Spy vs. Spy

Here is why I like the Internet :

- The ability to promote, issue, change, teach, help, reach, search, learn, contact, create and connect with anyone or anything, that you might not be able to in the tangible world, and all at the tips of your fingers.

Here is why I do not like the Internet :

- It has given us permission to hide behind who we pretend to be, and not who we really are. Which, not only enables us, but encourages us to be cowardly.

- For putting us within arms reach with practically anyone we want, it has single-handedly broken down the art of communication. If you have something to say, why would you talk about it in some sort of a cryptic, beat-around-the-bush blog posting? Or in a passive aggressive 'status update'? What ever happened to good old-fashioned confrontation? Ewww...how dare I utter such a dirty word? Ironically, the definition of the word "internet" includes both of the terms "connection" and "communication."

- Social networking. Well, I have a kind of love and hate relationship with it; let me explain. Although I am a member of most of these sites, and find them incredibly useful (and addicting), I think they may possibly be a part of a conspiracy against the natural state of humility in all of us. I have come to believe that sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. have contributed to an overwhelming escalation of narcissism of the people on our planet. With seemingly harmless questions like, "What are you up to?", "What's on your mind?", or quizzes on your top five favorite romantic-comedies (I mean, what Susan Sarandon film don't you like?), aren't we becoming a little too self-indulgent with our time? Not only do we answer these questions to distract ourselves from the boredom we're facing in the external world, we answer them because we truly believe that someone wants to know these things. I mean, why wouldn't they, right? We're oh-so interesting. I, for one, am incredibly relieved to know that you're Really sick of sitting in traffic or that Holy crap, this is the best piece of cheese you've ever eaten! And, do PLEASE post the latest pictures of your cat, Elmo, drinking from the toilet again. Oh, that Elmo...always up to something. !Newsflash! I don't give a shit. And you shouldn't care about what book I'm reading or what cereal I'm eating or what blog I'm posting. You know why? Because it's only feeding the ego that's already inflated from the 10 "UR SO HOT" comments I've received on some half-naked picture I took with my outstretched left arm. Don't get me wrong, I completely succumb to it, myself, which means I do deserve the "hypocrite" sign that's hung outside my door. I'm not here to judge, I just wonder if we should stop thinking so much about ourselves, and start spending time updating things that really matter? Like life? Like the world? But, I'll get to those things later, once I finish posting this on my Facebook.