The Internet is Bad // Rebels At Large
by Dennis White
From Josh: Dennis White is one of the most creative people I know. When he’s not inventing new names to call himself (Static Revenger, D-Dub, Charm Farm, and probably some others I don’t know about), he’s making dancefloor-packing and chart-topping remixes and original productions, innovative videos or acting as a creative director for Rebel. Plus, he mixes a mean margarita.
We’ve hung out together on more than one continent, and had each other’s backs against barracuda. In other words, we’ve been in the shit. Dennis and I both suffer from a chronic condition: lack of tolerance for stupidity. We experience this affliction in different ways: You might say it makes his skin itch, while it makes my head hurt.
Read his piece here about one of the many things wrong with the world and how to fix it. Then check his music and video skills at www.staticrevenger.com and ddub.com and travelriot.com.
The Internet is Bad by Dennis White
So, here’s my blog post. I hate blogs. Sounds like blob. And I’m not sure that I like blobs.
Mr. Levine has encouraged me to participate in the ‘discussion’ on Rebel Industries and I’m enough of a fan of his to want to follow his lead. I warned him that I don’t like the internet, marketing, social networking, blogging, flogging, computer chatting, texting, tweeting, twitting, tight fitting jeans. I might NOT be the ideal contributor.
Problem is, I’m just old enough to have tried every new internet thing since 1993, the first time that it came out, when it sucked in obscurity. AOL Chat rooms? Freaks. Email? Bullshit. Online porn? Too slow. Social networking? Hows about you and I be friends, and cut out the middleman… I’m WAY behind on everything because I was way ahead on it.
I don’t like any of this social networking nonsense. It is enslaving and alienating, and we’re too caught up in bullshit updates, and friend requests from hot chicks, to know any better or care. I resent that our friendships are being exploited and re-purposed into bland entertainment to the benefit of companies using us as stooges to get their advertising space sold. And LOOK at the photos on most of those social networking sites… LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!!! I have muscles! I know hot chicks! I have big tits! I look good in a bikini! I’ve gone some place interesting! (click HERE to buy cheap insurance)… oh F**K OFF!
My engineer is trying to save me from my impending irrelevance, and signed me up on twitter. It’s the thing this week. Maybe last week. Twitter. Really? I thought he was kidding. DORKster was taken? JERKster is owned by a Russian domain name sales site? Sigh. Fine. If you don’t know about this twitter thing, then let me just take this opportunity to tell you that I love you. Really. The chances that you and I can be friends is far likelier than the chances of me befriending any of the thousands of friends that I paid some assistant to acquire for me on Myspace.
Twitter is bullet point blogging, more or less. You can write only a few sentences per ‘update’. And people can subscribe to your updates, or you can deliver them online in various ways. Drew, my engineer, assures me that it’s awesome, because (I stop listening about here)… so fine, I shall commence twitting. Is it called tweeting? Knowing this stuff is today’s equivalent of knowing how to pronounce INXS in 1982. So, great – I have, like 4 people following me on twitter, so I figure, I better make it sound interesting…. HEY! I’m in Key Largo fishing and diving…HEY! I’m in northern Michigan snowmobiling….HEY! I heard me on the radio…LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! ….D’OH!
I am, however, under the brief impression that there are 2 things that I like about this – 1. it only allows me 2 sentences or so, so it doesn’t take that much time to ‘update’ (no gigs, photos, subscriptions, etc.) and 2. there doesn’t seem to be an advertising annoyance, except I’ve been getting some random twitter usernames following me in suspiciously relevant ways. For example, I updated that I was in Naples, Florida and 20 minutes later, I received an email telling me that I was being followed by my long lost friends at ‘naplesscubagear’ Wow. Clever. Now I really feel like a twit.
I don’t like this form of communication because 1. it fills our head with even more useless nonsense (I caught a fish!) and 2. it robs us of the ability to introduce people individually to our experiences. I want to tell a friend where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing, with out it already being a re-run. ‘DUDE! I caught a nurse shark with my bare hands!’ ‘Yeah- I know.’ Sigh.
How about instead of advertising the highlights of your life to a bunch of people that wouldn’t even CONSIDER driving you to the airport, take the time you spend fucking about on facebook to write a considered, and thoughtful letter to an actual friend. If you are uncomfortable communicating without an option for advertising, include one of those Bed Bath and Beyond coupons that we all have piling up in a drawer, but never seem to have on hand when we actually end up there.
I know that I ain’t nothing but my grandpa complaining about Elvis right now, but dagnabit, I will NOT going quietly into polite societies good night- SOME one has to say it – we’re being used, and enslaved by this nonsense, and society individually and collectively suffers for it.
See, I told you, Josh, I’m not the ideal blog contributer. Now leave me alone. I have iPhone apps to buy, and a wooden duck to carve.
Now playing: Beach Boys, ‘I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times.’
