Being someone that spends a good deal of time cruising the information superhighway it is inevitable that, eventually, anonymity gives way to subtle clues about some who may be lurking just a cubicle, classroom, building, or room away.
I was reading one of my favorite BB's and a person I know (not too well, but pretty well) put up their personal information. My conundrum is deciding whether to "out" myself on the BB; approach this person IRL and chat; or just maintain my anonymous status? Don't get me wrong, this person has not written anything embarrassing. Just went from an anonymous poster using a pseudonym to using their real name and ID.
One of these days, I fear that my wife will learn how to surf the web and she will stumble upon my musings somewhere. Luckily since she has just mastered Windows "Spider Solitiare" and "Word" I don't have too much to worry about. I think back and wonder if I have written anything, of which I ought be embarrassed/ashamed? Probably not, but...
AS with the evolution of species I wonder of the trend toward initial fecundity will give way to moderate reproduction with "fine-tuning"? In other words, as the web contains trillions of bits of information (most of it useless and silly), will users like you and me become more savvy about what information we put out there? And, will we become more discerning regarding the content we read/access? Will the content of the Web be modified by survival value (user interest)? Or will it obey another set of laws? Will the web just continue to fill up, without enough feedback (selection), that useless (poor or factually inaccurate) information will proliferate and, in return, continue to "dumb down" humans?
I find that I tend to go to the same blogs, and websites time and time again. I do have a propensity, however, to go to sites that are very desperate in their views and philosophies. But, what of people who don't? My father goes to LDS.org, and FOXNEWS.com. Any chance that what he accesses will improve his vision of reality? Or, challenge, his false ideas?
3 comments:
HELLO! Thanks for your last comment. I loved it, albeit beer-soaked. I am never sure whether/where to comment back to people, because I don't know if they're going to check the comments field to see if I commented back.
It is tough when you end up finding someone you know on-line, but by accident. The question of "outing" oneself is, I think, something to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Will X think I'm stalking him/her? Will this improve my dialogue/relationship with X or embarrass him/her? There are more things to consider than the "real-life" times when you run into people.
It's funny that you talk about your partner's Internet-viewing capabilities as well, implying that you might be writing different things if you knew she was reading (don't know if it's okay to mention her name, so I will keep it on the hush-hush). I am never sure myself whether my boyfriend is reading my blog, since he respects the idea that I may want some privacy... and yet, on the other hand, would I post something that I didn't feel okay if he read? Not likely. Still, that said, do I want to have lively discussions with him on the content of my blog? Maybe not.
It's a beautiful day here in New York and I hope it's as beautiful in your part of the country today.
Yeah, I can totally relate. I've deleted posts in the past because I worried about who might see them (I came close to deleting my last post). I worry about students coming across my blog, too--but I'm not sure why.
I waver back and forth between wondering if the internet is just another means of increasing our solipsism--i.e. a means to interact with clones of ourselves--or a tool to expand our awareness. Still haven't reached a verdict.
I really like your move to create a metaphor for how information develops on the web. It seems survival must play a role, but I hope, now tagging along with Shane's comment, that at least part of the web is pushing us to expand our awareness and creativity. I'd offer that I certainly never would have gotten to know you or Shane without the web. To me this has been an expansion, a way to understand you both, and others, in ways I never could or would have in person.
p.s. to Shane. You know the easy way to help avoid students finding your blog is to get rid of your name and city. I started out with a pic and my first name but then changed all that when a past girlfriend find my blog. Of course turns out she found it because a friend of mine used my complete name in a comment.
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