A Head In “The Cloud” Left To Its Own “Devices” Society

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2014: Recently, as a potentially paying customer, I paid visits to Best Buy (ISO a single play CD player for my home sound system) and Barnes & Noble (ISO a Paul McCartney CD). I entered both brick and mortar establishments feeling upbeat, excited and (I might add) in an all too rare spending mood. Yet, upon exiting… I did so dejected and empty-handed.

Of course, “the why” as to why I had struck out so miserably is really a no-brainer. Accessing music via iTunes has all but rendered, extinct, CDs and the tech to play them. Of course, Netflix (et al) and a slew of publishers have had a similar impact, respectively, on films, literary works and periodicals. Without a doubt, time is running out where we’ll still be able to hold these actual physical products in our hot little hands.

OK, admittedly, at this point, I can practically see the scant number of my readers rolling their eyes; can almost visualize the floating over their noggins thought bubbles which say: WTF is the problem, here? Why doesn’t he just buy an iPod?

Folks, I actually used to own such a device until built-in obsolescence caused it to die way too soon (the HP host computer, which, once upon a time, it was synched to, is in even sorrier shape). And I wouldn’t be so damned quick to rely on Internet access, either. Indeed, a few weeks ago my “service provider” was experiencing technical issues, which kept me offline for the better part of a day. And this erratic service is not an isolated incident, either. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been forced to reboot.

All things considered, it makes me glad that I hadn’t done something really shortsighted and stupid… such as selling off my massive collection of CDs. And so, for now, even though I’m still in need of that new CD player, I still can access my music library, utilizing my Sony Walkman (anyone remember those?).

I suppose, on the surface, this CD, DVD, book and periodical vanishing act all SEEMS innocuous enough… BUT…

Before we all part company with these actual products, we really must rethink the will-‘o-the-wisp nature of virtual reality… before it’s too late. You see, the qualifying word here is SEEMS. Check out this following nightmarish, WHAT IF scenario.

WHAT IF, someday, some renegade, corporately owned rightwing, would-be dictator / POTUS hatches and implements an insidious plot designed to muzzle all left leaning musicians, film producers and publishers; to censor what this autocrat has arbitrarily deemed to be subversive; e.g., all of the books, protest songs and films, which expose this “leader” as the wretched, evil, fraudulent effer, who (s)he, in reality, is.

Hell, such a “prez” would not even need to deploy the armed with firepower and flamethrower troops; not even need to dispatch the search and destroy, book burning (and CD/DVD burning) goon squads to kick down our doors ISO that cultural “contraband”. Nope, nary even a single struck match would be required. All it would take for such a freakin’ control freak to gain and maintain a chokehold on us would be shutting down the Internet.

Needless to say, a society devoid of its culture would soon become a chronically depressed, dejected, downtrodden nation of easily conquerable zombies; be malleable putty in the hands of this tyrant.

Factoring in a concurrent, absolute communications breakdown (e.g., no social networks and email) our overthrow of that sort of régime would be next to impossible.  

So… am I overreacting?

OR…

Could, in reality, A Head In “The Cloud” Left To Its Own “Devices” Society become so bedazzled by a virtual realty everything / everyday world that this citizenry would simultaneously become blinded to some looming, opportunistic, all too real, rightwing red menace?

Must we get to the point where it’s too late to resist the rightwing’s hidden agenda; their plot designed to overthrow what little remains of our present-day, Constitutionally guaranteed freedom?

OR…

Is our society’s downfall assured because, in becoming excessively Net dependent, it is already too late?

Your comments are welcome.