Christie
Thank you Dennis! I totally agree. I get hassled from friends about not responding to their Facebook or MySpace messages. You know what? I have shit to do and I’m gonna talk to you or see you anyhow. It makes no sense. I feel as though people’s communication skills are already deteriorating, all this does is alienate us more. If you are (or anyone else) interested, there is a book called The Sociological Imagination by C.W. Mills that warns us about this (alienation). It’s amazing, it was written in 1959 and we are dead in it.
I also agree about the loss of writing letters. What a great feeling when you receive a letter in the mail. When was the last time this happened to any of us? When was the last time we wrote a letter (pen on paper) to let someone know what’s going on with us or how we miss them? To f**king long!
So, again… thank you Dennis for this blog. See, you are a good blogger and I will be waiting for your next insightful contribution.
Jan 22, 2009 @ 9:04 pm
julia
I love this cranky motherfucker. More, please.
Jan 23, 2009 @ 9:33 am
GH23
Interesting, but I honestly don’t think social networking sites alienates us from our friends, and in many cases reconnects us. I guess to each their own, I certainly wouldn’t beg and force a friend to join Facebook, but quite honestly, it SAVES time from trying to stay connected via individual emails, phone calls and in person visits, especially when my friends are spread across the globe. If I do want to not publicize something to my entire network, i can call, or send an email to individuals I desire. It is simply a tool that can be used for many things, and it has to be paid for in some way, as it provides a service. I certainly don’t mind advertisers flaunting their widgets on these sites any more than I object to seeing them during the Super Bowl.
But maybe Obama will figure out how to make us all happy, haha.
But enjoyed your rant…
Jan 23, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
Michael Antonia
The speed of media in general is dizzing, and the popularity of social networking is astounding! I am a facebook user b/c I have moved around a lot and it’s a nice way to share photos with my friends in other places… That said, I feel you in regards to being a cog in the machine, but I feel like they are going to target me regrdless… I live in Los Angeles, I am a 32 year old white male who is married, and has a kid… The consumer possibilities are endless! I buy recycled diapers, and eat organic food, is that a racket too? Maybe, but it makes me feel better (probably a bi-product of marketing no?)
Anyway, you expressed your point very well, and I laughed out loud more than once reading your post. The world needs more (not less) critical jerks! Nice work. -MICHAEL http://www.theflashdance.com
Jan 23, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Kate
I “heart” Dennis. I have idea what Twitter is but it reminds me too much of Twat so I pass.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
Myjive Blog » Blog Archive » Twitter: Micro-Blogging is in our DNA
[...] The Expectations of a Monetized Twitter Feed The Internet is Bad Social Media: Top Five Twitter Tools for Business Intelligence Getting Intimate (with Cusomters) on [...]
Jan 29, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Josh
Wow, great to see so much discussion about this topic. I got about 10 emails from other people letting me know that Dennis’ feelings reflected their own.
Social networking, like any technological and social advancement, is bound to have its downside. And I’ve noticed that a lot of the people who oppose social networking didn’t really care too much for old fashioned networking either. But it’s much easier to avoid people at conferences and cocktail hours than when they’re in your inbox.
As a serious networker personally, I find the benefits of Facebook and the other ways of keeping in touch pretty useful, and I’d say they generally outweigh the downsides.
Anyhow, thanks Dennis for sparking some lively discussion up in here. Keep coming up with more to challenge us, and don’t let the fact that you’re wrong stop you.
Jan 31, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
dennis white
I got phone calls addressing my point! (still waiting for postcards) Not necessarily agreeing with me, but nonetheless, taking enough from my rant to call instead of email to tell me that I’m an idiot…
ahhhh… the love.
now playing: ‘where have all the carrier pigeons gone?’
If I sounded wound up about something that I don’t really have to interact with if i don’t want to, wait’ll I share my feelings on my experience with something that I really had to interact with… JURY DUTY…
love you.
mean it.
dw
Feb 03, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
Resist the Herd | Rebel Industries Blog
[...] This is Dennis’ second post for Rebel – check his first post on his love (read: hatred) of the internet. [...]
Feb 04, 2009 @ 10:27 am
Socializing in China | Rebel Industries Blog
[...] – If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that Dennis White and I are on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to social media. He’s not alone — a lot [...]
Mar 05, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
Lynn
I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY with you Dennis and am in awe of your honesty.
Social networking is for people who either don’t have the necessary social skills to interact in person or don’t care enough to make the effort to visit. This crap about networking with friends all over the globe that you normally can’t see, is great, but your relationship CAN BE viewed by others and if you think not, GET A REAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION, not a force fed one from the website owners!
Social networking is another form of voyeurism. Uhhm yeah, I think I closed the blinds. OH CRAP, how did that pervert get in? IT HAPPENS and these lazy people who get sucked in are sitting ducks.
I love your articale Dennis!!!!
Mar 13, 2009 @ 8:55 am
Twitter: Micro-Blogging is in our DNA | Myjive
[...] is easy and seemingly instinctive for us. It comes naturally and Twitter is the ultimate conduit.Dennis White presents a strong indifference towards this constant stream of useless nonsense produced through [...]
Nov 07, 2011 @ 9:25 am