Saving Civilization

Everyone realizes that one can believe little of what people say about each other. But it is not so widely realized that even less can one trust what people say about themselves.

   - Rebecca West (1892-1983), English journalist

PC Magazine's John Dvorak has written an entertaining column titled The Zeros vs. the Ones in which he predicts "the Internet will prove to be the undoing of society and civilization as we know it." He cites politics as an example in making his point:

Just look at politics. Thanks to the Net and the so-called New Media, the entire political scene has become one massive virtual Hyde Park corner filled with kvetching, squabbling bores...

Rather than benefit from intelligent debate, the public is subjected to a lot of bickering fanned by the Internet. I used to think that everyone was entitled to his opinion, but no longer. Most opinions are worthless. As a culture, we are trained never to believe or say that opinions are worthless. For some reason, opinions are supposed to be revered because, uh, well, it's free speech!

John suggests there are simply "too many opinions from too many people--a large number of whom are seriously disturbed or feebleminded." He continues his thesis by reminding us that the great majority of bloggers cloak themselves in anonymity, which he believes should give us pause:

Almost everyone on the Net is anonymous. When you see someone on the street handing out a flyer, it is usually not hard to determine whether he or she is a lunatic. Not so with the haughty blogger who, by hiding behind a good online template, is actually taken seriously. A blogger who stays hidden long enough may even become famous. I know, not every blogger is a whack job--but that's the point. How can you tell?

Dvorak's on-line experiences lead him to believe that the anonymity of the Web encourages some people to pretend they're someone other than themselves:

I first noticed it with alter egos cropping up in e-mail, newsgroups, and especially online chatrooms, where true dweebs are suddenly transformed into Don Juans. The persona thing sometimes goes into new dimensions as boys are turned into men, men pretend to be women, and women turn into sex fiends. Just keep the lights turned off.

Not being one to identify a problem without offering a solution, he tells us how he would take care of the mess created by the Internet:

If it were up to me, I'd shut down the Net tomorrow and make people get out of the house and mingle. By the time the liberal and conservative extremes, incensed by blog-driven blather, leave the house, it will be as two swarms of locusts hell-bent on revolution--or on battling each other: The Zeros versus the Ones.

I suppose after such strident criticism by a celebrated columnist I should consider closing down Think It Over  even though it sports a well designed AOL template and a color portrait of yours truly. John gets the big bucks for sharing his views with thousands of PC Magazine's readers so you'd assume he knows what he's talking about, wouldn't you? 

I, on the other hand, am one of the lowly bloggers of whom he speaks. It's probably doubtful that I am offering anything of value to the 14 people who read my journal each day. So Mom, brothers, nephew, wife, friends and acquaintances--when you sign on tomorrow, go to your "Favorite Site" and get a "Page Not Found," you'll know what happened: John Dvorak has convinced me that I should be doing more mingling than writing, and my immediate resignation is required in order to save civilization.

Maybe I'll drive over to Harold's Diner in the morning and break bread with the locals. Surely none of the breakfast patrons will want to talk politics or have any opinions, and I will be safe there. Thanks John.