an individual. The Internet, unlike TV, awards each
person with the gift of autonomy. And each person uses it. Each
person has choice. The consumer, unlike the consumer of the
Industrial Society, has power.
* The Internet is alive! It places power in people.
About the Author
Paul -the soarING- Siegel is a provocative Internet speaker and
author of HELPFULNESS MARKETNG, a book stressing learning,
cooperation and community. Learn about it at
http://www.learningfountain.com/helpfulnessmarketing.htm
Subscribe to newsletter, LearningFOUNT; send blank email to:
mailto:LearningFOUNT-subscribe@topica.com.
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