Why Is The Internet So Like That One? A Study of The Parallel Universe

I am sure you’ve experience it before. It goes like this: you read, see or hear something in the real world and form an opinion on it. Then you log on only to find the same subject is written in a completely different and opposite way. It leaves you wondering,

“Hey, did I miss something, or what?”

Calm down, you’re not in the “twilight zone,” you’ve just stepped into the “parallel universe.” – the internet.

The Parallel universe is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own known world, it implies a relationship with our own universe. The internet and the MSM is perhaps one of the starkest representation of this motif where truths are as malleable as potters clay. Often differing to such a degree one can even draw endless contradictory accounts to suggest they are two different worlds set so far apart, they may not even be the same world – take the case of the recent NLB initiative to archive blog history – how many of the blogs there really represent the ‘real’ blogosphere? – is the NLB right to proclaim that it’s a “comprehensive” account? Or is this just another case of heaven and earth?

You decide.

What really accounts for this contradictory depiction of the truth?

Before we start peeling off the lid on the parallel universe conundrum. Let’s take a closer look at how most of us regularly make sense of the known world. To paraphrase, how do you derive at the known truth?

Well you could say you read, watch TV or even think about stuff. But bear in mind all this is happening inside “you.” To be more precise: a large chunk of human nature kicks in and this is where we really need to ask, does our nature work for or against us when we seek to understand something?

To put it crudely, what if I said, the more ways we have to do what comes naturally to us e.g reading, the more we will do it, but that hardly adds to our understanding. 

The problem is having a big stomach for information doesn’t mean getting the best diet all the time - like junk food, usually what we do is load up on the fast, easy and artery clogging stuff - that’s to say instead of reading 4 pages to understanding X,Y and Z. Most of us these days just opt for the condensed and highly processed one paragraph version – something has to give – there has to be a cost to all this short cutting - and usually, it’s comes at the expense of greater depth and understanding.

Could this be one reason why we have the parallel universe? Again you decide.

Another clue why the internet is often referred to as the parallel universe is because you don’t really choose what you read -  Bingo! What did I just say? No it’s not a typo: neither am I controlling your brain with high powered magnets, let me say it again slowly this time in BBC special English, YOU DON’T REALLY CHOOSE WHAT YOU READ! That’s to say you’re subsconsciously prompted and that simply means what you may decide to load up on may not even be a matter of that has anything to do with conscious decision making.

Now I understand this sounds cracked! Hey, but what most of us fail to consciously recognize every time we log on; is how the internet as a medium possesses an ecology that regularly amplifies millions of communication channels which allow the inputs of others to be registered, filtered and processed into a collective voice that either prompts or nudges you – it’s subtle, but trust me it’s there.

Now don’t bother yourself with the details. In simple terms, it’s a bit like path ways - some run and fork out, others lead to open squares and of course there are those that just lead to a dead end. A good way of tracking movement in the net is the visitor counter which does a decent job of capturing collective psyche by cataloging the sum of all our beliefs and preferences to underscore what is or isn’t worth reading. Yes, I know I am stretching the model somewhat, but conceptually, if we draw upon the main strands this will form much of my assumptions for this article.

My point is this: how you and I regularly make sense of the known world whenever we read something in the net is a function of collective imitation that leads us to the most “popular” fads and fashions.

This could well account for the disconnect (real or imagined) we so often experience between the net and MSM. The latter is usually apathetic to happenings in the net. While the former appears to promote certain discussions heightening them to levels which aren’t even reflected in the same order in the MSM – we see this sort of disconnect often enough to suggest the whole idea of a parallel universe isn’t so much the stuff of speculation as it is a reality.

It throws out the question: what’s happening here?

In a nutshell what this means is the imitation program or roach mentality of making sense of the known world =  what you will eventually read will not be so different from me or the next reader who logs on in the net. There is a collective psyche here that supports the tendency for imitation.

By the same corollary, what you consider important will in most likelihood also stimulate the same level of interest in me. Extend the remit slightly and it simply means in all likelihood we may even share the same point of view albeit with slight differences.

So next time when you decide to log on and feed off the mental buffet in blogosphere, just remember one thing; you may not be so original after all. And this brings me to my last point; what do I think about the NLB initiative to archive?

Do what you like! It matters very little here!

You decide for yourself.

Either way, you can’t really be completely right or wrong here. And if that answer doesn’t make any sense, don’t sweat it………we are in the parallel universe.

Written by Darkness – Trajan, Pretoria and Astroboy   The Brotherhood Press 2008

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