The Rise of the Interweb

[Sid Sidgwick]

Why is it that with the rise of the internet and the greater availability of knowledge to all that we are slowly, as a nation, becoming more and more culturally deprived?

A Wednesday rant from me Bloody Kids!!

 

[Devrij]

Why is it that with the rise of the internet and the greater availability of knowledge to all that we are slowly, as a nation, becoming more and more culturally deprived?

A Wednesday rant from me Bloody Kids!!

You've kinda answered your own question there: with greater interconnectivity between cultures, there is a process of homogenisation that occurs. Instead of being immersed in one particular culture, you're being bounced off of many. Because of the process of individualisation, in which the rights and dignity of the individual are held above the well-being of the group they are part of, we must homogenise our culture to become more inclusive. For instance, when we read the words "in God we trust" on a dollar bill, one could quite rightly ask "which god?". That's just an example, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

 

[Kitch]

Same reason that Police Camera Action!/Chav Hunt gets more viewing figures than say the history channel

 

[Pmr Man]

i'm insulted (jokes)! i agree, usually i would be busy around 5-6 days a week along with school which gave little time to the internet. i recently had mastoiditus (realy bad ear infection) and i had to cancel them for a while due to the nature of the activities (music and martial arts). however, i got to see and make many friends in these activites, but now i have nothing much to do and have lots of spair time and i go on the interweb and gaming a lot of forum time! and it made me think, for all my mates who arn't busy like me they go on xbox and all that (i am a pc guy only at the moment). i just find it weird that i feel a lot less social at the moment, as the activities were a social thing aswell

 

[Robbo]

Homogenisation???

Dev, you gotta be kiddin me mate, I do not see any evidence of cultural transference; what I do see is, cultural consolidation.

 

[Sid Sidgwick]

You've kinda answered your own question there: with greater interconnectivity between cultures, there is a process of homogenisation that occurs. Instead of being immersed in one particular culture, you're being bounced off of many. Because of the process of individualisation, in which the rights and dignity of the individual are held above the well-being of the group they are part of, we must homogenise our culture to become more inclusive. For instance, when we read the words "in God we trust" on a dollar bill, one could quite rightly ask "which god?". That's just an example, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

A well written response, obviously not one whom suffers this ailment (surely da yoof of 2day say its an illness)

It just seems, from inwards looking out, that we have developed a cutural underclass who are failing to socialise into the given "Norm"

 

[Pmr Man]

don't you think its weird basing everyday life on things that were written thousands of years ago. sure, they may have been good in those times but in a place and time where traveling is so easy and many cultures meet it becomes one big grey area where everyone is scared to 'step on each others toes'. i see what you mean sid, and it seems most people don't have a bracket to put themselves into and kind of make it up as they go along or have little interests in a community of such, and now it seems so ... hostile

 

[ReservoirFrog]

Homogenisation???

Dev, you gotta be kiddin me mate, I do not see any evidence of cultural transference; what I do see is, cultural consolidation.

Oddly enough I was having a related conversation today. I was commenting how it seems that all the mystery and romance has gone from the world and you could be forgiven for thinking that where ever you go, you can, to a certain extent, pretty much know what you are going to get. So maybe we haven't compounded our cultures but I'd be tempted to say we are now mixed to a point where indifference to each other is inevitable.
Maybe the thirst for knowledge is quenched too quickly to form a habit, when what used to take study and travel now only requires google!

 

[Lump]

its the rise of the machines if you ask me

 

[Devrij]

Homogenisation???

Dev, you gotta be kiddin me mate, I do not see any evidence of cultural transference; what I do see is, cultural consolidation.

Did you know that 22% of UK citizens believe in reincarnation? Now, I know that's not something that originated from our traditionally Christian culture. It's more of a trait of post-modern pick n' mix society than anything else, since, with everything available to us, we just pick what we like the sound of and leave the rest. Culture is more fluid in that sense, but I would assert that the direction of its flow is predominantly influenced by consumerism than anything else. Anyway, I'm getting off topic, my point is that far from consolidation, we're experience a diversification of cultures that lack any solid boundaries and are becoming melded into one mass of psuedo-culture that changes with the current trends.