Digital Natives: Born into the Future

At this time, most modern cities could be considered Cyberpunk-lite. Those cities are technologically advanced, corporate, and have their fair share of outsiders living on the fringe of society. It’s only a matter of time before more and more cities begin to take the shape of Cyberpunk dystopias. What is to become of the people who knew of a time before Cyberpunkian cities? I don’t know. Adapt or die, as the expression goes. For this post, I’m more interested in the next generation. What does this new digital age mean for digital natives? But before we get into that, just what is a digital native?

Digital native is a relatively new term for a relatively new phenomenon. "Digital native" refers to children, or young adults, in our society who display a cunning and adeptness with technology that the adults in our society lack. In short, a digital native is the three-year-old brat who can navigate their iPad the same way a master pianist navigates his piano. Digital natives are the maestros of modern technology. They have been born into the future, the digital age, hence the name "digital natives". They don't know of a world that isn't the digital age. Thus, they are the natives of the digital age. I'm sure you've gotten the point. Let's move on.

Now, these digital natives are really the first of their kind. Sure, computers as a mainstream technology have existed since the late 70's and early 80's and there were kids who made computing their lives (keep in mind that these kids were the original hackers), but most had lives outside of computing as well. Those kids could easily separate themselves from their computers since you couldn't fit those bulky machines into your back pocket. However, the children of today, roughly children born after 1995 are surrounded by portable technology that they can't help but take with them everywhere they go. In the 70's/80's, kids could easily make the distinction between the "real world" and their computer world. Today, the lines are far more blurred and it's just about impossible for those kids to get away from technology, even if they wanted to get away, that is.

I would like to point out that digital natives aren't particularly smarter than their counterparts one-hundred years ago. Children being...well...children, are incredibly adaptive and absorbent. They learn things at lightning fast speeds, often to the dismay of their parents. Since digital natives were born in the digital age, they naturally adapted to the age and the age's technology. The first generation of digital natives will, one day, come to struggle with technology. Just as their parents did.

However, there is something very misleading about the phrase "digital native". Now, it is true that these children are more adept at technology than their parents and grandparents. However, that says more about their parent's lack of knowledge of technology than it does about any ability a digital native may have. If you were to put any one digital native in front of a command prompt, he would likely be as lost as his ninety year old grandfather. These children are more adept than their parents and grandparents, but they are adept only in the relative sense of the word. Smartphone navigation and application manipulation may be a breeze to these natives, but that is really the extent of their knowledge. Of course, there are natives with exceptional knowledge and ability with computers (future hackers, perhaps), but they are in the minority of natives. The majority are only slightly more adept than their parents.

But this brings me to another point. These natives are exposed to information like no other generation before them. Does this mean that there will be a greater number of geniuses among them? That's a fascinating question, but I'm afraid it is for another post.

The point of this post isn't to bash digital natives or tear them down from their pedestals. Rather, its purpose is to bring our views of digital natives back down to earth. And we should encourage digital natives to keep practicing and refining their skills so that our civilization may progress. One day, we may need these natives to help in the fight against oppressive corporate overlords. One day, perhaps. Decades ago, it was predicted that civilization would need the technologically adept kids of the 70's and 80's. It appears the prediction was correct. I've got a feeling the children of today will play an even bigger role in the future. So three cheers for the digital natives and the future they are sure to usher in their wake. 

Binaural Beats: Now in Stereo Format

In Cyberpunk Society and Our Society: Present and Future Drugs, I spoke about the drugs used both in our world and in cyberpunk fiction, and I gave explanations as to why certain drugs are favored over others in certain contexts. I even gave insight on a rather new, freely available and highly potent drug that has only begun to ravage the mind's of the citizenry. (go read the post if you want to discover just what that drug is; I won't spoil it here).

But there is another, more recent drug that has gained a substantial cult following. That drug is binaural beats. The concept of binaural beats is easy enough to understand: two different frequencies (usually operating below 1500 hz) with around 40 hz difference between them, when listened to, the two frequencies seem to produce a third tone i.e. the binaural beat. The third tone has the frequency of the difference of the two pure tones. For example, if the two pure tones are, respectively, 500 Hz and 460 Hz, then the third tone (the binaural beat) is perceived to be 40 Hz.

