Internet technology cover a vast area of technology. It has numerous definitions depending on the user's experiences. This paper will focus on a more general definition to allow a wide coverage of how it influences the culture and art within the society. Therefore, the internet is referred to the information superhighway or the network of networks. 1 The growth and development of internet technology are facilitated by many factors, most importantly is the development of computers, the World Wide Web and the need to access information. The recent growth of internet technology makes it look like the world is witnessing an amazing and completely new technology.
Brief history of internet
Originally, the concept of the internet began with ARPANET, which gradually grew into the internet. The initial idea was to have multiple independent networks. The ARPANET acted as the pioneering packet switching network that later incorporated satellite packet network. Internet as we now know embodies an attractive chain of networks that is not dictated by any network architecture but rather selected freely by any provider. The growth of the internet is currently steady due to the emergence of smartphone and wireless network. 2
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Impacts of internet technology on culture and arts
The current world is driven by technology, and people expect to communicate with others at any given moment, despite the distance. The social media platforms create a space within which people from different cultural setting can share ideas and interact freely. In the past, people would get together physically to share and discuss concerns. However, currently, people hold meetings via the online forums and social media platforms. Culture significantly benefits from the invention and consistent use of internet and its packages. Culture refers to the patterns of interactions and behavior. It encompasses art, beliefs, religion, language, beliefs, and customs. It is significant to acknowledge the impact of the internet on culture. 3
The impacts of the internet culture are also considered itself a culture. The changes that internet brings to the society may take years to full effect. However, it is evident that we have changed our way of doing things. For instance, people have changed their communication habits due to the availability of online communication forums and platforms. The development of internet technologies affects the globalization that has changed the way we live, interact and learn. 4 The internet has encouraged the death of distance making it lose its meaning. These benefits can as well be viewed as weakness every age group in the society one way, or another can access contents that they should not.
Additionally, the web allows everyone to access information, communicate and share with others despite the distance. 5 For instance, kid's access information from the social sites, forums, and chat rooms, pick ideas, emulate and even practice. These are things that perhaps are not practices in their society but having seen or heard from other people they find it very interesting to indulge. People who may think that internet is harming culture might be wrong because it instead brings it closer and of course encourage diversity. Through interaction and association, we get to learn different cultures and understand the good in other people's culture. Above all internet allow us to nurture new forms of art and gather information that is essential in enhancing our knowledge.
It is important to appreciate the fact that internet has brought culture and art closer to more people. We are able to easily showcase our culture and art via the online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Web. 6 Africans, for instance, have been able to showcase their traditions such as the bullfighting activities, traditional dances and of course access other traditions from fellow Africans or from the western country. Dressing codes have really evolved because the internet provided space for advertising and selling designs for instance. Music that was played back in the days has soon changed and people have embraced the different forms of art from different parts of the world.
Throughout history, the technology of communication has influences culture and art. Looking at the early stages before writing was invented, things were very different. Nevertheless, the moment writing came in things changed. Plato used the voice of Socrates to raise the alarm about the dangers of the writing and reading. Plato warned the people that writing weakens the mind and may gradually destroy their memory. This is a proof that any development in the field of communication has a greater influence on the behavior, art, beliefs, and custom of the people. Culture changes the culture so internet is in a special way a culture. Furedi further claims that similar concerns were raised after the introduction of electronic media. 7
Many researchers and scientists have raised concerns about whether smart technology is making us dump or not. For instance, mobile phones keep us update of the things that happen around us because they are connected to the internet 24/7.
The concerns that we raise now are triggered by the steady changes in behavior and way of life. Therefore, the internet serves as a bridge between on culture and all the other cultures. The online platforms, social media, and play a crucial role in mobilizing protects in colleges, universities, private institutions and business organizations. These forums also promote public participation and in some way encouraging democracy. The internet technology acts as a powerful tool for mobilizing people. Today we see politicians campaign and collect feedback from supporters via the online platforms.
