Us in Twenty-Three

The end of the year brings a high wave of summaries, discussions about memorable events in the past 2022. The discussions will be - taking into account the electoral calendar - quite sharp. With an emphasis on: enough. Unnoticeably, without any visible waves, the generally accepted way of discussing or arguing is changing. The emotional temperature is still as high, but the range of opinions that can be expressed is less, or perhaps more normalized. 

Normalization allows you to return to the initial question about connecting to the network, about "networking" such discussions. It is rarely carried out in a completely local way, without a trace of other users of social media networks. And these, as we know, have clearly defined limits to freedom of expression. Even your text editor will be happy to check in what percentage what you taped with your fingers on the keyboard in accordance with several recommended languages: In the language of equality, The language of exclusion Or Hatred. We taught machines how to correct what we say and write, we taught them to eliminate extremes that, as we know, interfere with the seamless flow of information. Extremes, problems, change the "conderationally" normalized flow into a turbulent flow, torning you every move. This, from a purely technical perspective of performance (efficiency?) Networks, a real disaster. We instinctively try to avoid disasters, so we clarify catalogues of languages (or maybe transmission protocols) that limit extremes, we encourage you to segregate opinions to better fit the current of discussion. What, from the point of view of an engineer (or an algorithm subordinate to him) is a sensible concern about avoiding turbulence, reducing friction, minimizing discrepancies, which is a concern for the maximum speed of information transfer in a beam transmitted by any network fiber, does not favor the never-defined idea of free discussion without restrictions. Since we cannot give up the convenience, functionality and fetish of "speed" of information via the network, we will have to say goodbye to the continuity of such concepts as discussion, dispute, democracy based on access also to extreme opinions. The very concept of difference, fundamental difference of views will become something A priori (At the stage of connecting to the network) excluding participation in a "dispute" conducted always in a targeted range of views and transmission parameters. The structure of the network means that we are up to date with, for example, legal acts limiting discussions on certain topics in certain social areas, even somewhere far away (the law Don't Say Gay Ron DeSantis in Florida), but the disappearance of technically non-normalized diversity escapes us from the image of reality (provided by the network). If there are open controversies, it is also in a grotesquely polarized, "technically prepared" form, such as the Life and Family Foundation's project on informing about abortion. Such ventures play a similar role to the liquid for clearing pipes, they foam abundantly and dissolve deposits of emotions that are no longer discussed. After each such technical operation, the patency of the infrastructure, its ability to transmit information more efficiently increases. What advertisers usually use.

We are used to the high rate of information change, and this excludes the ability to stop over a significant difference. What cultural anthropology has been saying as a long list of successive cultural phrases since at least the mid-20th century (-Turn, -Wende) can also be shown on the diagram of the reflections of the radius inside the fiber optic. Since we are most interested in the fastest transmission, the feedback beams that are completely parallel to the cable's course are better than those that bounce off the mirror coatings of the lining every now and then. Those bouncing, colliding, have a much longer way to overcome, are slower, losing energy. And we all don't like it very much, energy must be saved - in 2023 - right?

Graphics: Theatre D'opéra Spatial, work by Jason M. Allen made using the "AI art generator Midjourney", awarded at the State Fair in Colorado in 2022.

Sitting in the darkness of his cave, the old Plato would be moved to see how incredible progress has been made in the sphere of human ideas of reality.