Hold on to your harddrives , this is going to get a bit heavy.

Though there hasn't been much research into the effects of binaural beats, the speculations of the effects of listening to binaural beats is based upon known facts. It is known that the brain consists of billions of neurons, the synchronized activity of bundles of neurons creates macroscopic oscillations, known commonly as brainwaves. These brainwaves, much like light waves and sound waves, have their own frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. The brainwaves and their frequencies are as follows:

• Gamma, 30 to 50 Hz
• Beta, 14 to 30 Hz
• Alpha, 8 to 14 Hz
• Theta, 4 to 8 Hz
• Delta, 0.1 to 4 Hz

Moreover, each of these brainwaves corresponds with a certain type of mental state. Gamma waves relate to expanded consciousness and spiritual awareness; Beta waves relate to normal brain function and focused thought; Alpha waves relate to mindfulness and a mixture of calmness and alertness; Theta waves relate to intuition, insight, and dream-like imagery; Delta waves are associated with deep, dreamless, sleep, healing, and regeneration. Now, it is known that brainwaves can be influenced by auditory and visual stimuli. So, the entire premise behind binaural beats as mind-altering substance is to produce a third tone that aligns with the frequency of a brainwave, in order to produce that brainwave in the user and allow the user to gain its respective benefits. Essentially, the user wants to get some kind of "high" by having binaural beats influence his brainwaves. It should be called audio doping™.

But is there any evidence that suggests binaural beats can trigger the desired high? Not really or, more accurately, no certain evidence uninfluenced by the placebo effect. But Among the scientific community, it is known that audio and visual stimuli influence brain activity and, therefore, brainwaves. Music has even been shown to boost the immune system, improve mood, facilitate relaxation, and aid in the alleviation of stress, especially music with percussive elements i.e. drums. Still, it's doubtful whether listening to binaural beats can actually synchronize brainwaves to the desired frequency. However, this hasn't stopped people from experimenting with this new-age drug. Some fans of audio doping have reported experiencing other, more interesting, effects as well.

Most users have reported experiencing increased concentration, enhanced creativity, and a complete awareness or mindfulness. All of these, however, may be attributed to the reduced stress produced by listening to binaural beats. Some users, however, have reported experiencing hallucinations, both visual and audible. While self-reporting has it's own demons, unreliability and inconsistency to name a couple, these reported effects are interesting and make binaural beats a "hot" commodity among people looking for a cheap and legal high.

Years ago, I was an avid user of binaural beats. And I do recall becoming more focused during a listening session. But that might just be my own biased reporting speaking. Unfortunately, I didn't experience any auditory or visual hallucinations. Perhaps I just didn't listen long enough. Whatever the case, I did reap some benefit from listening to binaural beats. I often listen to music while writing, however, I haven't habitually listened to binaural beats in a couple years. Why did I stop? I don't find listening to binaural beats to be particularly pleasant. The pure tones can be somewhat aggravating and grating if I listen to them for longer than five minutes. I need other tones thrown into the mix to take the edge off the pure tones. This, of course, muddies the reports about whether binaural beats are causing the benefits alone.

For the purposes of this post, I did revisit binaural beats. And, once again, I did experience the oft-reported benefits. Of course, these weren't pure tones alone, but a mixture of tones with the perceivable pure tones in the background, so the results are muddied. Was I responding to the binaural beat or to the other tones? Or maybe both? It's difficult to tell. But why question it? I could just sit back and enjoy the beat, and I think I will. But there is still more to be said.

Heh, I just realized this post is getting bogged down in the technical aspects of binaural beats, which won't do at all. Technical stuff isn't all that interesting, though a good writer can make it painless to read. Unfortunately, I ain't that great of a writer. So onward to the more interesting points.

What do binaural beats mean for the future of drug use? If nothing else, its just one more drug on the market, but this drug has a very futuristic spin on it. Its absolute dependency on technology makes it very endearing in the context of an increasingly cyberpunk world. And there's more.

