The internet is an amazing and ever-changing source of information. It has become a mainstay in our lives for many reasons. The evolution of the web has allowed us to locate information, share ideas, connect with others, and do countless other things with the click of a button. But how does all this happen? Computers didn't just create web pages and internet sites on their own. People are the reason for all these glorious possibilities. Someone had to create that social networking site. Someone had to create that photo sharing site. However, most of us don't ever think about how all these sites came to be. We are just happy they are there!
We, the people, are the creators and masterminds behind all the tools and services that are found on the web. Sure, there is a wealth of information to be found on the internet that originated somewhere else, but someone had to put that information on a web page and organize it so that others could find it. And I say, "Hats off!" to those people. I, for one, cannot imagine a day when I wouldn't open my laptop and pull up numerous sites used for anything from checking email to paying bills. People did that.
To say the machine is us simply means that we are the creators, editors, and producers of the web. We determine what information is presented and how. We decide whether or not the information we find is what we're looking for. However, it is also true to say that the machine is using us. Though we created it, we are now chained to it. I doubt there are many people in our world today that don't rely on the internet for something in their daily lives. We have become so dependent on the web to meet our needs that most of us can't imagine life without it. It is a mutual dependency-we need the web, but the web needs us, as well.
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