A few weeks ago, I came across an article about the internet.
Given the times we live in, I would have expected a rant about spam, clickbait, privacy violations, the extractive attention economy. You know it, you’re living it.
But unlike most of the articles and posts on the topic, this one left me with a strong feeling of…
Hope.
Instead of pointing to corruption and wrongness in technology, this article reminded me of what’s going right with it.
It doesn’t gloss over what’s dying and broken on the internet. It confirms that what we’re experiencing is real.
But it showed me the deeper truth, the one I’d forgotten.
All the things to love about the internet back in the early days of getting AOL CDs in the mail, the dial up sound and “You’ve got mail!” inbox that made my heart leap with excitement…
…those things still exist. In fact, they’re what makes the internet work underneath the platforms and services of enshittification.
The internet itself isn’t broken, even if the platforms might be.
Everything we need to return to the boring old internet we loved is still here, and people are still using it to create pockets of freedom outside the noise.
It left me inspired to be one of those people creating a hopeful, loving future with technology coming together with others who love it, and building on the solid foundations that are still here.
It echoed the deeper truth of our human journey:
No matter how loud and noxious the noise in our heads, the perfection of our human design cannot be damaged.
The intelligence that heals our cuts and grows our nails, breathes our lungs and beats our heart for as long as we are alive – it’s got us.
Life is working on our side, no matter how much it might feel otherwise.
It’s still there.
Just like the good internet.
I heaved a big sigh of relief reading Terry Godier’s article, “The Boring Internet.” And maybe you will, too.
https://www.terrygodier.com/the-boring-internet
Yours in love and play,
Steph 🐲❤️
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