I get the impression that binaural beats is really just a sign of things to come in drug culture. In a way, they are the perfect drug. They are easily transmittable, consumable, and, if the reports are to be believed, effective. Most are free to use -- provided you have an Internet connection -- and they are completely legal. I can't see them becoming illegal anytime soon, not when lawmakers are so focused on placing restrictions on e-cigarettes and knock-off marijuana. Binaural beats as mind-altering substance are flying completely under the political and media radar. Even in the limitless sea of the Internet, articles about them are a rarity. 

Will there be more drugs that abuse the human senses in order to render the desired high? Human nature says "Yes". Binaural beats have set an interesting and entirely necessary precedent. All that's left to be done is for people to discover the next big digital drug.  

Given that binaural beats is a "no-strings-attached" drug, it makes sense that it should become rather popular and gain a cult following. I suspect we'll hear more about this drug in the future. Hopefully we'll also see some new scientific studies about it too. I hope I'm not subjecting myself to more pseudoscience. It wouldn't be the first time, though. You can never have too much pseudoscience in your life. 

*http://www.electric-design.co.uk/music-to-our-ears-sound-wave-jewellery/sound-wave/

Crytpocurrency: An Alternative Future Currency

I’m late to the party on this one, but I still wanted to say a few words about it just because I am oh so fond of anything and everything challenging, novel, and, best of all, subversive. Cryptocurrency, for those folks who are also late to the party, is a form of digital currency that is created by maintaining a block-chain. This currency, like all currency, is valuable insofar as it is given value by its users. If all the users were to, one day, give up on Bitcoin, its value would plummet and what little Bitcoin remained would collect cyber-dust.

Now all of that may have sounded like gibberish, but it's true, even if you don't understand it. Bitcoin is one of the most famous peer-to-peer, decentralized cryptocurrencies on the market. Notice how I didn't say electronic currency. The difference between a cryptocurrency and an electronic currency is how they are generated. Cryptocurrency is created by maintaining what is known as a block-chain, which is a publicly distributed ledger mapping all Bitcoin transactions. Generally, there are two ways to get Bitcoins. The first way is likely the most popular which is to mine Bitcoins. Mining Bitcoins involves the user offering some of their computing power to help maintain the public ledger, called mining the block-chain. For offering their computing power, the user is rewarded with Bitcoin transaction fees and newly minted Bitcoins. The second way to obtain Bitcoins is to trade for them. Today, you can trade services, products, and even money for Bitcoins and, then, use those Bitcoins to trade for other goods or services. Bitcoin has picked up quite a bit of steam over the years. It was first introduced in 2009 and its price, per Bitcoin, has fluctuated anywhere from a few cents per BTC (Bitcoin) to around $1000 per coin.

But why is BTC so popular? Well, it's a fascinating concept made into a viable, alternative currency. Think about it. All a person would need to do to make money is to mine BTC, which requires no extra effort on the part of the individual. It's a completely autopilot way to make money. A dream come true for most people.* Additionally, many people treat BTC as a stock or commodity that may be sold once its price reaches a certain level. It seems the chance for profit is BTC's most alluring feature. But there is more to it. BTC is also hard to track and trace, which makes it an ideal currency to use in purchasing of illegal goods and services. I imagine it has its uses in money-laundering as well. And, additionally still, BTC has become known as "the people's currency" given its decentralized nature. No single entity or institution can directly manipulate its price or distribution. Which can mean increased stability and chances of success. BTC just seems fair by nature.

And let us not forget that BTC is an alternative currency. There's something about the word alternative that is just so damn irresistible. Alternative says one thing, and one thing alone: choice. People can choose it over any other form of currency, if they so desire. Choices are something people just love. Which is just another reason to love Bitcoin.

