ANALYSIS
When the World Wide Web freed us all from tyranny, and broke down barriers
Forty five years ago, the United States of America, did the unthinkable — it put a man, actually two men, on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin went into the history books as the first human beings to walk on the surface of earth’s only natural satellite. The lines that Armstrong says on stepping on to the lunar surface “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, is part of textbooks around the world. While there was great euphoria on this momentous scientific and technological achievement, the benefits from this, apart from national pride, were seen in the following decades. The investment in putting a man on the moon went beyond the material and the technological. It had a multiplier effect in scientific research, energy sources, food technologies and in many more fields. The impact on society was gradual; it wasn’t seen that pervasively in the decade that followed, but the Eighties and the Nineties reaped the benefits of this endeavour. From a communication perspective, the advances in satellite communication and miniaturised integrated circuits that were a by-product of the research into space exploration, transformed the world. Television, computers, mobile phones, and a host of other gadgets, that we don’t even think about, are the distant descendents of the investment into space exploration. The world, in the words of the famous media theorist Marshall McLuhan: “human family exists under conditions of a global village. We live in a single constricted space resonant with tribal drums”.
Twenty five years ago, in 1989, a British theoretical physicist, Tim Berners-Lee, working in CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland, came up with an innovative way of getting computers in CERN to talk to one another, and thereby allow the various scientists working on different projects to share information. His work led to the creation of the Hyper Text Markup Language, known more popularly by its abbreviation HTML. It allowed people to cross link content, and direct users to different pieces of content sitting on different machines. This simple and elegant way of connecting content led to the birth of the World Wide Web and the Internet revolution that we are living through. When it started, in 1991, there were fewer than 500 servers that were connected. Today, there is no point counting, because by the time you have finished counting the number of servers, a large number would have been added. HTML revolutionised the world of information publishing and sharing. Suddenly everyone could be a publisher, a distributor, a commentator. Like the printing press almost 500 years earlier, the World Wide Web changed the way in which people saw the world. Suddenly, you realised that your views or issues, your fetishes or hobbies were not in any way unique — there were others like you elsewhere in the world. If the moon landings and satellite communication had made humanity a ‘global village’ – the World Wide Web made it even smaller.
On September 4, the most ubiquitous web brand ever, Google, turns a sweet 16. Two young men, Larry Page and Sergey Brin looked at all the content on the web, and the existing ways of searching for information and decided that it was not good enough. The algorithms that they created for searching, classifying and organising content made using the web a lot more easy, and a lot more accessible. If HTML changed the way we create and share content, Google changed the way we searched and consumed it. There are those of us who remember a world before Google. We used Hotmail for email, Alta Vista for search, Netscape and Internet Explorer as browsers – all that has changed with the advent of Google.
If you really strip away the jargon and the technology from these three landmark events — in essence what they have done is made the world a smaller place, and made people very cognisant of the fact that the differences between the peoples of the world, in different nations, of different languages and traditions is actually not so great. We all bleed when we are cut, grieve when we lose near and dear ones, are inclined to help others (even random strangers), laugh at almost the same things, dance to almost similar beats and so on. Also, what is seen is that the desire for freedom and democratisation, the need to aspire and achieve is universal. What divides us is far less than what unites us.
It is, therefore, not surprising that there has been a backlash against this sense of being a ‘global family’ with shared ideals and values from those who were the traditional custodians of power – those who held the power over life and death of populations — extreme forms of religion, patriarchy and defenders of 'cultural purity'. These are people who, until a few decades ago, were obeyed without question. Today, they are, mostly, ignored. When we see the backlash of regressive elements — be it the khaps in Haryana, or the mullahs who are asked for opinions, be it former Pope of the Catholic Church or the most extreme of all reactions the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIS) – what they are railing against is that loss in absolute power over the lives of the people they controlled not so long ago. Cultural purity, religious purity, way of life et al are just excuses for wanting absolute power.
Most of the world is slowly moving towards the idea of a global village – people are escaping their shackles and aspiring for the better things in life, including not being restricted in their aspirations. The medievalists who want to drag people back into their cordoned off ghettos are trying their level best to hold on to their crumbling power base, that has been reeling under the onslaught of science and technology, through violence. Like others before them, who stood in the way of aspirations of people, these medievalists too will turn into a footnote in history.
The author is Head, Digital Content, Zee Media Corporation Limited; @calamur
DNA TV Show: Why Election Commission changed Assembly by-elections' dates
Days after imposing fine on Anil Ambani, Sebi now issues Rs 130 crore demand notices to...
