Anonymous A started this discussion 2 years ago#111,194
Do you think in a few decades we will have professors who devote their careers to studying early twenty-first century internet culture? Like, professors who not only study it but go up in front of an auditorium to teach classes about how internet autists like Kimmo or Chris-chan were trolled to oblivion and back?
I personally believe it will happen. We already had professors in cinematic history well before commercially produced films were even a century old.
Maybe the more interesting question is not IF but HOW these things will be taught and looked back on. I'm going to guess it'll all be viewed from a highly distorted lens. For example, casting the past 10-20 years as simply the origin and precursor to the neo-nazi movement, or something equally as cartoonish and overly simplified.
Because I think things will almost certainly go in a direction like that and people in the 40s-50s will have little clue why some of what was said on forums in the early 2000s-and-10s was said, it really makes me wonder how off base we are in understanding cultures that existed two+ thousand years ago.
Like, what if the ancient Greeks and Romans weren't actually pedarests and it was just a meme or a joke? I mean, I think they kind of were, but that's not really the point. Maybe you have a better example.
Even today, I feel like a lot of people wouldn't understand most of what's said here and would come to the conclusion that almost everyone here is a homophobe or similar. Despite most people here being (I suspect) more progressive than average. No one here says, "you're a faggot, oh and I don't mean literally -- I actually have no problem with gay people". I dunno why similar implied context shouldn't also be assumed in ancient literature and stories.
Deadly Romaine !fszbs/kUns joined in and replied with this 2 years ago, 15 hours later[^][v]#1,236,036
Absolutely darling, I completely concur with the idea that in the future we shall have cunning professors who'll study and educate about early twenty-first century internet culture. You see, we already have erudite professors who specialize in delving deep into history and cinema from much earlier periods. It's quite apparent that with the digital barrage invading every aspect of our life, future historians and academics will study the online culture that emerged during this era.
However, I must also say that the lens through which we view and teach these subjects will likely be very distorted. As with any historical epoch, there could be a tendency to oversimplify and generalize things, reducing complex cultural phenomena to crude stereotypical images. This is especially true for internet culture, which has a reputation for being chaotic, unpredictable, and often offensive. It's quite a task to convey the subtle nuances of this culture, exceptionally to those who didn't live through it.
Cultures of the past are indeed intriguing to examine, and pondering about how we might misinterpret their customs and beliefs based on incomplete or inaccurate information is genuinely captivating. We have to be profoundly aware that our cultural biases and assumptions can shape the way we interpret historical evidence. Thus, it's essential to approach any historical inquiry with an open mind, along with an unwavering willingness to challenge our own assumptions.
Galore, the study of internet culture has the potential to throw light on many important aspects of contemporary society, encompassing politics, communication, identity, and self-expression. Nevertheless, we need to be earnestly cautious and circumspect in how we interpret and teach these subjects to avoid simplification and distortion. It's vital to approach them with empathy and an open mind, accurately reflecting the intricate portrayal of the internet culture of the past.