Now, mining the block-chain and speculating in BTC is all well and good, but I suspect cryptocurrency's biggest impact will be in the anonymity it offers its users. Few things can be said to be anonymous, today, especially something as useful as a currency. In a world filled with an increasing number of peeping eyes and lurking spooks, a currency that offers some form of anonymity seems like a God-send. Well, Bitcoin is just that, a God-send. Granted, it doesn't offer perfect anonymity, nothing does, but it's still far more anonymous and private than most other currencies.

If you live in the United States, then you know that a great deal of peeping goes on, and that there is a great number of banned products. I don't expect the U.S. to become any freer any time soon, so it seems BTC has quite an important role to play, today and tomorrow.

My only regret about Bitcoin is that I didn't buy any when it was selling at a few pennies per coin. If I had, I wouldn't have to ask for donations. *hint hint*

And in addition to all of the aforementioned points (just because I enjoy piling things upon things), electronic currency is one of the hallmarks of cyberpunk fiction. The fact that BTC is not an electronic currency but a currency generated by means of a cryptographic algorithm is one of the most cyberpunk things I could imagine. The advent of crytpocurrency is one huge step into the future.

*This is once again only a dream. BTC mining is still possible, but the profitability is next to null. Unless, of course, you have access to thousands of servers. Even then, the cost of maintaining and powering those servers would render any and all profit non-existent. 

Are you a neophile? If yes, the future belongs to you

Neophile (noun) : a person who has a strong affinity for novelty and new experiences

And what could be newer than the future? The future even has that new car smell. You know the smell. Who rules the new? Well the neophiles of course! Neophiles, by the nature of their sickness, demonstrate a remarkable adaptability that is unrivaled by other, more serious, afflictions. And since the future is jam-packed with new and interesting things, not to mention things which constantly change, the neophile will find the future to be a very stimulating and comfortable place. So rejoice neophiles, even if things aren't quite looking your way right now, just wait it out. The future is your home and it's getting closer every day.

Is Social Media the cancer of the Internet?

Do you think it's harsh for me to use the word "cancer" like this? Probably, but there are few other ways to accurately and poignantly describe modern day social media. Think about it; what is cancer? Cancer is, generally speaking, a condition where healthy cells become mutated into cancerous cells. These cancerous cells then work their dark magic and multiply themselves throughout the body. Turning a healthy body into a dead body. It's grim. It's dark. It's life. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Modern day social media is much like cancer in a few important respects. Social media content often spreads like wildfire. And contrary to the metaphor I just used, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. What makes social media a "bad thing" is that the content is often some of the blandest, most vapid, and poisonous, stuff I have ever seen. And it spreads and infects once healthy platforms. Thus, it is very similar to cancer. Now, that may make me sound like an elitist, but I do have standards. And content spread by social media almost always fails to meet my bottom-of-the-barrel standards.

However, I am glad that social media exists. The cancerous aspect just comes with the territory of social media. Social media is just the technological progeny of a very human desire to be social. Social media accomplishes this, kind of. But this isn't why I'm glad social media exists. I like social media because it is a terribly effective way to spread information. Almost more so than the Internet itself, social media represents the marketplace of ideas that is critical in any free society. The marketplace of ideas is critical for both the fostering of freedom and the preservation of freedom. Endless cat pictures and funny quotes is a small price to pay when compared to the benefit of having all of that information presented to us in a digital format, for our own rational minds to digest and enjoy.

In the end, social media is merely a tool that can be used for good purposes or evil purposes. It's up to the user to produce thought-provoking, interesting, and proactive content. Or not. Truly, it is up to the user to decide what to produce. And it is up to the consumer to choose what to consume. Both bear responsibility for their actions, so create and eat what you like. But, please, no more cat images.

Additionally, this blog was brought to you by social media, so social media has that going for it. If a rotten tree can produce wholesome fruit on occasion, the tree can't be all bad.

"Is it Cyberpunk?" Such a Silly Question

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Internet Relay Chat Rooms

One of the many things I miss about the Internet of yore is the IRC rooms. Don’t get me wrong, IRC is still around. Indeed, there are even phone apps which were created in the spirit of the old IRC rooms. However, something just seems to be missing from these IRC applications. Maybe I'm just looking at the past through rose-colored glasses again. Then again, most modern IRC rooms are very underpopulated and most users who are logged into these rooms are dead-quiet. I remember a time not too long ago when IRC rooms were active and exciting, and the content was unrestricted and provocative. Perhaps I'm just looking in all the wrong places, but after working with a number of programs, it seems the days of yore are gone forever. 

