I've never thought deeply about where I frequent on the internet. I suppose the answer to that question would reveal information about my personality, habits, and perhaps lend a hand to the curiosity of those that wish to know a secret or two of mine. After all, where I tend to go on the internet is a personal subject (well, at least I think so).
Now that the gears are turning in my mind, and as I ponder where I go and why, I recall the knowledge gained by the public after Edward Snowden released classified NSA documents in early June 2013 detailing the NSA's mass spying on U.S. citizens (Greenwald). It truly feels surreal to know that the conspiracists were right all along; there really is an agency that knows exactly where I go on the internet -- and now you all will, as well.
Right after I turn on my computer, I usually tune into Twitch.tv and find a streamer to listen to as I do homework or browse elsewhere on the internet. I actually watch the stream occasionally, but usually I only listen. Twitch.tv, for those unaware, is a website where people live broadcast themselves playing video games. I hope to, one day, try steaming games myself.
Another website that I go to, but not on a computer, is reddit.com. I say not on a computer because I exclusively use a phone application called "Alien Blue" to browse the website; I've never actually gone to the desktop version of reddit. On reddit, I mainly search the "All Subreddits" section, which is an accumulation of all the trending posts on every subreddit (a forum designated to a particular subject on the website). The subreddits I do go to are /r/MuayThai, /r/BJJ (BJJ is short for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), /r/xfiles (for when I am curious about the newest seasons' progression), and, more recently, /r/buildapc.
I really did not want to mention it, but I do go to 4chan.org. 4chan is an anime and manga inspired image and message board created in 2003, which eventually blossomed into what it is today -- a spawn of degeneracy (no, really). There are boards dedicated to topics ranging from anime to paranormal themed discussions (Press). I mainly frequent the fitness board, and occasionally check out /pol/, also known as politically incorrect.
Never in my life have I encountered humans as insecure as the individuals that post on /fit/ (fitness); it is actually laughable. Politically incorrect is as you'd expect it to be by the title of the board; before I ever knew about /pol/, I underestimated how racist the average individual is. Anyways, there isn't a day that goes by where I don't consider not going on 4chan anymore. It really isn't a healthy habit, psychologically speaking.
Never in my life have I encountered humans as insecure as the individuals that post on /fit/ (fitness); it is actually laughable. Politically incorrect is as you'd expect it to be by the title of the board; before I ever knew about /pol/, I underestimated how racist the average individual is. Anyways, there isn't a day that goes by where I don't consider not going on 4chan anymore. It really isn't a healthy habit, psychologically speaking.
The previously listed websites are, honestly, the only places which I frequent on the internet, besides YouTube. I don't use social media, nor do I count academic websites such as Blackboard, even though I do go there often. I wonder: how many people go to places online that they would not and do not share with others? I'm interested in reading the rest of this class' blog posts.
Works Cited
4chan logo. Digital image. 4chan. 4chan, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Greenwald, Glenn, Ewan MacAskill, and Laura Poitras. "Edward Snowden: The Whistleblower behind the NSA Surveillance Revelations." The Guardian. The Guardian, 11 June 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
The Alien. Digital image. Reddit. Reddit, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Twitch icon. Digital image. Twitch. Twitch, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Press, Associated. "What Is 4chan and Where Did It Come From?" New York Post. New York Post, 07 Nov. 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Hey Sharif,
ReplyDeleteGreat post here! I like how you have the MLA documentation here. If you would rather, you can just hyperlink to these sources (the web ones, at least) and follow the more 3-D documentation style that is prevalent on the web for this writing space.
Here's what I wonder--how can you work and stream recordings of people playing video games? That, to me, would be a concentration nightmare. I can hardly get any work done when my husband is sitting next to me in the office. But I guess everyone has their own work style.
I know for a fact that we all have those "strange places" online we go to that we don't want to tell most people. One of my places is Zillow--the real estate app. I find locations around the world and look at houses and housing prices. I am not in the market, but it is an addiction!
Hey Julie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the advice. I will consider using hyperlinks instead, because if MLA documentation is unnecessary, then configuring the HTML for hanging indentation is an extra step that I'd rather skip.
I admit -- listening to a stream and working, sometimes, can become bothersome. When that happens, I simply shut off the stream and focus, but usually I am able to micro manage my concentration efficiently. The only instance where I cannot concentrate is, as you mentioned, when there is another person in the same room as I am.
Zillow, huh? That reminds me of my mom; I can say with certainty that she has looked at houses and housing prices every night for the past year. She doesn't search outside certain bounds though. Have you located any houses that you would consider a "dream home"? Or, perhaps, do you have a dream location to live?
Hey Sharif, you know I was coming. I already mentioned in my post how I am a twitch user myself. I have to have a background noise of some sort when I work. In fact as I write this I am just listening to Futurama on another tab.
ReplyDeleteIt is surreal isnt it that they were right. It happens though.
Those strange places, I visit Memecenter and Icanhascheeseburger(failblog) when I am not really doing anything, other than that. I keep my browser PG rated, just those dank memes. I will say though, we don't talk about 4chan, as you said.. it is not healthy.
Dr. Quinn, you should check out my stream sometime, I just need to get some free time to actually stream more often right now.
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ReplyDeleteGreat post Sharif. I was thinking along those same lines sharing my personal internet visits, but hey it's for an educational purpose. I could never stream while trying to study, but if it works for you then stream on. I think I will give that reddit.com a look, it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteZillow, I forgot all about my crazy fascination with Zillow. What a great app, wouldn't you say Dr. Quinn? After talking with someone about a certain place,or seeing a location on House Hunters, etc..I find myself going to Zillow and researching the area, just out of curiosity.