💾 Archived View for jsreed5.org › log › 2022 › 202203 › 20220312-the-npc-meme.gmi captured on 2023-01-29 at 03:30:48. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2022-04-28)
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Some people may not have known this, but the popular "NPC" Internet meme did not have a explicitly right-wing origin. The underlying sentiment is that many people these days, regardless of their political leanings, tend to simply repeat what everyone else in their group of choice says--especially when on the Internet. Several echo chambers seem to have reached a point that seeing any kind of personal spin or critical analysis within them is quite rare. Opinions have seemingly become homogenized over huge groups of people.
The root of this phenomenon, I would guess, is unique to the age of global connection. Two hundred years ago, cities fifty miles from each other could have very different cultures, traditions, and political causes. That was because the only way for ideas to come into contact with each other was to physically traverse those fifty miles. Now, however, discussions can be held at global scales instantly and with no effort at all, and ideas that are emotionally powerful can push thousands or even millions of people to adopt the exact same sets of beliefs.
The ruthlessness of people on the Internet--from all sides--doesn't help things either. Humans tend to disagree most vehemently over minor differences in opinion, and when a large group of people all believe the same ideas, simple mob mentality can cause the group to harshly punish a member who strays out of line. In-group preference and a fear of ostracism can push people to unquestioningly agree with those they associate with.
Gemini bucks a lot of these online trends, to its immeasurable credit. Geminispace is small enough to prevent most dogpiles, and the vast majority of Gemini users communicate with each other in good faith, even when they disagree with each other. This fosters an environment in which users talk about a wide variety of topics and share genuine, original ideas. It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate Gemini so much.
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[Last updated: 2022-03-12]