The dark side of the Internet?
A new book, Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob, is out and The Wall Street Journal has an interview with the author, Lee Siegel. The article begins:
Where most people see the Internet as an essential part of modern life, providing convenience, access to friends and speedy information, essayist Lee Siegel sees a dark force intent attacking modern culture.
In his new book “Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob,” Mr. Siegel rails against the worst aspects of the Web, which he views as a vehicle for commerce that devalues serious thought in favor of “page views.” The Web, he suggests, nourishes a youth-focused culture that prefers gossip and buzz to reporting.
Mr. Siegel, a cultural critic and senior editor at the New Republic, sees the obvious advantages of the Internet but focuses here on what he describes as “its destructive side.”
Siegel makes many points worth serious consideration. The interview concludes:
WSJ: Most people don’t post nude videos of themselves on the Web, or spend hours anonymously hurtling invectives at people they’ve never met. Do you worry that you might have extrapolated too much from the behavior of a few knuckleheads?
Mr. Siegel: My book is really about what it means to be online. The Internet is the first social environment created for the asocial individual. There is no signal of a real presence: not a voice not a face. Just words on a screen. The Internet is a remarkable phase in human civilization and it has its beneficial side, such as the access to information. But it also has its dark side, and we have to talk about that.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
The Web has created a criminal industry that has almost no downside. There is almost no chance that most scammers will ever be caught and prosecuted. Those that are in many countries overseas are basically immune. What does the government of Kazakhstan care if the local boys rip off some faraway, stupid Americans? It’s good for the local economy.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Siegel touches on some very good points. One thing he doesn’t mention though is how the web has created a new golden age of scammers, one that makes snake-oil seem benign. Thanks to the web, anyone, anywhere can promote a scam.
There is also a video interview with Siegel here:
http://online.wsj.com/page/8_0004.html?guid={18903960-C024-47C2-91F0-1CA0C91CD8A9}