Um. I think that depends on how you define culture. I think the music industry is still very hung up in it's own commercial context. Punk is just another tradition and I don't see it as in any way unique.
Television again, as you say, I don't think really offers much real interactivity, and is all about spectating.
However, I do agree with the concept of internet as offering empowerment to those who are prepared to make the effort, allowing them to shape their world and culture.
The Open Source movement I think IS new and different. The technologies that shape the Livejournal site we are using to discuss this have been created not by commercial forces, but by people with ideas, using forums to discuss and develop their concepts and test them.
And the sheer power of really open communications among people who have shared interests is something I think we are going to see more of. I really think that is more than just 'chat'.
20 years ago, I could see an old dog in my local rescue centre not being adopted, and think 'that is sad'. I could maybe do something to help that one old dog, with the consent of the 'powers that be' (local press, radio, the 'official' rescue centre.
Today I help run a small charity (the Oldies Club) that I really think has made a genuine difference to that problem in many areas of the UK, and continues to do so. All the people who run it live all over the place, and meet perhaps twice a year. It's a virtual organisation. It arose from just chatting about shared interests.
There are lots of other examples in the area of 'dog culture' with which I am familiar. DeednotBreed. Sighthounds Online. The Dogstar Foundation. Hope. Sighthound Welfare Trust. All set up by groups of people who came together on various forums and decided that there was a problem, and they could work to fix it. That's the 'dog world' - I know little of the fanfic world, but I am aware of many other 'worlds' where people are getting up and doing stuff, and I think you underrate that.
Although it may be true that only a small percentage of the population works to shape their own world in this way, I am fairly sure this is nothing new. The majority of people might sing a song, but will probably not set out to write a new one, and I don't think that has changed. What I think is new is that we should now have fewer and fewer 'mute, inglorious Miltons' as technology decreases social isolation.
no subject
Television again, as you say, I don't think really offers much real interactivity, and is all about spectating.
However, I do agree with the concept of internet as offering empowerment to those who are prepared to make the effort, allowing them to shape their world and culture.
The Open Source movement I think IS new and different. The technologies that shape the Livejournal site we are using to discuss this have been created not by commercial forces, but by people with ideas, using forums to discuss and develop their concepts and test them.
And the sheer power of really open communications among people who have shared interests is something I think we are going to see more of. I really think that is more than just 'chat'.
20 years ago, I could see an old dog in my local rescue centre not being adopted, and think 'that is sad'. I could maybe do something to help that one old dog, with the consent of the 'powers that be' (local press, radio, the 'official' rescue centre.
Today I help run a small charity (the Oldies Club) that I really think has made a genuine difference to that problem in many areas of the UK, and continues to do so. All the people who run it live all over the place, and meet perhaps twice a year. It's a virtual organisation. It arose from just chatting about shared interests.
There are lots of other examples in the area of 'dog culture' with which I am familiar. DeednotBreed. Sighthounds Online. The Dogstar Foundation. Hope. Sighthound Welfare Trust. All set up by groups of people who came together on various forums and decided that there was a problem, and they could work to fix it. That's the 'dog world' - I know little of the fanfic world, but I am aware of many other 'worlds' where people are getting up and doing stuff, and I think you underrate that.
Although it may be true that only a small percentage of the population works to shape their own world in this way, I am fairly sure this is nothing new. The majority of people might sing a song, but will probably not set out to write a new one, and I don't think that has changed. What I think is new is that we should now have fewer and fewer 'mute, inglorious Miltons' as technology decreases social isolation.