A False Sense of Security

"Security is a myth.

Contrary to what you might have heard, my friends, you are not safe.
Safety is a story.
It's something we teach our children so they can sleep at night, but we know it's not real.
Beware, baffled humans.
Beware of false prophets who will sell you a fake future, of bad teachers, corrupt leaders and dirty corporations.
Beware of cops and robbers, the kind that rob your dreams.
But most of all, beware of each other, because everything's about to change.
The world is going to crack wide open.
There's something on the horizon.
A massive connectivity.
The barriers between us will disappear, and we're not ready.
We'll hurt each other in new ways.
We'll sell and be sold.
We'll expose our most tender selves, only to be mocked and destroyed.
We'll be so vulnerable, and we'll pay the price.
We won't be able to pretend that we can protect ourselves anymore.
It's a huge danger, a gigantic risk, but it's worth it.
If only we can learn to take care of each other.
Then this awesome, destructive new connection won't isolate us.
It won't leave us in the end so totally alone."

~a letter from Ryan in the AMC Drama ‘Halt and Catch Fire’.

Nothing is more accurate about Ryan’s description of what could be.  He’s talking about the future having written this letter in 1986.  1986, the time when the internet, e-commerce, and online presence had started to take a foot hold into the world.

Fast forward into today.  Everyone is connected somehow by technology.  People live for their connectivity through networks, social media, phones, and email.  Some people are so addicted to their statuses and online presence that they would rather not live without social media keeping them connected to what they feel is so important to their existence.  To be heard.  To be liked.  To be in the know.

The internet can be used for good or evil.  A canvas painted with ideas, opinions, culture, humor, teaching, creativity, and concepts.  It is the world’s ultimate compiler and explorer of knowledge.  Within consideration, bits of information culminate to make life and the world more livable.  A platform to share our greatest triumphs, blissful moments, hopes, failures, and dreams.  The internet: a place to reach out and touch the world.

Antagonistically, the internet can harbor evil.  It makes spreading threats of violence, malice, destruction, while feeding addiction, promoting contemptuous jealousy, and abuse as simple as a few keystrokes.  The internet is a perfect podium with the ability to captivate the public with melodramatic monologues which coerce audiences to believe anything like a cheap magic trick.  A stage set ready for a performance.

The internet is a tool.  Use it for maintaining real lifelong friendships and stay connected with family across the country.  It can be used to broadcast a facade that makes someone believe a person cares while insincerely masking contempt for others.  Spinning more false intentions, damaging relationships, and fabricating more landmines for the unsuspecting victim to find… all made possible behind the safety of an internet device smokescreen.  A person who does this is too cowardly to defend their malice outside the internet.

Every keystroke behind the tightest security and privacy settings is made public the moment ‘enter’ is pressed while the internet is in use.  The internet is a public domain.  If a person really wants to know, they have ways to find it through every device and every application that connects to the internet.  They can unearth it.

Say what you want, do what you want on the internet.  Remember it can never be taken back, unseen, or deleted.

Lifting up and tearing down
                                    in a few simple keystrokes.
Reaching out to send/receive support and comfort
Captivating brilliance from around the world
Isolating behind a transistor crystal display
Machines amply the command ‘love’ or ‘hate,’
                                    truth or lies,
                                    praise or denounce,
                                                …a person tries.
Gather an online audience.
                                    Masquerade support.
                                    Offer nothing beyond the virtual stage.
Win the approval of others
                                    with the currency of flattery
Bullhorn feelings to the masses
Bait and divert attention
                                    far from the underlying issue
Fame fabricated
Embellished stories collide into lies
Patronize or criticize
                                    … you decide.
Secret gossip
Shallow promises never kept
Fake or real
Take the best deal
Create impressions
Deceptive illusions
Perceive a reflection
Proud delusion
True admiration
Trickery trap
(Say something more positive than that…)
Neglect forget
Don’t say things to regret
Destroy ignore
A dream or a scheme?

Sweet paradoxal opinion

About itself transmitted across itself

The internet: a tool of usefulness

                                                     and ruin.
We all are guilty of this in some shape or form
We have all been trying to find outselves
                                  since the day we were born
Does it have to be at another person's expense?

Stay true to what  you say

Now how will you use the internet?

Take care of each other 

on and outside the internet ~LMc