Against the Internet

Against the Internet

Lee Siegel’s book “Against the Machine” is a very interesting analysis of how the Internet has been allowed to change the way that humans live. Siegel goes into many different aspects of human life that have been made more “convenient” by the Internet such as dating, entertainment and others. He brings up an important question in his book, which is very pertinent to the whole idea of the Internet though, at what cost does this convenience come?
Before the Internet was invented people had much more face-to-face interaction, whereas now the growing way to interact can be over an instant messaging service or email so instead the norm has become face to screen interaction. Siegel uses a good example of the coffee shop atmosphere to exemplify this point. Previously coffee shops were used to escape from the world and discuss matters more personal to oneself and others. Now, a coffee shop experience consists of going into a Starbucks, buying you Internet code and flipping open your laptop to go online. Instead of talking to the other mocha lovers one is expected to simply enter into the online world. Siegel also makes a good counterpoint to this argument however, since the online world that each person delves into actually does satisfy their interest in the topics that they would be talking about in the coffee shop. The difference is that the Internet allows them to access that information and more giving the user the opportunity to be completely submerged into his or her world of interest. I personally have to disagree with Siegel a bit on this point for a couple reasons. He says that the reasons we look to the Internet rather than a person is because it allows for instant gratification. He also says that it can fulfill needs that people have. I would have two arguments against these points. The first would be that although instant gratification is certainly sought after the old saying that “the harder you work for something the more satisfied you will be when you get it” still holds true. Sure one could use the Internet to find out where to buy a nice car for a cheap price, perhaps from ebay, but actually getting the money needed to buy that car is not an instant process and requires time to assemble the monetary support. Against his argument that people have needs that only the Internet can fulfill I would argue that some needs include other people such as the need for community or conversation with other people face to face. As long as humanity still stays human there will always be a need for personal interaction; to suggest the opposite goes against decades of study about human behavior and wants and need.
I do disagree with much of what Siegel says but he also raises an interesting point in his writings, why is it that anyone who criticizes the Internet is looked down upon? Currently anyone technology related cannot wait to sing the praises of the Internet, and there are many, but like all things it should be able to stand up to basic criticism. Part of this reaction I believe is due in part to how quickly the Internet has become a normal routine tool that many people depend on. Additionally, I believe that it symbolizes something of a mindset difference between the generations that did not grow up with the Internet and those that have. Although the Internet was not fast when I was growing up eventually it became quick and I relied more and more on it for daily tasks. Even in high school I along with many others started to change from going to the library to simply turning on a computer and surfing the web. After using a tool successfully and for so many years to hear it called a problem simply goes against a lot of personal perspective that I, along with others, have gained.
Siegel makes some interesting points about social networking sites and how they have become a place where private and public spheres of life seem to collide. Sites such as facebook and myspace have allowed for people to interact with one another across vast distances and come into contact with people that they might have never met otherwise. However, to achieve this personal information about oneself must be put out into the network. This results in a public display of ones own private information. Siegel brings up lasch’s book about this topic and points out that this whole process is simply the inner narcissist in people “ whose sense of self depends on the validation of others whom he nevertheless degrades.” (50) Although it is true that this information does not need to be true to be displayed the fact still rings true that part of the reason such information is put up is with the intention that others will see it. I believe that such networking sites have been a boon to society however, as they have allowed for more interaction among people even if it is not face-to-face. They have also acted as ways to create real world face-to-face interactions and keep in touch with other relationships made in the real world.
Lee Siegel’s “Against the Machine” brings up some interesting points about the Internet and how it has made its way into normal human processes but he fails to see a lot of the value that it has produced. It is true that the Internet may contribute to the decrease some face-to-face interaction but it allows for interaction on a much bigger scale with many more people that would not have met if not for the Internet. One could find their true love with sites like match.com whereas, without it they might have never even seen the person. I also think that part of this resistance to embrace the Internet is because of the generational gap that is starting to show more and more. Rather than reject the Internet because of its lack of human face-to-face interaction, newer generations are accepting that, as more of a norm to be balanced with real time interaction with people.