A Stoned Contemplation on the Internet
The internet is defined as a global network linking millions of computers and databases throughout more than 190 countries worldwide. Statistics show that there are over 1.75 billion people with accounts on Social Media as of December 2015. Did you know that over 75% of all internet users use social media? Did you know YouTube is bigger than cable TV for anyone 18-49? These facts and numbers will prove to be the makeup of future communications worldwide and this level of data has had a major effect on my life.
My name is Christopher Young. My friends call me C.Young. I'm a digital curator for my company Blue Enigma and a hip-hop artist as well. The internet not only plays a major part in my lifestyle but it pays my bills. My mother was in the military and the only source of entertainment outside of her electronic piano was a used PC she got from the base when I was 12. On that computer I created my first rap songs via the sound recorder program, posted my first xanga entries on a dial up modem, secretly watched my first pornos before YouJizz was relevant, bullshitted my first major essays for class without Wikipedia and illegally downloaded my favorite music via sources I can not reference. In short, I have a relationship to this technology that eventually became my source of enterprise.
When I sit down with a client I have to dive into their passion and vision as an entrepreneur. I study the data in their field, create content strategy, apply algorithms that find their target demographic and launch effective campaigns to help them find their desired customer. Before the internet, a company could only go door to door, buy a big ass billboard, use word of mouth and through the standardized television/movie/radio advertising space only afforded by the rich and well connected. While these outlets still work today, nothing has worked on the level the digital space has created. Not only can we connect to someones home office computer or personalized laptop, but we can connect into their pockets. Not just their wallets/purses, but also their cell phones.
If I smoke weed and let my thoughts travel, I ponder about this internet shit. I ponder about the difference between analog and digital. Vinyl and Mp3. I ponder about the kid who can open up their parents laptop and not only learn more than their parents ever taught them but learn, see and be affected by things they shouldn't even be exposed to. I ponder about the difference between a ballpoint pen journal entry and a facebook post. Think about it. Your fingers are working at a progressive speed to document your thoughts unconsciously. How real can that be? Many of our thoughts tend to be intrusive. Intrusive thoughts are considered to be the thoughts that come outside of our control and are often the thoughts we should disregard. Eventually you have to take conscious insight and apply to the circumstances at hand. In order to know the difference, I dare you to give it a try. Instead of speed typing a pissed off facebook status, I dare you to take a pen and fill the pages up until you feel free. Instead of wasting your day intaking unconscious tweets, intake conscious literature. Do you realize how much effort it takes to write a masterful book? Do you realize how little effort it takes to type something? The difference between those things is the answer to a very interesting formula.