Sometime late last night, I became bored with the internet. It finally occurred to me simply that nothing new is happening, and even if it was, it’s all happening inside the computer. And basically, who cares?
Prior to last night, it seemed like the internet was a never ending source of new things. But the reality is that the new things are made out in the real world, and simply reported on via the internet. Moreover, the tings that can be new on the internet - new tools and websites - simply make it easier to manage what’s online, or our lives entwined there, and serve no real purpose outside of the internet where someone hadn’t figured out how to solve these problems years ago.
Sure, there are the more specific disciplines - math, research. And collaboration. But it seems that any more, the collaboration is more self-serving than anything. Do we collaborate on real-world things? Or do we collaborate on building even more internet constructions?
It seems like maybe I’m looking at or involving myself in the wrong things. I just don’t know if I care to see another FailBlog video, or kitten photo, or meme product. Perhaps the internet is worthwhile for more noble pursuits. And all of this stuff that we build ultimately leads to those nobler results. Kind of like how bars and brothels would form in the old west. Still, I’m uncomfortable being the internet equivalent of a brothel builder.
These are mostly idle thoughts. It’s just something that occurred to me at random last night, and I put it together with some things that I’ve noticed about other internet workers, who tend (unlike myself at the moment) not to let a majority of their world live in the internet. And with my recent interest in CNC machines (oh yes, I can feel an obsession building, as soon as I figure out what I want to do with it) I think the natural and inevitable conclusion is to watch the technology of the internet spill out into the real world in new and unexpected ways. At least that bit is exciting
