How Corporate Money Ruined the Internet

How the Internet became a hotbed of loneliness

The internet started as an imagined egalitarian community where people could forge meaningful connections. So how did it become… all this? Let’s find out in this Wisecrack Edition: Is the Internet Making Us Lonely

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Written by Rachel Van Nes
Hosted by Michael Burns
Directed by Evan Yee
Edited by Henry Arrambide
Produced by Olivia Redden and Griffin Davis

Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound

#Internet #Wisecrack

© 2022 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming

[cannibalfan]

There's also the vanishing of "third places" spaces that aren't work or home like town/city squares, community centers etc compunded by the expansion of the suburbs and people living farther and farther from where their job is located.

[SkrToon]

I’m an only child. Never did communal sports or play dates growing up. Live alone as an adult. My social life actually went up during the beginning of the pandemic since all my co-workers were freaking out about being alone or only with their families so we had virtual happy hours or played among us, etc.

Now? Back to me myself & I.

Watching all these studies in how bad the pandemic was to everyone’s psyche for being alone… makes me wonder about my entire life

[Matas]

Def lonely watching this video about how the internet makes me lonely, on the internet.

[kmdash]

When you look at the past when people would write letters to one another, it wasn't a substitute for face-to-face communication. I have letters my grandparents sent to one another saying how much they miss each other. Texting, phone calls, etc., aren't a substitute for in person interactions.
When I saw Wall-E, what really stuck out to me was how most people are constantly talking to someone over the phone or on a video screen. These people were desperate for connection and communication, but that's because they were deprived of it. I think we have a similar problem now. We need friendship, approval, etc., and social media gives us just enough to keep us addicted but not enough to cure our loneliness

[lancetan]

Loneliness being contagious is the most ironic thing I have heard in a while. Loved the video.

[CarSVernon]

im old and i actually miss the 'old' internet, i miss anon message boards/forums without having to have social media to chat about things you like

[twincast]

Come to think of it, one of the reasons why I miss '00s internet is that I was actually part of communities, namely LiveJournal and a handful of internet forums. Damn those corporate vultures.

[cmilla]

World of Warcraft definitely had more of an impact on me than I would have guessed. I didn't develop any real life relationships, but there is just something about familiarity. Playing with the same people regularly and working towards something is a unique and special feeling, whether that is soccer, video games or even your job that you hate. When I logged back into WoW a few years after leaving, I was shocked to see how many people missed me. I must have had an impact on them as well, and it always feels good to be missed.

[edsta]

Somehow the internet made me less lonely.

I work from home so I am naturally lonely at times since my partner works long hours and my friends all moved further away so I don't see them as often.

I started to watch streamers on twitch and found myself enjoying the content of streamers who happen to live in the same city as I do.

Over the years I ended up becoming recognised amongst them and the viewers where we have interesting and meaningful convo's since the community was pretty mature and not emote spamming children.

Eventually the relatively small community of streamers and viewers I joined found an excuse to meet up so I went myself had a lot of fun and ended up being invited to one of their houses for a small get together where I met even more familiar names from the community so now those internet friends have become real friends I can see in the flesh despite my isolated lifestyle

[truhhhhhhhokIII]

This is why i love skateboarding, its the most community based yet individualistic physical recreational activity / artform (with a side order of being able to be rated as a sport as well)

[albertbehm]

I always hear stories from my mom and older strangers about their childhood and the things they got into. Very cool stories and I grew up thinking I was gonna have cool stories like that too. Now nothing happens, everyone is addicted to their phones and fears/doesn't know how to have conversations with random people, this makes it harder to make friends. I try to put my phone down as much as I can and do what I want, however I often do it alone because nobody else is around.

[vitoria.no.c]

I’m just gonna sit here and ruminate on “consciousness isn’t created alone.”

[raymondtrabulsy]

I had a MySpace page. The friends ranking was a great way to learn how little you mattered to the people who claimed you as a friend.

[gregtiwald]

It's capitalism. The problem is capitalism. Specifically advanced by neoliberalism, the alienation we already feel is made worse when we can't afford to participate in society because our wages go entirely to rent and food

[Xarfax]

“I am tired of this world, these people. I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives.” - Dr Manhattan. One of the Watchmen-quotes I really feel connected with.

[gwgux]

This is some definite food for thought. Back in the 90s, social media was more communal with pockets of discussion forums popping up around various topics (gaming being a big example of this, but there were others out there too). Back then you could talk to people with similar interests as you do without being bombarded by ads every two seconds and even back then, some people even ended up getting married after having met on a discussion board. Before MMO games were a reality (this was during the slow dial up days), gaming communities were close nit where everyone would get to know each other and recognize what they brought to the community by being there. If a high school kid wasn't fitting in at school, this was their way to connect to others and feel like they could at least be a part of something even if they couldn't get along with anyone IRL.

The big corporate social networks destroyed this. When everyone jumped on their platforms, it ripped the communities apart. When the place people congregate around isn't built by the community, for the community, there isn't a community. This is where MMO games can shine. Even though the game itself is made by a company for profit, the guilds and pocket communities of gamers that come together on their own, are made by those gamers for those gamers. It's like of like a return to the old discussion boards for gamers by gamers, but just in a different format. There's a lot than be argued for and against this (ex: still using a corporation's platform with may be riddled with micro transactions, vs the benefits of a fan made website for the game), but it's a step in the right direction at least.

People just need to have a space to be...people. Themselves. Away from work, sometimes as a momentary break away from other people (even people they like), etc. The Internet can allow all those things to happen. If stopping by a bar to unwind on the way home after a late shift of hell at work isn't your thing, then MMOs and other things online may help you. The thing is though, you still need to take that step yourself. You are still capable of fighting back against the corporate socials and forming your own communities online on whatever platform you want and whatever format you want. The tech is there and surprisingly affordable and widely available. You don't need to be the next Facebook, or the next Twitter, etc., you just need to be yourself. Communal buy in, or maybe just a handful of people put up the servers and maintain them, what ever works for you. It's your community and therefore, your rules.

[ericf]

Great video. Loneliness hasn't really been a problem for me, i struggle with urges to self isolate, simultaneously having urges to reach out

[demorbe-official]

I was a victim of this. Loneliness really sucks I was in a situation that I was sucked int and stuck with internet addictions all I could interact with was my phone consuming content pushed to me by the algorithm.
So I decide to use that loneliness to open up a YouTube channel and also engaged in a sports club and for now at least I see some huge progress and life is getting better

[JBBost]

I recently went through this video first-hand! On the final year of my master's and even with doing my undergrad at 30, I still felt so much more isolated during grad school and Facebook was just like making everything so much worse. Finally, I hit up therapy, learned some anxiety tricks, and made a few friends in the program. Still, this has been such an isolating experience and I am so ready to move to city and find my people!

[ericjome]

My Mother used to tell me, "If you want friends, you've got to be friendly." You have to go out, find people, spend time with them. If you are lonely and you don't want to be, the first step is out your door. Try talking to strangers by asking them about themselves and doing what they like to do.