“Before we work on artificial intelligence why don't we do something about natural stupidity?”

- Steve Polyak

I think the time has come to throw away my computer. Now don't worry I'm not talking about getting rid of all technology and moving into the woods to live in a shack or anything even remotely associated with Ted Kaczynski. I think some technology is actually improving our lives. I mean what would life in these modern times be without the Flowbee? (Note: if you have ever thought about attaching a vacuum to your own head, please put down the paper and seek medical attention). What my frustration and annoyance stems from is all the junk laying on the side of the information superhighway that is the Internet.

On paper. Remember paper? The Internet was a great idea. The sharing of ideas, and the bridging of social gaps. True democracy. With the type of a button and a click of your mouse you could connect with people all across the globe to share ideas, and perspectives. Noble in it's infancy the Internet has changed into what we have now ... YouTube and MySpace.

If anyone ever asks me if I have a MySpace, I always answer with a quick ... yes, it's called my apartment! When did people become so superficial that they need to be validated through a Web site? What Myspace reminds me most of is my old yearbook from high school. There's the usual picture of the person who created the page and added in are their likes/ and dislikes; who there friends are and what music they enjoy. Of course it wouldn't be a yearbook without people adding their two cents in and leaving dull messages that all sound the same.

“Yo, man, your the best!!”

If you really want a MySpace you should move out of your parent's basement and get yourself a life. Imagine if people put as much time into their appearance as they do into pimping their Web sites we really could call our country ... America the beautiful.

Now what's in store for you're viewing pleasure?

Sick of watching boring re-runs on television? Well with today's Internet you can watch your boring neighbors film themselves doing boring things. I present ... YouTube. YouTube is the high tech equivalent of watching your grandparent's old home movies. What I can't understand is the mindset that just anyone with a camera and some spare time can become their own Martin Scorsese. Trust me, your not going to win an Oscar by dancing in your living room. Time magazine even went so far to hype the situation that they called “us” their person of the year. I would think this was an honor until I realized that they gave the same award to Hitler in 1939. So maybe I'm not the only one who sees where this Internet road is headed.

But I shouldn't blame everything on the computer I guess, though maybe it's just time for people to stop trying to create a virtual reality and start seeing what is actually around them.

Auburn native Bradley Molloy's column appears here, each

Sunday, in The Citizen. He can be reached at lovonian@hotmail.com