Thailand announces indefinite visa-free entry for Indian travellers
Meet daughter of billionaire, who studied in UK, now works in Rs 32770 crore Indian company as...
MUDA case: Lokayukta police summon Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for questioning on...
This city is 4000 years old, belongs to bronze age where 500 people lived, it is located in...
Kamala Harris has been the President of US before? Here's when and how
Meet son-in-law of billionaire whose net worth is Rs 38690 crore, he co-founded...
What is elimination inflammation diet that helped Vidya Balan lose weight?
Shah Rukh Khan feels breathless after quitting smoking: Know withdrawal symptoms, how to manage them
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal takes action on vendor for mislabelling mushrooms at Hyperpure warehouse
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance shares fell by 3%, loses Rs 50205 crore in one day due to...
IAF's MiG-29 crashes near Agra in Uttar Pradesh, pilot ejects safely, court of inquiry ordered
Driving Growth and Monetization at Zendesk: A Conversation with Darshit Thakkar
Can air pollution make you fat? Know how high AQI impact your health
Locanto Addresses Challenges and Innovations in Indian Education System
Nita Ambani stuns in floral co-ord set while Anant, Mukesh Ambani go casual in Dubai
Indian Railway to launch this 'SUPER APP', passengers can now..., know details here
Who is Rashmi Shukla, IPS officer whom EC removed as Maharashtra DGP?
This village in India allows men to have two wives, living under one roof due to…
AUS vs PAK, 1st ODI: Australia beat Pakistan by 2 wickets to take 1-0 lead in series
Singham Again’s sole aim is to entertain, it’s not Hindutva propaganda
Delhi pollution: 'Why firecracker ban was not implemented during Diwali,' SC asks police, govt
IPL 2025 mega auction likely to be held in Riyadh on these dates
Big update on Reliance Jio IPO as Mukesh Ambani eyes THIS date
EC reschedules UP, Punjab, Kerala bypolls from Nov 13 to...
Coldplay's Chris Martin falls through stage trap door while performing live in Australia
Meet man, who is rising star in Tata Group after Ratan Tata's death, now tasked with...
'Nice handwriting': Internet reacts to Elon Musk's physics homework from his college days
AIIMS INI CET 2025 admit card releasing today at aiimsexams.ac.in; when and how to download
Sustainability Meets Innovation via uPVC: Industry expert shares experience
Promoting innovation in engineering education
AP TET 2024 exam result declared at aptet.apcfss.in; steps to check
AI-Powered Development: Insights from industry leaders on transforming software engineering
Another BIG move by BSNL, now set to provide tough competition to Jio, Airtel, Vi by...
Uttarakhand Bus Accident: 36 dead after bus falls into gorge in Almora; rescue operations underway
Bigg Boss 18: Vivian D'Sena accuses Chahat Pandey of pooping on floor, latter loses her cool
One of India's best wicketkeepers set to retire after this season, won't play IPL too, he is...
Research shows awe-inspiring details about Black Holes, they can...
US Presidential Election 2024: Harris vs Trump goes down to the wire, say polls
AP TET 2024 exam result to be declared today on aptet.apcfss.in, when and how to check
Shampoo, tea, biscuits, oil to get costlier soon? FMCG firms caution price hike as...
Swiggy fined Rs 35000 for duping Hyderabad customer by doing THIS
Delhi pollution: Air quality in Delhi-NCR further deteriorates, AQI hits 'severe' level
Indian mission condemns attack on Hindu devotees at Canada temple by ‘anti-India’ elements
'Upar se leke neeche tak...': Bigg Boss 18's Kashish Kapoor, Eisha Singh get into ugly spat
Man grows 500 kg pumpkin, uses it as boat to sail 70 km, SEE PIC
Devotees at Banke Bihari Temple drink AC water believing it to be 'Charan Amrit'; WATCH viral video
Bank Holidays in November: Banks to remain closed for four days in THESE states, full list here
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3: Kartik Aaryan's mother struggles to get tickets, hilarious video goes viral
Mumbai Police arrest Maharashtra woman for hoax death threat to UP CM Yogi Adityanath
Kriti Sanon avoids posing with rumoured boyfriend Kabir Bahia at Mumbai airport, video goes viral
This is world's most expensive house, twice price of Mukesh Ambani's Antilia, it is located in...
SC to hear today Delhi govt's plea against vesting LG with power to appoint...
Viral video: Girl’s sizzling dance to ‘Taareefan’ song earns praise from netizens, watch
Watch: Elderly couple's heartwarming dance at Mohit Chauhan's Patna concert goes viral
This is India’s most expensive wedding card, made from real gold and silver, it costs Rs…