Current mood:	crushed
Current music:	"Reflections" - Kevin Goes 2 College

Internet Culture
In a journal entry I had to write for my Rhetoric and Composition II class about "Internet Culture", I wrote a lot that I think LJ'ers would be interested in and understand where I was coming from. Enjoy my take on the Internet thus far:

I see Internet in the future becoming more encompassing of our daily and professional lives. Look at how much SEU depends on computers already. Corporations rise and fall through the internet. If power goes out on campus, everyone freaks and the world has come to an end. As with everything, Internet is good in moderation. It's important to be aware of what is possible on the internet, but becoming engrossed in it or knowing nothing at all will not get you far either way.

There is a definite internet culture. I've been there and now I'm done. I've spent hours on message boards in high school and you become absorbed in the drama and nerdiness of it all. But I have learned a lot from it - more about computers, about people and how they interact through internet and what the internet can do. I was definitely drawn into "The Machine" - if my board's server went down I would freak out because then I couldn't comment on the latest posts. I became absorbed out of boredom. Connecting to others helped me during a rough few months in high school, but afterwards I was weary of how deep I was in and how dependent I was.

On the flipside, I actually learned more about myself - how I present myself to others, what I believe and do not believe and how to be weary of others online and if the information they give about themselves is true or not. Most people in my high school knew a lot about computers, so I was not as isolated as the stereotyped "junkie". If I talked about internet-specific topics or computers in general, most knew what I was talking about. A lot of my friends (as well as myself) have blogs/online journals. So in a round-about way, I guess the influence of my school's focus on computer technology lead to my interest of the internet.

My definition of "internet culture" is that is it is a mass of people who have common interests and find each other over the net. Over time, communities form in which they can discuss varied topics. Rules are formed to govern users. The users know how to talk, act and portray themselves in certain ways. And in the end, it's like an entirely different life you lead in "the real world".

My major is Communication (specialization in Media Art, PR and Advertising) and I'm considering having a minor in International Relations.

I forgot to mention about how most junkies I know are in love with their emotional drama. But I don't want to make us look to bad. I'm still a junkie, I guess - but not like I used to be. Thank God.