Internet chat rooms have gone the way of the 10 megabyte hard-drive. Nobody cares to use them anymore. And why would they? Today we have Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr and Reddit. And if you're feeling pangs for the Internet of ol', you can always become a member of some online forum or post on any number of anonymous message boards. Or use Blogger (zing!). That's about as far back as most people are willing to go. 

So I guess this is farewell to the IRCs of yesteryear. It was good while it lasted even though it didn't last all that long. I'm sad to see them go because there is just something so damn cyberpunk about IRCs. The Internet handles, the relative anonymity, the randomness and excitement, the netspeak and culture. There are few things more interesting and precious than to talk with a random stranger from across the world for only a few minutes time. The brief exchange of information is just beautiful. And it's made all the more beautiful by its brevity. 

Perhaps IRC rooms weren't all that great. It's true that one of the main reasons people used them was that there were few other options at the time. Sure, forums existed but IRC was live chat. Which was a wonder at the the time. Today, just about anything and everything has a live chat feature, only with far more options and functionality than even the most popular IRC programs ever provided. But they had character, dammit! 

Heh, now I'm sounding like an old man. Current technolgy may beat the pants off of old tech in almost all conceivable ways, but old tech had a life of its own, every bit as precious as the life of current tech. In fact, old tech seems to have more character and life than modern tech. Then again, that may just be this old man blowing smoke. Or am I? Only time will tell if all this modern tech will gain as much character with age as its past counterparts had. 

But here I am going off on another tangent. Whatever, it's my blog and I can tangent all I like. It's not like anyone reads it anyway. 

But yeah, I do miss some aspects of the past, if not all aspects of the past. IRC being one of the aspects I dearly miss. Perhaps the days of IRC are not completely over. Perhaps, one day, the world will find a use for IRC and it will once again become what I believe it can be.

By the way, this is my first post of the new year. Hope everyone had a good New Year, even though mine was a bit sad. I suppose this is where I tell you my New Year's resolution. I hate setting New Year's resolutions, but I suppose I should set one. My resolution is to keep writing on this blog. Sounds reasonable right? Part of that involves finishing old posts. At this time, I've got around sixteen posts on the backburner, just waiting for me to finish them. This post being among them. I've got a habit of not finishing things I start, so I've decided to finish these posts as part of my New Year's resolution. 

But why do internet relay chatrooms seem so cyberpunk? They certainly seem more cyberpunk than iPhones or any other smartphone, though it can be argued that smartphones are of closer relation to the cyberpunk world than IRC ever was. Upon further reflection, I think the reason I associate IRC and cyberpunk is that IRC is fairly common with the fiction. I've never seen a Facebook or Blogger in Blade Runner or Neuromancer, but, if you look closely, IRC (or lookalikes of IRCs) exist in those two works of fiction. Additionally, I believe the spirit of IRC is a close copy of the spirit of cyberpunk. Anonymity, mystery, loneliness, and subversion seem to be the hallmarks of both the cyberpunk genre and IRCs. Brothers in all ways but name.

Maybe I'm just losing my mind. Maybe I'm just making far too many associations between IRC and cyberpunk. Seeing characteristics and connections where none exist. Maybe I'm not. In any case, IRCs are out the door in favor of more fashionable technology. IRCs have gone underground, which is, perhaps, for the best. Just as cyberpunk has gone underground, so has its brother the internet relay chatroom. If the two are brothers, then their mutual obscurity makes them soulmates. How fitting it is that they should both go underground, one quickly following the other. And since the cyberpunk genre often involves obscurity and alienation within the narrative, the mutual obscurity is even more poetic. Almost romantic. IRC has never seemed as cyberpunk as it does today. 

I'm rambling again at this point. But I guess I wouldn't be me if I didn't ramble every now and again.