Tech Evolution: From Servitude to Mercenary to AI Idealism, and Our Shift from Slave masters to Supervisors of mercenaries"

(Image : Twitter ideation sketch of Dorsey, 2006 : source wiki)

(part -3)

The origins of Twitter trace back to 2004, when a student activist affiliated with the Ruckus Society developed a platform to support protesters at the Republican National Convention. Jack Dorsey built upon Tad Hirsch's SMS-based social networking concept, giving rise to Twitter as a micro-blogging site. Unlike its predecessors, which favoured longer texts conducive to detailed explanations, Twitter offered a concise platform tailored for individuals with limited linguistic skills or time constraints. Rooted in political activism, it quickly gained traction among young audiences seeking passive engagement. Enabled by the burgeoning cell phone revolution, Twitter facilitated the instant sharing of SMS literature, photos, and videos, empowering users to become journalists, activists, photographers, filmmakers, or artists with a global reach. However, this accessibility also made Twitter susceptible to exploitation by political and business interests.

Before Twitter's inception, right-wing conservative politics found it challenging to respond to the rational scrutiny and reasoned arguments typically put forth by the left and liberal-educated classes. However, the emergence of Twitter microblogging marked a significant shift in this dynamic. Unlike traditional blogging platforms that required detailed arguments and explanations, Twitter's concise format, limited to 253 characters, enabled rapid and impactful communication. Its design resembled the often confrontational comment sections found on longer-form social networking sites such as Facebook, reshaping the tone and style of social interaction.

Enabled by the capacity for individuals to construct narratives through SMS statements, videos, and photos, Twitter swiftly ascended to a pivotal position in the global arena of influence. The transformation was profound: what had previously served as the comment section of lengthy social media platforms evolved into the epicentre of a highly influential social media paradigm. This evolution presented a formidable obstacle for the centre and left-leaning liberals, who grappled with navigating the prevalent culture of abusive mob behaviour within these digital spaces.

As a result, assertive right-wing politics experienced a resurgence on a global scale, spurred by events like the Arab Spring. Twitter emerged as a fertile breeding ground for right-wing bigotry, fostering the propagation of religious fundamentalism, xenophobia, and hate-mongering. Within this context, Technology functioned as a catalyst for the proliferation of mob culture, providing a platform for its growth under the guise of freedom of expression. Ultimately, Twitter played a pivotal role as a key instrument in destabilizing power structures worldwide.

The shift from long-format blogging to SMS microblogging represented a noteworthy transformation in communication journalism and culture. Previously, discussions were defined by inclusive dialogues, reasonable arguments, and rational justifications. However, introducing microblogging brought about a stark alteration in this landscape. Aggressive pursuit, mob mentality, and emotional outbursts became widespread, mirroring the hallmark traits of cultural fascism. This novel form of social networking prioritized disseminating catchy phrases, shocking visuals, emotional distress, and the propagation of human hatred.

In 2012, Twitter and its corporate stakeholders harnessed the transformative power of communication to wield substantial influence in global politics. Collaboration between business entities and right-wing xenophobic factions accelerated the destabilization of power structures worldwide. This phenomenon manifested across different regions, from the emergence of ISIS in Arab nations to political upheavals in France, Brazil, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and various African countries. Moreover, the ascent of the Hindu supremacist BJP within India exemplified this trend in domestic politics.

They all displayed classic fascist tendencies, marked by an aggressive pursuit of agendas, a mob mentality, and a penchant for emotional issues. This was particularly evident in their tactic of substituting reasonable arguments and rational explanations with attention-grabbing phrases, startling visuals, and emotional disruptions. A striking instance is the stunning figures of presumptive losses exposed by the CAG regarding coal mine corruption or Modi's reliance on attention-grabbing phrases, images, and headline manipulation, coupled with the BJP's and their counterpart Islamic organization's exploitation of religious matters for political advantage. The symbiotic relationship between business and politics, intertwined with the framework of Twitter microblogging, became unmistakable.

Mainstream media followed suit, adopting strategies akin to those seen on Twitter. Television networks, in particular, became breeding grounds for xenophobic rhetoric aimed at maximizing revenue. In India, personalities like Arnab Goswamy spearheaded the movement for Modi-aligned cultural xenophobia, while Ravikumar represented the anti-Modi faction. Both factions played a role in shaping the pervasive atmosphere of Indian television, inundating viewers with jarring imagery and attention-grabbing slogans, thereby heightening anxiety levels.

This shift towards sensationalism and fear-mongering empowered Twitter and Facebook to ascend to the pinnacle of the global business hierarchy, displacing other industries and emerging as the wealthiest corporations worldwide. In the process, they bolstered the ascent of xenophobic business magnates and politicians by marginalizing reasonable arguments and rational explanations—fundamental elements of natural justice and inclusivity in political discourse. Essentially, these businessmen and their political allies repurposed Technology from a tool of empowerment into a mechanism of exploitation, effectively transforming what was once perceived as mere labour into a mercenary.

In an era dominated by Western corporate influence, many individuals overlook the fact that their politically divisive leaders, who champion notions of national greatness, are fueling fascism and xenophobia to serve corporate interests. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook and influential business people within their respective countries exploit these sentiments for financial gain.

In India, where citizens have endured prolonged political hardships such as demonetization, the implementation of UID, fluctuating fuel prices, and the dismantling of small and medium-scale industries, the populace is presented with a singular narrative—one centred around religious fervour. Upon receiving one temple as a purported victory for their trust in these types of politics, the political masters created a select group of billionaires as their cronies. They granted control over the nation's entire wealth.

The perpetuation of xenophobia and cultural fascism finds its stronghold in social media platforms, where individuals find empowerment through their religious identity. Simultaneously, political leaders nurture relationships with crony billionaire business figures, thus deepening the cycle of exclusion and exploitation.

What transpired from longform blogging to microblogging was not only a transition from Technology as slave to Technology as slave mercenary, in the long form, if the user was still the slave master, in cellphone microblogging, user became only supervisor of the enslaved technological mercinary.

However, politicians, as the political masters in a democracy, cannot solely be categorized as exploiters. They are aware that the democratic process inherently possesses the potential to undermine their authority. This poses a significant challenge to corporate interests aiming to supplant politicians in governance. Despite efforts to utilize Technology as a tool for control, business leaders have struggled to assert dominance over political figures. Despite shaping the narrative of right-wing politics, liberal arguments and idealism persist as active forms of political dissent across democracies.

This is where AI emerges as a pivotal player—aiming to co-opt dissenting idealism and dictate what constitutes dissent. AI's deep learning capabilities are actively restructuring language and narrative.

Transitioning from a mere mercenary tool, Technology is poised to assume the role of an ethical, moral, and conscientious dissenter. However, the business owners of AI have yet to assert control over this dissenter fully. Until that day arrives, politicians will retain their influence in governance, steering affairs according to their whims and fancies. Once AI is harnessed as the master of both mercenary tools and idealist dissenters, the industry will effectively wield the reins of government on a global scale.

Somewhere in between, there was Instagram, in the making of the mercenary Technology and its transformation into an AI data-driven conscious builder

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