Another vital impact of the internet is that it introduces more audience to the world of art. The Internet has somehow leveled the world between the low and high-income earners. In the historical society, there existed a shield between the poor and the rich, the educated and uneducated. 8 Internet technology allows the artists and art organization to extend their content beyond a one-time performance. For instance, live performances can be accessed by people who miss the live event. These platforms also expand investments to the extent that we carry out online advertisements and business.
The facts that we can access the arts online or offline after downloading provides us with the opportunity to practice and learn the same type of art that we watch. Many music stars often confess in interviews for having learned art via the digital media such as YouTube. Internet breaks the geographical distance hence the increasing access to art. Different forms art has been introduced in African through the access via the internet. This is beneficial to the artists and art organizations as they reach more audience that is diverse thus making global sales.
Today internet has made it possible for people supporting a specific art create a community and share ideas. For instances, there are online forums created specifically for spoken word poetry, graffiti art and all the other forms of art. 9 This has completely changed the culture of focusing on the art around one region, giving people an opportunity to explore different forms of art. Most importantly, we have online forums where people share ideas on healthcare and fitness. People are so dedicated and focused on meeting these new demands and it is very amazing.
The Internet has granted the world a huge platform to create a more diverse form of art that incorporates items from other arts. This attracts the audience from different social and geographical background to not just appreciate by watching but also participate actively by sharing their experiences and expectations. Therefore, the role of our digital devices has been enlarged to the medium through which we engage with the artistic content.
Conclusion
Therefore, we cannot sit back and say that internet has positively changed the world. Moreover, we should not be blindfolded by the diversity and forget the importance of recognizing and appreciating our own culture. The damage that internet is doing or has done to our culture cannot be reversed. The sad news is that internet will continue changing our cultures in both positive and negative ways. On the other hand, the good news is that the benefits outweigh the challenges since there is measure we can put in place to limit access to contents that may upset children or us. It is therefore crucial that we study the negative effects of internet and device mechanisms for restricting access.
References
Cui, Xiaoyi. "The internet of things." In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation, pp. 61-68. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016.
Curran, James, Natalie Fenton, and Des Freedman. "The internet we want." Misunderstanding the Internet (2016): 203.
Dong, Xinping, and Caihong Ye. "Analysis on the growth mechanism of the internet of things industrial cluster." RISTI (Revista Iberica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informacao) E10 (2016): 453-463.
Friedman, Linda Weiser, and Hershey H. Friedman. "Connectivity and convergence: A whimsical history of Internet culture." (2015).
Furedi, Frank. "How the internet and social media are changing the culture. Aspen Institute." (2014).
Kiesler, Sara. The culture of the Internet. Psychology Press, 2014.
Mazaheri, Ebrahim, Marie Odile Richard, Michel Laroche, and Linda C. Ueltschy. "The influence of culture, emotions, intangibility, and atmospheric cues on online behavior." Journal of Business Research 67, no. 3 (2014): 253-259.
1 Cui, Xiaoyi. "The internet of things." In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation, pp. 61-68. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016, p.46
2 Cui, Xiaoyi. "The internet of things." In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation, pp. 61-68. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016, p.67
3 Kiesler, Sara. The culture of the Internet. Psychology Press, 2014, p. 102
4 Kiesler, Sara. The culture of the Internet. Psychology Press, 2014. P. 110
5 Cui, Xiaoyi. "The internet of things." In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation, pp. 61-68. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016.
6 Curran, James, Natalie Fenton, and Des Freedman. "The internet we want." Misunderstanding the Internet (2016): 203.
7 Furedi, Frank. "How the internet and social media are changing the culture. Aspen Institute." (2014).
8 Friedman, Linda Weiser, and Hershey H. Friedman. "Connectivity and convergence: A whimsical history of Internet culture." (2015).
9 Mazaheri, Ebrahim, Marie Odile Richard, Michel Laroche, and Linda C. Ueltschy. "The influence of culture, emotions, intangibility, and atmospheric cues on online behavior." Journal of Business Research 67, no. 3 (2014): 253-259.
