For the Lulz - Part Two

So Anonymous is an internet Batman (closer to V from V for Vendetta, but I'm not going to assume you saw that) and it's fighting for the lulz.

The Face of Anon.

So what are the lulz. Fox News reports that it's the corruption of lol, seriously. Lulz is more than a twisting of a acronym, it's a lingering idea. Sure, it's usually laughing at someone's misfortune, but the people in question are usually people who deserve it. Scientology, Westboro Baptist Church (the "God Hates Fags" people), corrupt CEOs and even corrupt Iranian presidents are all examples of "victims" of the lulz. Sometimes the fallout can hurt people who don't deserve it, but I did explain Anon is a force of chaotic good. They don't get it right all the time.

Lately they've become more focussed, enabling freedom of speech on the internet and being an effective tool against corruption. These are things to be proud of. Acting against Scientology's attempts to silence critics of it's religion/cult/pyramid scheme. After a rigged election in Iran, Anon came to the rescue launching a website where people in Iran could speak out against their government without fear of prosecution (which is pretty harsh in that area of the world). Hell even Zimbabwe's website was targeted after the government there tried to censor the Wikileaks dump. Awesome example below:

There are too many instances of Anon fighting for freedom of speech to list here, along with some bad ones, but does what they do really sound like internet terrorism to you? Are they beheading journalists live on air?

If you ask me, I'd rather have these guys fighting for internet freedom than against internet freedom, but maybe that's just me.

The Lulz - Part One

Let me tell you a story, a story with no face or name or discernible origin. It started in many places at different times with many versions contradicting and harmonizing at the same time. I'm going to tell you about Anonymous.

Those of you who know OF Anonymous will be wondering, why would I stick it into the hornet's nest. Well honestly there's nothing to fear from Anonymous if you're not a complete moron because they're not after you, they're not after me. They are after the lulz, but above all else freedom to lulz. Which is similar in a lot of ways to freedom of speech. If I do get hit by anonymous for this post, it'll be for the lulz and I can understand the humor in that.

Here is a quick summery according to FOX News (fear mongering much?).

So what is Anonymous? If you've NEVER heard of them before, they could be everyone and anyone on the internet without an identity. If you use IRC or any forum, they could be anyone on there. Users with no concrete identification are "Anons" and have the power to close the pool, done goof and commit over 9000 sins. It's similar to the ideal behind Batman; if you are one identifiable man then you can be killed or corrupted, if you're an ideal or symbol they cannot stop you because the idea or symbolism will remain long after the single man. So coming back to the original question, what is Anonymous? The embodiment of chaotic freedom on the internet (chaotic good). The ideal that you should be able to log onto the internet and say, do or be anything you want. I'm sure I'm making them sound more romantic than they are, but you get the picture.

The flag chosen to represent Anonymous.

Anonymous started small, griefing (to purposefully frustrate) a teen social website called Habbo Hotel, blocking off access to the "pool" in that chat room proclaiming "Pools closed due to AIDS." Coincidently a few months later a real incident occurred when a 2 year old boy affected with AIDS was banned from a water park in Alabama; I'll allow you to draw your own opinions on that. Since that small movement, I believe even Anonymous was surprised at how easy it was to mobilize a force on the internet and since then have been fighting bigger and bigger targets, for the lulz (more on that later).

Pool's Closed due to Aids.

I don't want to bore you further if you are bored already so I'll end the blog there. Join me tomorrow as I wrap up this two part blog on Anonymous.

Something Special

In a world moving at just over 1000 miles per hour (even without the help of the internet), impressions aren't what they used to be. There's no time to really get to know someone. Social networking sites give you a photo with baseball card stats about someone, but then you don't know what you want to. Their thoughts on time travel, the afterlife or maybe even how they feel about Kanye West. No, there's no time for that.

There's no time! There's never enough time!!

In the real world (not on the internet), either a single impressionable idea lingers or you do, if it's the latter then I can predict the result. Because online you can always disconnect, but in reality disconnecting means the person is still there...awkward. So what's your thing? What sets you apart from the crowd? Well as an example, last year's Fifa World Cup did provide insight. Suddenly my neighbor was Argentinian (through his ex-wive's cousin's room-mate) or my colleague had suddenly become Dutch through...well he was Afrikaans so that actually made sense.

"Mamas" vs. "Cafe Owners" - Click here for more blooper videos

Demonstrating stereotypes in a lighthearted funny way.

The point is yesterday they saw themselves as the metal-head or the artist, today they were ancestral patriots (I won the ancestral lottery, my grandfather was Spanish). It's like a flip of the switch, a self-fulfilling role you choose for yourself. Even the "I-don't-care-what-you-think-of-me" roles end up being roles themselves, ironically.

Everyone loves the sociopath role!

You've got one word or idea, how would you describe yourself? Is it where you're from, your hobby, a skill you have or even what you do for a living? While it can never be enough to make you a fully formed three dimensional human being, it has to be enough for the stranger on the street. Yes, I'm sure people still use streets, internet or not.

Yuppies in Government

I walk into the room, nervous as hell. What if they don't like my idea? What if I was wrong and my concept is out of touch? "So I hear you're going to pitch something to us today?" The producers stare at me expecting my best Nolan-esque concept. So I start. "I want you to give me a lot of money, like A LOT. I'll fly shallow people around to world to places like Monaco and Paris and show off fancy houses no one normal will ever afford. I'll use an entire episodes budget on the host's suit and profile ridiculously rich and wannabe famous people."

"Get to grips with hair extensions." Really?

That's how I imagine things went down when Top Billing was pitched to the SABC; they went for it. In the world of the current economic crisis we still have this show and while it might have been a nice distraction in the world of ten years ago, it comes across today as being ever so slightly insensitive. One episode's budget of Top Billing could probably provide a large informal settlement with water for a year. Not that it's their responsibility to do that, theirs extends only to rubbing their wealth into all of our faces.

All jokes aside, Dr.Michael Mol is king of the douches.

Let me share a thought with you. Let's say you suddenly had access to R1 Billion or so and had no idea how to properly use it. Let's say you were of average intelligence, but didn't comprehend how interest, taxes or investment banking worked. Let's say you were Julius Malema and all of the above applied. What would be the biggest influence on your new found lifestyle?

An oldie but a goodie.

Now I'm certainly not implying Top Billing is the sole reason for our government's ill spending of tax payers money, but come on it's certainly worth speculating over! Top Billing is an SABC show and the SABC is an extension of the government! Get out your foil hats people. Yet the show only seems to be getting bigger and bigger. We now have a Top Billing type morning show, called Expresso, so you can wake up to Yuppies telling you how wealthy they are while arriving at the J&B Met in a diamond crested helicopter. We also have the Top Billing magazine for people who thought they could avoid self-important capitalists by not watching television.

What I'm saying here is not going to have any effect, but I just wish the producers of Top Billing would realize we're living in a country whose biggest concern isn't what model BMW Danny K is driving, but if they'll have food on their plate that night.