Internet Amplifies Human Nature

Computer Life column for January 16, 1999
by
Richard Gordon

The Internet really does bring people together, allowing them to join virtual communities with people from all over the globe.

Usually, this feature of the 'Net is a Good Thing. For example, one Sunday last Fall, my son and I hurried home from soccer so that we could feed my friend Timppa, from Oulu, Finland, and Susanna, his girlfriend, as they drove down the east coast.

Timppa and my son disappeared into the basement and played two or three videogame soccer matches while Susanna and I "practiced her English" as I cooked supper.

This is the third time that Timppa and I have gotten together in person--he and I became friends when our fantasy soccer teams played each other about seven years ago. Our teams even met head-to-head in the championship match of a league featuring over 100 virtual teams managed by people in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Modesty prevents me from revealing the result.

The most fun part of our Internet soccer league was getting to know people from all over the place. And that is the best feature of the Internet community: whether it's mailing lists, message boards, real-time "chat," or other applications, the 'Net is the place to go to build a virtual community of friends who share similar interests.

Of course, there are down-sides. Instead of finding yourself at a party with five people you can see and shake hands with, you may find yourself in a virtual community that includes hundreds of people. And does that ever amplify the human condition.

For example, this week, my evening "computer time" was taken up trying to stop a spat that broke out on an Internet mailing list.

Ordinarily, this mailing list is a great source of information for the owners of a certain breed of dog; however, 860 members of the list were treated to a public spat about which was worse--the alleged racial insult fired off by a woman in Australia at a man in an unnamed New England state or the alleged sexual insult he fired off at her.

Fortunately, there hasn't been a way that these two people have found of suing each other--yet. However, 860 of us--on six continents--have had the pleasure of watching these people demonstrate just how mean-spirited us human beings can be.

And parents know that we need to monitor what parts of the Internet our kids explore. "But, Daddy, all my friends can use Instant Messaging on their AOL accounts," one sixth-grade girl whined at a friend of mine as he laid down the law with her.

But the 'Net can also amplify the good parts of the human condition.

Several years ago, a student I know slightly had to take some time off from the University of Delaware while he was battling cancer.

One of his friends asked for help making sure he could keep his UD e-mail account while he was in chemotherapy. Because the times he felt well enough to interact with people were so unpredictable, e-mail became this young man's link to his friends during the six months he was off campus.

In short, e-mail allowed his friends to build a small but strong community of support.

Tip of the week

Y2K

This week's Y2K pointers are to two general Web sites that provide background information and collections of links to information about solving the Year 2000 "bug."

First, the Year2000.com Partnership (www.year2000.com), a joint venture of Petrus & Associates and the Tenagra Corporation., brings together information from individual computing vendors about how their hardware and software measure up. It also includes links to recommended action steps and a variety of sites that discuss general Y2K testing and patches.

Second, the Y2K web site sponsored by the law firm of Williams, Mullen, Christian & Dobbins (www.y2k.com) provides some interesting legal perspectives on the issues surrounding the date change.

Copyright © 1999, The News Journal Company

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