Digital Society

A History of the Internet


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The internet is the realisation of a centuries-old dream: instantaneous global communication. It has shaped and continues to shape global economic, political, and social structures in extraordinary ways. It is a relatively new technology and yet we can find numerous traces of the internet throughout human history.

In this episode, we will introduce some ideas about the internet and describe both its history and that of the precursor technologies and ideas which have informed and shaped not only the net itself but also how we might think about it. There's also an analysis of Bo Burnham's song, 'Welcome to the Internet'. 

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For further critique of Welcome to the Internet: 

  • Liza Quin, Filmmaker and Singer Reaction with Commentary https://youtu.be/GoqAXg2dfz8
  • Wil Williams, Polygon, Bo Burnham's Inside begs for our parasocial awareness https://www.polygon.com/22553396/bo-burnham-inside-begs-for-our-parasocial-awareness https://slate.com/culture/2021/06/problem-with-bo-burnham-inside.html
  • Leah Schnelback, Tor.com, Can I Interest you in a dark carnival? Bo Burnham, Ray Bradbury, and Our Modern Hall of Mirrors, https://www.tor.com/2021/06/15/bo-burnham-inside-and-ray-bradbury-something-wicked-this-way-comes-horrors-of-the-internet/ 
  • ...more
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    Digital SocietyBy Travis Holland