I'd like to think that the rise of the Internet and the World Wide Web has helped our society grow. True, it may not make us smarter, but with the amount of data and knowledge available to a user with just a few clicks of the mouse or a few keystrokes should at least make as more informed, right?
And I think it does, or at least did, for the most part, until the advent of streaming media. Add to that the fact that most people that have Internet access now also have some form of high speed service, making getting that media much easier, and you get the dumber side of the Internet.
Just a few minutes on YouTube.com and you'll truly appreciate how dumb some people can be. And for the most part it's in fun (or at least attempting to be so), and the truth is that a lot of it is teens and college kids that are only doing what we "Old Guys" did at that age, too. Of course, we didn't have easy access to a camcorder (unless you were willing to carry one the size of a small suitcase) and we definitely didn't have any way to upload our stupid human tricks for mass public display (I do thank God for that!). I sure as some of these "stars" get older, they're going to regret their decision.
Then you have the really dumb, and it's hit close to home now. If you've not already seen or heard about it, our very own Conover, NC was recently made famous by a couple of real dummies working at Domino's Pizza. The link below is not their YouTube video, though. While it does have the disgusting clips from theirs, it's about how they were ARRESTED for their antics.
Now, if this were teenagers, I'd still think it awful and thoughtless, and all the other thoughts that go through your mind. But these weren't teenagers. Nope. These two wonderful people were in their early thirties! Now, maybe it's just me, but by then, I had developed that one thing that most teenagers don't have...that little voice in your mind that says, "This is stupid! STOP! THINK! DON'T DO IT!" Apparently, for some people, that doesn't develop at all.
Or is it that with the rise of the Internet, easy access and the ability to publish yourself to the masses, that that potential for your very own 15 minutes of fame far outweighs that little voice that begs you to show a little reason with your actions?
If you're in this crowd of people that want, or need this action, be careful what you wish for, as these 2 lucky people are now facing felony food tampering charges, facing some jail time and Domino's hasn't even got started with the possible lawsuits yet.
Copyright© 2009 Has the Internet Made Us Smarter or Dumber? by Roger A. Johnson
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