The Revolution and the Internet

What is the role of the internet, and other technologies, in this revolution that I am so ardently searching for?

Sometimes I really scorn the internet. It seems like it is so passive. People spend countless hours of their lives "on-line" never actually doing anything. Days and hours of our lives are wasted, when we could be out doing something else. Something real, based in reality.

Also, it seems that a lot of "revolutions" which have tried to start on-line inevitably fail. I think that it is because the internet seems to create a false sense of community. By visiting a few websites, people get the impression that there are tons of people out there who think just like them. And then they never make the attempt to create a community which is based in reality, because they are comfortable with their on-line community.

However, don't let this make you think that I am completely against the internet, clearly I am not. I think that the internet like other technologies is a tool and should be considered as such. It is not a way of life, and it is not "the revolution". It is a tool, on which could (and I believe must) be used to bring about the revolution. And it is already happening. Perhaps in ways that we are unable to see because of our position in time.

But think about how the internet has shaped our perceptions (I'm talking to the people of my generation). We have no moral qualms with downloading music or videos for free, with burning and distributing these materials. People of older generations see it as stealing. But what they don't realize is that we have been raised with the internet, which is based in the concept of a free exchange of ideas. Music, videos, art, those things should all be freely exchanged. It isn't about making money through those traditional means of selling the actual song, or the actual movie any more. It is about creating something that you want to share, and doing so freely through the medium of the internet.

This has led to the newer phenomenon of original content. People are taking it into their own hands to create, either through writing, through music, video, or other art forms, and then freely sharing it with the world. Suddenly the internet isn't so passive any more. People are really interacting with it. And in doing so, they are interacting in the real world by collaborating with other people on projects.

I really like this DIY ethic of the internet. You want to watch a show, well make one yourself. You want music, make some. You want something worth reading? Write it. Make it. Do it. Share it. It's a beautiful thing that anyone can put anything they have done up, and share it with millions of people.

Of course, when anyone can do anything, you're gonna end up with a lot of shit. And nowhere is that more obvious than the internet. There are tons of useless bullshit blogs, vlogs, videos, and songs that are neither entertaining, intelligent nor creative. But there are also some really good and worth while things out there. Bright, intelligent people creating and talking about things in an entertaining and intelligent way. Without the overriding influence of traditional media, corporations, or the government.

As a filmmaker, I want in. I want so badly to be one of the people creating something worth while. I don't want to be lost in the sea of useless failures. All I want is to do something that is worth my time and energy, something that people will enjoy. And through this medium of the internet, I actually have a shot at it. I can create something, and share it with people. I could potentially make something that people would care about. I'm so excited to do and create, but I'm also kind of scared. What if it isn't good? What if it turns out to be just another waste of time? What if I fail? It isn't a question of skill. I know what to do and how to do it. It isn't a question of drive, because I want it so bad it hurts. Creating is crucial to my survival. This is what I'm supposed to do, and if I don't do it, then I don't know what else I will do with my life. But I feel it boils down to a question of talent. Do I have the talent? Do I have something worth saying? Something in any way new and entertaining? Can I swing it?

This post about revolution has suddenly become very personal. Perhaps this revolution I seek isn't social, but personal. Perhaps the two are intrinsically connected. Be the change.