Fear of the Future
In 1999, some people actually believed that world would end in 2000. It is intriguing to read articles published before the turn of the century because they articulate the fears felt by many in a changing world. Michael Ventura argues that our seemingly small choices have created the 21st century, and in 1994, he wrote “we’re already living in the 21st Century.” January 1st, 2000 was not different by drastic measures, and he is correct to say that our transformation began long before a set date. Ventura speaks from a perspective of what was lost, which in 1994 may have seemed greater then it actually turned out to be.
One can argue that traditional communities have been lost, but what if our definition of community is too narrow? Jennifer Singer was right to see that her grandmother will never understand the internet and the power it holds. Singer’s grandmother defined a community by those she could barrow sugar from, but today we can buy cookies and other baked goods already prepared. People no longer spend time in the same ways that their grandparents or even their parents once did. We have changed our boundaries, but Joshua Meyrowitz argues that “Communities are defined by their boundaries.” Based on Meyrowitz’s interpretations, if our boundaries are changing, then our communities are changing as well. Ventura believed that along with a changing community meant a loss of political stability. A community may no longer be tied together by similar beliefs, but online communities are. We want the future, but we don’t want change.
Change is not always a bad thing. People, such as Howard Rheingold, use the internet as a community. They see the value of communicating with people they will never meet whether or not it is for entertainment or informational purposes. The WELL organization morphed from the Whole Earth Catalog, crossing generations. People hold great hopes for the future, but forget that the future is happening in front of them. Singer believes that using the internet we are traveling alone, but Rheingold is far from alone when he is on the internet. Rheingold will probably not know who exactly he is speaking to in demographic terms, but that isn’t the main concern. In America we live in a world full of prejudices; the internet does not care how old we are, how much money we have, or what color our skin is. It is an open exchange of ideas and knowledge that unite people under beliefs.
Turner discussed the evolution of technology and how it changed the world. People have been united depending on location, religion, language and appearance for thousands of years, so why when we change what unifies people, do we consider it a loss? Human beings depend on communities, and communities will not disappear just because times change. We must adjust our definitions to fit the present, expanding idea of community.