Internet: The Realm of the Mind

Anderson suggests that nations are “imagined communities.” Weeks proposes the need ton see identities as “necessary fictions.” And Bell argues that current modes of thinking cause “a progressive eroding of this stable, unified, essential view of the self.” All of these seem to suggest that identity is a social construction, which was created by humans and thus can be destroyed and refigured by humans. Though this is destabilizing, it is also empowering. I think it permits for broader interpretations of community and personal identity, which should theoretically lead to a greater milieu of tolerance in society. However, the majority of people do not wholly espouse (or even know about) these new postmodern, constructionist views.

Scholar bell hooks says that just because something is a lie does not mean it isn’t real, and I think that is true for all social constructions. We make them real and define our own reality. These constructions in RL are influenced by the physical context in which they exist. For example, the constructions of oppressive stereotypes are both less likely and more likely to result in offensive action. In RL, aggressors can physically harm a counter-normative person, although they cannot do so in many places due to policing and criminal law. On-line structural abuse, portrayal, and discrimination through such procedures as flaming are much easier to effect than RL discrimination, because of the paucity of Internet rules, as well as because of the anonymity that disinhibits users from the respect they are taught to show (or at least feign) toward others in public; however, it is significant that physical violence is not possible. Regardless of the type of discrimination, prejudice is still a part of the Internet culture.

Another problematic aspect of culture is the excessive stereotyping of women and queers. Disembodiment does not erase stereotypes, but instead leaves the mind free to envision stereotypes as an actuality for lack of a real picture. This stereotype becomes sort of real to the person holding it.

What I am driving at in this response is simply to say that the Internet is the realm of the mind. There aren’t the physical limitations of the body. Stereotypes can run rampant if the user lets them. Thoughts are often rude due to anonymity. The Internet is the uncensored mind, with all its potential for good and bad.

(** Side reference: In the movie/book Sphere, by Michael Crichton, I believe, this issue is addressed. If people had the power to make anything they thought a reality, is it worth it? It gives one so much power, but as humans, we may not be able to responsibly handle that power, making it deadly. On a lesser level, the Internet gives more weight to the mind to create the kind of world with the kind of social codes and forms of identity that it wants, regardless of what the social reality or their personal identity is. This increased power requires increased responsibility, and unfortunately, there will always be people in society ready to exploit any opportunity given to them. The mind can be dark, and in giving it a freer forum, we do run the risk of more abusive action, as opposed to less harmless prejudiced thoughts.)