A Shift in Reality
The interwebs are chock-full of random, nonsensical rage.
At times I wonder if people really feel the way they claim online or if it is all hyperbole. Things like “Fire Bob Costas because he disagrees with my beliefs and he’s expressing his opinion!” or “Look what this man did to this dog, share this picture if you think he should be killed in the street!” and the other nonsense that amounts to “RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!”
I am, on occasion, a contributor to the global village vehemence goulash (I should trademark that) that we as a ‘net community are constantly cooking up. I have always tried my best not to throw out things like “so and so should be killed” or that sort of thing, whether or not I think that they should. But I throw sometimes general and sometimes very specific rage vomit out there.
I’m going to do my best, from here on out, not to do that anymore.
It isn’t that I don’t feel these things or that it isn’t somewhat cathartic, it’s that it doesn’t solve anything and it angries up everyone’s blood who sees it.
I have been a lifelong fan of chaos and discord, but as I get older and more set in my ways I find that contributing to it in that way doesn’t push the creative abilities of chaos and it doesn’t make for rational solutions. Killing someone is rarely, if ever, the rational solution. Expedient and effective as an agent of change though it may be, it is not rational and the results, historically, have been far more weighted toward the negative.
What we need are more net-positive outcomes; results that help the most and hinder the least.
The real question: Is this possible on the internet? Can we make for deep and lasting change in a forum where most people feel they are protected by anonymity and distance? Will any of it make a lasting difference to the human race?
I am at a point where I want to continue to be an agent of change, but I want it to be positive change instead of change for change’s sake. I want to find those times and places where I can nudge the cosmos toward something better instead of just something different.
Those of you who know me understand what a huge change this is in world view. Those of you who only know me from the publicly traded internet me might not see the enormity of the shift, but will see some of it.
In Star Wars terms, I’ve always been a Sith and not a Jedi.
I don’t think that has changed. I will continue to work toward my best interests, but I think the real shift has been in what those best interests are.
The outward changes will be minimal for now:
- First: I’m going to limit my output of rage on the internet. I will replace that with well-constructed arguments for debate in an attempt to find solutions to problems instead of simply stirring the shit.
- Second: I’m going to fact-check questionable things; quotes from celebrities, ‘share this photo for a chance to…’ things, etc. before I pass them on to the folks who follow my various textual discharges. (Though few you all are, you are all appreciated.)
More points and changes will be added as I move forward, but I think this is a solid base to start building on.
We’ll see how this experiment works out. You’re all more than welcome to join me.
I decided not to pigeon hole myself and just make this blog about whatever I feel like writing.
