The Virtual Revolution: Episode One

The first episode of "The Virtual Revolution" focuses on the history and impact of the Internet and the Web (which I learned are technically two different things; the Web is apparently the connections on the Internet.) The internet has become such an essential and important tool in our lives and there is only a small chunk of time in my life where I do not remember having it at all. I would say that I check the internet more than fifty times throughout the course of a day.

I think just examining the power of the internet in general is fascinating, so that is something I found interesting about this episode. Here you have something that is not run or own by any one person, has limitless possibilities and anyone, nearly anywhere can contribute or be a part of it in some way. From online shops to social media to Wikipedia, the internet has changed the way that the world connects, learns and communicates. Information is being shared like never before. It's really interesting to learn more about where this revolutionary thing came from and who is behind it. 

I was interested to learn that the internet had it's roots even farther back than I realized. I knew the computers had existed prior to the sixties, but it was really amazing to see the progression towards it's invention examined in this video and interviews people who had a hand in the creation of such a massive, world-changing invention. One of my favorite interview subjects was Tim Berners-Lee, the man credited with creating the internet. There was a bit where he says that written onto his basic proposal for the idea of the internet by his boss was: "vague but exciting" just cracks me up. What a hilarious understatement in hindsight, considering what this little acorn of an idea would grow into.

The possibilities of the internet are just limitless and it's really something special that this man really threw this idea out there. He helped create it, but he doesn't own it. I think Stephen Fry said it best when he said that this sort of "idealism" should be "celebrated."