Internet and Our Contribution to Civilization:

Internet initiated an impeccable revolution, became mainstream and in no time went on to become the biggest known revolution of our times. I will not argue if someone said, it is the internet that made our life span look shorter than before. Through ages, there have been remarkable contributions by our predecessors to this civilization and it is widely believed that those have helped in the betterment of human life on earth culturally and economically. This article will be focused on interpreting two major contributions and its evolution through the years and how much cultural change has happened during the course of time.

 Contribution to lifestyle:

Though it was in 1672 that the first steam-powered vehicle was designed, it took two hundred years of evolution, for cars to become commercially available. When it was only officiated journals that carried reports and studies, it is to be seen that merits and demerits of any innovation were a matter of debate even then. Vehicles thronged the roads in early twentieth century and by 1940's there were more than a million cars in Los Angeles alone. It took so many years for discussions of new entrant into the list of air pollution contributors to became prominent. Discreet availability of reports in public access could be considered as one of the main reasons. Automobile, as stated in Smithsonian magazine article was the one that was widely discussed. 

Even when scepticism and relative botheration about a new technology which despite being exceptional prevailed, most concerns were about the safety of pedestrians and commuters. Vehicles and engines bettered the speed of commute and enabled more time for people to come out productive, while people kept adapting to new ways that kept them busy. There were multiple other inventions and innovations during these bygone centuries which have enabled a better lifestyle for human beings who lived in those times and for the ones who came after. Most of them were materialistic, which eventually got blended as a part of civilization. 

 From Noise to Voice:

Early known mode of communication humans in prehistoric era practised was through noise. As I type through passages, it gets me thinking, how would they have conveyed so much just with noises. I then come up with only two possible options, maybe they discussed so less, or they seldom had much time or necessity to communicate. There are numerable study references that speak of human evolution with respect to communication and behaviour. Looking at it on a contextual level, what could be easily observed is that every generation as it progressed, have worked on the betterment of modes and means of communication. Easy commute and better culture which is largely celebrated now also can be seen as a result of this betterment. What that began as noises went on to become symbols and eventually, symbols had references. When references had to be largely explained they took forms and shapes, giving birth to alphabets.

With the beginning of modern era, refined dialects started gaining attention and beautiful languages took prominence. If there was a real-life Captain America or Wolverine, they could definitely share the excitement of witnessing it all. With over 6500 languages, human evolution has come a long way forward in 2020, as I write this. 

Was it just the language that got better along with time? No.

Voice of the voiceless started getting heard and numerous cultural evils were put to end as communication became better. It might not reflect directly with any factual backing, but to look at it bluntly. It was because Park Yeon-mi spoke in a language that the gathering in Ireland understood, the plight of North Koreans came into limelight. 

Culture and Humane values also have gotten refined over time fitting into rights and wrongs of demand, and that is why civilization is always believed to have moved forward. Same as how steam-powered vehicle designed in 1672 got refined over time to become solar-powered vehicles in 2020. Though the good and bad of its evolution were looked upon depending on an individual's convenience and conviction. Conclusions or bottom line of the demand were evaluated based on combined good and bad and its impact in the society.

 Our contribution to this civilization:

Internet is only 25 years old since commercialization and 37 years old since inception. Yet, we are far ahead and were quicker than our ancestors in understanding the merits and demerits of an invention. A mind-boggling 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is generated every day and sure has opened a lot of spectrum for the general audience. From making noises to call the nearest neighbour, to discussing lifestyle with a random American sitting in India, communication has invariably improved. 

From, "what do they have so much to talk", to "are they talking in the right way" culture has also improved alongside. If expressing emotions was the only objective of communicating better, expressing discomfort on objectionable references has become the new way forward.  

Political correctness is surely boring. It kills the joke, haunts freedom of speech and brings distress to many. If early 2010 saw discussions about what is right or wrong on the internet, this new age, which will probably be called "Internet era" in coming future has started discussing the right way to talk. Many people are already stressed and critical about this suggestion of Political correctness, looking at it as a bigoted demand. But what is the harm in considering it as a refining process of communication? 

The larger world never bothered about unequal treatment of women until people talked about it. When it was known, a lot started changing. Likewise, if a casual joke is hurting sentiments of another person and if people are talking about it, why wouldn't it be better to find a way to not do harm. That would also be a process of refining the way of communication. Showing our backs and upholding our ego to not listen might cost the happiness of a generation that is yet to come. If not us, someone else might, that would only delay the dawn of this new culture.

 We could be the generation who's entitled to begin the process.

A lot would have to be unlearned and unlearning is never easy. Any refining process begins with knowing the problem, followed by discussions and then accepting the need for implementation. Calling a short person, 'dwarf' and a big person, 'giant', be a literal translation which remained fair through ages. But if the person called so is feeling hurtful for being referred to their shape rather than their identity or name, shouldn't that be respected?

Unlearning and re-engineering isn't anything new. Menstrual period and Sex were two words considered most taboo, to be said in open public until recently.

Hasn't it changed? I could say, it began with unlearning of the taboo associated with it. 

With internet access reaching more than half of world population, everyone is exposed and accessible to any random person on earth. And so, opinions from a stranger is nothing new anymore. To change for good would be to talk better and find ways to communicate nicely. It would mean, to be politically correct while being critical. To be politically correct while being sarcastic. To be politically correct while being funny. Neither of which is easy nor familiar to this current generation, because we first have a lot to unlearn. But would sure be our contribution to civilization.