As I read this article, I kept coming back to how the ideas of time and generations relate to the artform known as net.art. The foundation of net.art and the origin of its name got me thinking about other accidental discoveries. From chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and silly putty to more important things like penicillin and the first chemotherapy, humans have constantly been making unintentional breakthroughs. We have for most of history, at least. But as humans become more precise, methodical, and technologically advanced, I wonder whether or not these happy accidents will continue. Will we keep making mistakes that lead to new creations, or are those days over? It’s also interesting to consider how net.art was founded in a time before the internet got busy - back when it was relatively “uncluttered.” Despite the beneficial conditions of the time that allowed net.art to thrive, however, there were aspects of this era that were less beneficial. Net.art faced judgment from those who couldn't quite understand it, who seemed to believe that art created via the internet wasn't authentic or legitimate enough. Although the internet’s infancy allowed for net.art’s creation, the compositions were not fully appreciated for that same reason.
The article says that “in the internet universe,
time moves faster.” That statement has
stuck with me as I wonder if its scope should be broadened. As we hurtle through the fourth industrial revolution, the separation of the internet and real life becomes less distinct. Artificial intelligence and algorithms take on more established roles, and people spend more time connected digitally. If time moves faster on the internet, does it also move faster in the world as a whole?
