We’re online almost 24/7. We’re as fast on our phones as Batman is on the streets, when the bat signal turns on.

To put it simply— we’re addicts.

Although this may seem like a negative thing at first , there is also a huge upside.

This blog series will hopefully give you a little bit of peace back and explains, how we all benefit from your nights in front of a screen.

Plus, it will show you WHAT YOU GET AS A RESULT.

Part 1: Society

Part 2: Movements & Politics

Part 3: Education and Science

Part 4: Economics

Special-Part 5: The Challenges of the Future

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INTRODUCTION

We already spend a daily average of 6 hours on the web. From the outset, it seems depressing and excessive, but let me show you how well our collective screen time is spent to change our society for the better.

To jump in, lets clarify, what the internet actually “is” and what makes it so special:

The internet is the first medium, which allows for a multi-directional “realtime”-data transfer between any number of people all over the globe.

It literally connects our minds for a designated time span (almost) regardless of location.

Traditional forms of mass media like newspapers, TV or radio were only able to disseminate messages in one direction. As a consumer, you only could receive data. Feedback and interaction between users was not possible!

Industrialisation helped to finance the groundwork for the development of the Internet. For that we took a loan from the environment, its inhabitants and whole sections of the world population.

Fortunately, the internet will give us the necessary tools to pay back our debt and to lead the world into an equilibrium.

This is only possible, if we manage to do this together; In a collective endeavour to save the world — from ourselves.

But why exactly, is the Internet uniting us?

1. BECAUSE IT MAKES US WORLD CITIZEN

HOW WAS IT BEFORE THE INTERNET?

To feel empathy for other people you have to deeply identify with their joys and pains. Direct and personal communication is the most powerful instrument to reach that state.

But to have such personal contact with people from other nations, you could only use the phone or meet them in person. Because this is not scalable time wise and is too expensive, interactions between people were limited.

Therefore, foreign cultures were something intangible or even regarded with animosity for many people. Identification as world citizens was restricted.

HOW IS THE INTERNET CHANGING THIS FOR THE BETTER?

The Internet makes the direct communication between any number of people possible, almost regardless of time and location.

This creates a web of personal and authentic relationships.

We can not only laugh together about funny videos, but also develop empathy for people that we may never meet in person.

Empathy is the key for developing a consciousness for being Global Citizens and seeing the collective challenges.

And yes, we can even be on the same page with people we thought there could never be any common ground with. (Everybody loves funny cats!)

I iz snipurrrr rifle! Am I doin diz right?

Oh yeah, even ISIS loves cats! https://twitter.com/isilcats

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM BEING ADDICTED?

Travelling makes you a better person for a simple reason: You have personal exchange with other cultures, see the world from their perspectives and begin to develop empathy.

Previously, information about other cultures could only be obtained by spending thousands of dollars on plane tickets. Today, all you need is a computer and Internet access.

If you are addicted to the Internet, you might neglect some personal relationships. However, you will become a better person to those who remain close to you.

More people online = more exchange = more empathy

= an increasingly peaceful and tolerant world — day after day.

2. BECAUSE WE’RE DEVELOPING AWARENESS

FOR GLOBAL PROBLEMS

HOW WAS IT BEFORE THE INTERNET?

30 years ago, before the information age, you probably wouldn’t hear about humanity’s problems — which was a good thing for you, but not for our society.

And even among those who knew, not many cared.

This lack of information and apathy resulted from 3 characteristics of the “old” media.

The limited air time

The media constructs a version of reality by filtering content before it airs. This process was inevitable and meant that only a hand full of hot topics were present in the consciousness of society — even though the challenges were countless. The fixed air time

You as a consumer, you could only hear about a story if you were in front of the TV or radio at the time of transmission. The depth and variety of the content

Due to time limitations, issues were not discussed depth in depth by the media. For example, if you hate polar bears, a documentary of melting polar ice caps wouldn’t influence you enough to act against climate change. But maybe it would be different if the story was about elephants dying of thirst due to other impacts of climate change? Who knows?

The more people feel emotionally attached, the more self-initiative arises.

HOW IS THE INTERNET CHANGING THIS FOR THE BETTER?

Today you get stories, news and fates posted by other addicts all over the globe. The stories go directly to your feeds, in real time, reaching you almost everywhere.

The ones that resonate emotionally with you (perhaps on a subconscious level), will be read the most.

The chances that you feel a personal relevance increase drastically, and therefore also the chances for you to get proactive for a certain cause.

This leads to more people getting active on a small scale, which leads to an increased collective consciousness for the greater problem and lets us all unite, mobilised for action.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM BEING ADDICTED?

Before, global problems seemed too overwhelmingly large to really make a difference. With the advent of the Internet, you now have the chance to see them on a smaller, more personal scale.

The barriers of entry to becoming active are lowered heavily with the Internet providing you with great tools to summon supporters and expertise for your cause.

So you see, you can also use your addict-time on the web wisely and get active :)

When do you get active for a cause? If it touches you on a personal level.

3. BECAUSE WE BECOME AND STAY

FRIENDS WITH THE WORLD

HOW WAS IT BEFORE THE INTERNET?

Your social circle was mostly limited to the people in your direct environment. International friendships were rather an exception.

Your time has always been limited due to various reasons.

To stay in contact with people who left this circle has been time intensive, since you had to write letters, speak on the phone or meet up personally (i.e. travelling).

So unsurprisingly, many good friends lost touch with each other. True story.

HOW IS THE INTERNET CHANGING THIS FOR THE BETTER?

Today we can become friends and maintain friendships with people spread all over the world.

With the help of social networks, we are able to effortlessly take part in our friends’ lives, instead of losing touch with them.

Videotelephony makes it possible to see the people live, even though they are thousands of kilometers away. (Of course we can also use it for other purposes) ;)

The result is the build-up and preservation of the glue that holds our world together — friendships.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM BEING ADDICTED?

Before the Internet, separating out your friends was inevitable. Now, you can easily maintain your network, even if you sometimes have less time to do so.

The people you meet in your addiction self-help group aka. Internet can develop to great friends. This virtue is not bound to real life connections.

Plus: You will get your next job more likely through your network than with an application.

Who knows, what kinds of opportunities an old friend might provide?

CONCLUSION:

Your time as an internet-addict is indeed well spent.

As a result of increased interactions and worldly perspectives, two fundamental values that hold our society together are strengthened: friendship and empathy.

The resulting identification as global citizens raises the awareness for global challenges, making it possible for us to pull on a string together.

So what can be done, when humanity is united and an identification as world citizens is established?

WHATS NEXT?

We finally(!) can make our united voice heard!

As a society, we have more power than we think to influence politics and history with our opinions and moods.

We have to take action together!

Because, if we continue heading down this path of our current political and economical systems, the chances for a worldwide collapse within the next 50 years are pretty good. (or this source)

In the second post you can use your internet addiction to give society a rumbling voice and how it will change the course of history for the better.

Part 1: Society

Part 2: Movements & Politics

Part 3: Education and Science

Part 4: Economics

Special-Part 5: The Challenges of the Future

This blog is part of the project:

“WorldBrain — Verifying the Internet”

Our drive and passion is to use the internet as the greatest tool to serve humanity. We want to create a better world with empathy, knowledge and perspectives.