History of Internet

As digital natives, it's easy take the vast power of the internet for granite. It's clear after watching this dense video, however, that the impacts of technology on an individual and societal level cannot be fully realized without first looking to history.

For me, the most interesting part of the Internet's development is that it transcended so many boundaries from the very beginning - the network extended across campuses, states and even countries. More importantly, however, the Internet transcended the interests of many different groups. I.e., the network we know as the world wide web is a product of military interests, scientific needs, commercial aspirations and international collaboration.

In a way, the development of the internet was of a democratic nature. It's history is rich with collaboration - a history where different groups with different interests came together to propel society in a positive direction. This development foreshadowed the endless participation opportunities facilitated by the internet today, I think. Moreover, a lot of critics argue that the internet supplements democracy by offering a platform for discussion and participation.

As the internet continues to increase in its scope, the same groups that joined forces to develop the network are now at odds on how to proceed. Could the internet actually be hurting democracy? (Does the cluttered environment ultimately drown out the average user?) Or, does it offer a voice to anyone willing to put forth the effort? Will the same interest groups that joined together to advance society in the developmental stages of the internet be a detriment to the positive impacts the internet has on individuals?

These questions require a holistic approach and cannot be answered by looking at history alone, however. Having said that, I'm excited to start exploring more resources that will drive our debates and discussions about the impacts and implications of the Internet.