13 Reader Responses

1. skip wiley Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 3:06 pm

   The evolution of consciousness seems to point in a direction which trascends geography.

   On a human level, it starts (let’s say) with the spoken word. We make up a sound for “sun” and share it with those standing next to us. Even at this beginning stage, the geopgraphy of our individual self is transcended. The mutually individual experience of “sun” is shared on a common level. We have acheived connection.

   After spoken language comes written language — we write down a symbol and the entire village can see it. No longer is it dependant on our voice speaking it. Next is the printing press, and then the internet. The scope and scale of the communication is heightened with each advance, but the fundamental acheivement never changes: connection.

   Looking around at our fellow villagers (ie, our “real life” companions), I do not think we should feel bad at all if our interests take us into the forest while theirs do not. Surely, we may be scorned and misunderstood by those who’ve never ventured into the forest. Yet it is us who shall return to the village with the burning flame, providing light and life for all villagers to share.

   And the kicker is that “us” corresponds to each one of us, all exploring different realms of the forest — we meet back in the village after the day’s long journey and share the boon of our adventures. I’ve always thought of this as “metageography.”

   So is it media? No… it is recognizing the beckons in the outer world that call us to adventure. This may come in forms of media, sure… but it also comes in the shape of a cloud or from the flicker of a firefly. All call us into the forest adventurous.

2. David Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 3:34 pm

   Very nice post, skip.

   I love the description of the hieroglyphic writing in Henson & Oz’s masterpiece THE DARK CRYSTAL - “words that stay.” Korzybski called us a race of “time-binders” and that explains our potential like almost nothing else can, why we don’t have to start off from Zero with each generation.

   As overwhelming and borderline harmful as my heavy internet usage can be, I have to give it partial credit for truly enriching my life in a lot of ways.

   I have saved a lot of money and acquired possessions that I don’t regret, had good times in the real (not virtual) world, formed friendships, and learned a thing or two–even on Pop Occulture

   But with the speed of information becoming faster and faster all the time, I wonder where it can take us as a race. I’m not even necessarily talking about some supposed ’singularity.’ I’m talking about what kind of a world we want to have.

3. sketchmonkey Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 4:33 pm

   Like the saying goes: Wherever you go, there you are.

   It seems to me that your experience of a given situation, a certain spot of geography, or another person or peoples has to do in large measure with what YOU bring to the experience. Keep in mind that your perception of your neighbors says as much about you as it does about them. Most people don’t approach fully understand themselves & their own motivations let alone others.

   I believe that many folks mistake a smorgasbord of media options for meaningful, insightful, life experience. New media has the potential to be very life-enriching, but it might also degenerate into an odd form of self-indulgent, navel-gazing escapism whereby our existing world views are only reinforced or exacerbated & not challenged.

   Folks might be surprised at what & who they might find in their own neighborhood, if only they took the time to look…

4. unthinkable Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 7:47 pm

   “what if you evolve beyond the level of the people around you?”

   Let’s see…

   Some remnant of my primitive humanity thinks that sketchmonkey’s post is bloody awesome. Unfortunately I can’t actually relate to those sentiments because I have evolved beyond the level of the people around me. A whole new level, see? Me up here at the top of the pyramid, everyone else down there, talking about football and onions. Ewww, I should squash them all like bugs.

   I’m so evolved that I no longer belong in my community, which I’m sure will be of great evolutionary benefit to me. I’m so much happier up here on the pedestal I’ve built for myself out of smug self-satisfaction and perceived superiority. To hell with them all. I’m evolved.

   I have nothing in common with them, not humanity, not shared experience, nothing. I’m so much better than my neighbors, maybe I’ll decide what’s best for them, push them around a little, tell them they suck ass. I’ve evolved so far beyond their ken that I don’t even consider myself to be of the same species. So when I eat them, it’s not really cannibalism now is it?

   Anyway, fuck everyone. I’m ME and you’re not.

5. slomo Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 8:07 pm

   This line of thinking is all well and good when you have the luxury of “being/becoming evolved”. But when physical reality intercedes, you’d better have at least one physical friend geographically closeby.

   Imagine if you met with a catastrophic illness. Will your internet friends take care of you?

6. alistair Says:
   September 7th, 2006 at 10:15 pm

   a catastrophic illness of the physical body no, but the spirit can be healed via e-mail or by postings………i have experienced it first hand. and once the spirit begins to heal, the body will follow.
   the problem with discussions about what media does to us and which states are better is that we don`t have anything to compare ourselves to. there is no modern culture without modern media.
   personally, i don`t think we are better or worse for having more imput channels and more data. the human system adapts by editing, deleting and hallucinating anyway so the sheer volume of stuff coming at us doesn`t matter……..we chunk it up or down based upon the circumstance.
   the effect is that we still pre-suppose and form opinions anyway.

