Brave New World

Technology is a rolling stone (and moss don’t grow fat on it). The minute you walk out of the store with the newest gadget, you better believe that it has become out of fashion, or worse obsolete. Now, I will be the first to admit that technology has made life easier, quicker, and perhaps more improved. You can heat a Hot Pocket in 45 seconds. You can call a tow truck if you break down on some dark country road. You can connect with family and friends and make new virtual friends on social networking sites and through the blogging community.

However when I think those who predicted a future where one should fear technology as it has the potential to cause harm and exert control over the masses, such as George Orwell or Aldous Huxley, I wonder if maybe their visions were a little misguided. Instead of some government conspiracy or powerful entity that seeks to control others through technology, I wonder if the real culprit to our downfall is not the technology itself, or some organized group who uses that technology to control society. I am beginning to think it is the individual who holds the power to use technology in positive and well- intentioned ways. What we have to fear most are the individual choices that others make as they use this new technology that promises a better, more improved life.

Two examples have been weighing heavily on me- one for some time and the other recently in which I will describe later.

For starters we have cell phones and I suppose many bloggers or just real live people having a conversation (imagine that! foreshadowing) have ranted about their experiences with inconsiderate and downright rude cell phone users. If I had a dollar for every time I have either been annoyed, or worse yet almost been involved in an unplanned meeting of vehicles because of some other driver’s cell phone usage, I wouldn’t be a millionaire but I would be able to buy a new pair of Levis (which by the way I need). Or how about that really important guy at the table next to you at the restaurant or in the waiting room at the doctors office (which by the way many doctors’ offices have no cell phone policies) who must talk loudly so that everyone around him knows he is a Super Important Person? And don’t get me started on those who can’t even bother to put their cell phone down when dealing with others in their community-the cashier at the grocery store, the bank teller, the wait staff at the restaurant. It’s sad that some in our society almost look down on those service people as if they don’t deserve attention and respect. After all they could have gone to college and gotten a “real” job, then they could treat those who work in the service industry like a second-class citizens.

All that gets my panties in a bunch, but recently what has set me over the top is the cowardly and despicable behavior I have witnessed on the internet. The internet is at your fingertips and is seen as a playground and certainly operates on playground rules. You have your bullies, you have your perverts, you have your cliques, and at times can be a free for all. Particularly in the blogging world, as there has been an explosion in the amount of people who have blogs. Part of the deal with blogging is that you oftentimes have an opportunity to comment to blogging posts. Most of the time the comments on the most popular blogs are harmless and at times don’t add much to the conversation at hand. There has been some controversy, I suppose, as to whether bloggers have a right to delete or moderate their comments. Some are very annoyed by this practice as it does not allow for dissenting opinions and reinforces sycophantic behavior. It has caused some to frequent certain “hate” blogs (whose owners have their own agendas - right or wrong- that is not really my point at the moment). Others are perfectly satisfied with this practice because their attitude is that the blog belongs to the blogger and it is the blogger’s domain to choose what comments they want posted.

I don’t have a lot of blog readers, but I have had my share of “your (sic) stupid” comments. I have no idea how those people got to my blog in the first place and I often wondered what possesses a person to take the time out of their day to express their opinion that the blog post or the blogger him/herself doesn’t meet their high standards. I have happened upon many blogs that I think are not my cup of tea, but I don’t take the time to express that to the blogger. What would that accomplish?

I guess that behavior is harmless enough, I mean after all if you’re putting yourself out there you have to expect that and grow a thick skin, right? That being said, I have to say that I am utterly appalled that some commenters I have read on two blogs of mothers mourning the loss of their children (heather spohr and shana myers) have stooped (or slithered might be more appropriate) to the lowest level I thought possible. These two remarkable women have been dealing with every parent’s worst nightmare, and have been using their blogs to vent their feelings and work through their grief. I know as a fellow writer that writing is so helpful to me in working through problems and issues. I also imagine that they are leaning on their readers for support and hopefully gaining some strength from their blogging community who are heartbroken over their losses. And although most likely not their motives, they are helping other grieving people who have been directed to or just happened to stumble upon their blogs. With all that positive energy, how could someone be so cruel as to post a comment blaming a mother for her infant’s death or to tell a mother that she needs to suck it up because she isn’t the only one who has lost a loved one or to question a mother's acceptable level of grief based on the age of the child.

What would motivate someone to say those things to a grieving mother? Most people would never utter those words face to face with someone. That is the problem with the anonymity of the internet. Pedophiles use it to seduce their prey. Unscrupulous people have duped people into thinking they were corresponding with someone other than who they really are. High schoolers have been cyber bullied, contributing to their suicide or low self worth. And anonymous commenters have kicked a grieving mother when she is at rock bottom.

I guess some would say that those people are miserable in their own lives and these behaviors are what help them gain some control over their own problems. Others would just call them vile, hateful names because they themselves can’t understand why someone would do such things. I don’t know why. But I implore blog commenters to really think about what they are saying before hitting the send button. We can disagree in polite and respectful ways, after all I'm not suggesting that we are now allowed our free speech. But to judge a mother who is grieving, to tear her down with heartless, insensitive and downright cruel comments is stepping over the line in my opinion. We each have an individual personal responsibility to make this world (internet and beyond) a better place- whether that be through our words or our actions.

So, technology while it has opened a new world of possibilities, like the nuclear power, has the potential to seriously and irrevocably harm when in the wrong hands.