AngloFuturism: Splinternet
Modern humans exist on the intersection between two worlds; the Real and the Digital, the Offline and the Online. Since the 2010s, the Digital World has become more important at crafting the national narrative, influencing culture and bringing people together.
Just like in the Offline World, special interest groups coalesce, brought together through a common interest or goal. But due to the ease by which very specialised groups can come together online, the number of groups has increased dramatically.
Due to the lack of accountability, commitment to these groups is low and not only can members leave without any sanction in the real world, but bullying and verbal abuse can go unchecked. This is why successive political parties have obsessed over hate speech laws online.
A term we can use to describe this multiplication of online groups is the 'Splinternet’. This phenomena has expanded into the real world, where online groups arrange to meet up. And where internet drama spills over and impacts the real world.
Compared with this ‘ease of association’, the real or offline world has struggled to adapt. Many of the local social clubs no longer meet, especially those run in the work places. Public houses and nightclubs have seen drops in attendance as people either can't afford it and stay at home to drink. Having said this, sports clubs, churches and local groups have been experimenting with technology like streaming videos, using apps to stay in touch and meeting over Zoom.
In terms of a national narrative, this plethora of niche online groups is splintering society. Life is still lived locally, and so as people disconnect from their local social structures, diagnosing depression and mental health disorders increase.
In contrast, AngloFuturism embraces the coming technological revolution, but it must have humanity at its heart. It promotes local community over Splinterisation. In the AngloFuturism paradigm, technology should primarily be used to support local communities, rather than allow it to push people apart.