7. Brooke Says:
   September 8th, 2006 at 2:11 am

   I’m with Tim and sketchmonkey on this one. Online interactions may give increased freedom in certain respects (of limited value), but they lack important dimensions that can only be had (that I know of) in face-to-face interactions.

   Too much freedom of choice, and too much opportunity to avoid interactions not controlled or designed by one’s own ego (forming relationships only around our own intellectual persuasions) leads to inbreeding of thought. Where’s the challenge? Where’s the magic? Real life is the wild card. I gain so much when I get into an unexpected conversation with some random stranger that I didn’t seek out according to my own interests. All my best ‘lucky’ incidences have come abou that way.

   Being stuck on a greyhound (plus lack of internet) for 3 days, for example, really forces you to get to know your ‘neighbors’ geographically speaking (the geographical location being very ‘limited’ - the size of a bus). Travelling and being offline for extended periods is always a special experience for me.

   I’m not dissing the internet, but I don’t see why anyone overglorifies it. Everything has its goods and bads, and should be used but also kept in check. That’s my preachy two cents. Good night, fellow real live people with actual bodies and distinct voices, who I’ve never met in person but would like to if I could.

8. slomo Says:
   September 8th, 2006 at 5:56 am

   a catastrophic illness of the physical body no, but the spirit can be healed via e-mail or by postings………i have experienced it first hand. and once the spirit begins to heal, the body will follow.

   I have no doubt of that. But physical illness does happen, and if it’s catastrophic enough, spiritual healing will often not occur quickly enough to deal with the problem. In the meantime, somebody needs to drive you to your chemotherapy, get a bucket when you puke, take you to the hospital when you get dehydrated, etc. Having been such a person (on the caretaking side) I can tell you it’s no small commitment.

   My point: real-world social networks matter in tangible terms. I enjoy my conversations with people here and elsewhere on the net, but I’m very aware that this is ultimately no substitute for having friends and family geographically closeby.

9. alistair Says:
   September 8th, 2006 at 10:50 am

   absolutely slomo……….if you go through the windshield of your car, get to the hospital. in my councelling work i have had the opportunity to communicate with people from around the world who have healed-at-a-distance as it where via e-mail and postings. none of that is possible without the internet. we do need the rich interpersonal face to face dynamic also and we must persist in that realm. there are so many shy, insecure people who need lavalife because they don`t have access to a real one………much is the pity. those of us gifted with a gregariousness that allows us eye contact in the real world forget or are simply unaware of the desperate loneliness of the shy.

10. James Says:
    September 8th, 2006 at 11:49 am

    Why refer to it as “evolving beyond” when it can easily be described as “devolving” as well? Evolving implies forward progress, but what if that forward progress is grinding us down?

11. Scott Rassbach Says:
    September 8th, 2006 at 12:48 pm

    That which has been transformed will itself cause transformation. The man or woman who has passed through the philosophical alchemy and has emerged with integrated personality bears ambiguous gifts to the world of which he or she is no longer fully native: in one hand a crown of peace, in the other a sword. - The foundations of High Magick, Denning and Phillips

    Basically, if you find yourself evolving beyond your neighbors, bloody well pull them along, kicking and screaming, if need be.

12. Yves Says:
    September 8th, 2006 at 3:08 pm

    It is a fundamental delusion that it is possible to evolve beyond someone else. It is the same delusion as the notion of IQ: that there is a single scale which establishes your position in a list; that someone is top and someone is bottom and someone is no. 232. Such measures are completely arbitrary and valueless.

    The person who cannot learn from everyone else is a person who is impoverished.

    On the internet you meet people wonderful people. In everyday life you meet wonderful people.

    When people are being sophisticated they are being artificial which forces the people around them to attempt sophistication and therefore be artificial. We can end up being bored with life that way.

    By contrast, if we can be authentic and excited about life - this is not something that can be faked - then everyone is a fragment of infinity, and teaches us something we could not know without that person.

13. Tim Boucher Says:
    September 8th, 2006 at 6:19 pm

    Basically, if you find yourself evolving beyond your neighbors, bloody well pull them along, kicking and screaming, if need be.

    Kicking and screaming is likely the case here. They killed Jesus after all for doing the same thing.