NFTs, Net Neutrality, & Emotional Reactions to Technology

A few years back I came under fire for expressing a viewpoint so controversial, so repugnant, so… so… evil that I received, quite literally, thousands of angry messages.

That viewpoint:

“Net Neutrality: Not that big of a deal”

I didn’t advocate for, or against, Net Neutrality.

That’s right. I dared to take a firm “meh… this particular topic is no biggy to me” stance. Net Neutrality advocates were absolutely livid that I would express such an idea. Responses to me were filled with swearing. And more words in ALL CAPS than I’d seen since the early ‘90s. Plus a more than a few threats. It was… kinda nuts.

Emotions ran high, to say the least.

All because I did not take any strong stance on a technology-related topic.

Many people were so charged up — so emotional — about the concept of “Net Neutrality” that the simple idea of someone not taking a strong stance evoked an intense, angry reaction.

The situation was, quite literally, “If you don’t hate the lack of Net Neutrality legislation… we hate you!”

This isn’t the only “Tech-related” topic that gets people super worked up.

Over the last few weeks I’ve begun to investigate and learn more about NFTs. During that time I’ve made some gentle fun of NFTs… and discussed some light usage of NFTs. I’ve neither vilified nor sainted NFTs.

My stance on NFTs is best summed up as “has some good and some bad”.

That stance has elicited anger from people who expect — nay, demand — that I take a firm anti-NFT stance. Anything less than being anti-NFT is viewed as pure evil. People gave me an ear-full, because of my “middle of the road” stance, on Social Media, forums, email… the works.

Here’s what I find absolutely fascinating about all of this:

One is a piece of technology. The other is directly related to specific technology. But, for both, there are people who demand that others take an angry stance related to them.

The emotional reactions don’t come from people who love the usage (or lack of usage) of a technology. They come from people who hate the technology (or lack thereof).

People hate the lack of Net Neutrality, and they demand others do as well.

People hate NFTs, and they demand others do as well.

It’s all a bit… overwhelming. So much negativity and hate. It feels unnatural, to me, to have such anger around computing. For me… computers bring joy. Computers bring… happiness.

Another such example: Free Software.

Me? I love Free and Open Source Software. Love it. It is awesome.

But there are some for whom it is not so much their love of Free Software that drives their usage and advocacy of it… but their hatred for Non-Free Software. Closed Source software angers them.

And they attack those that make, use, and advocate for software that is Closed Source.

Advocating for Free and Open Source Software, to me, makes a great deal of sense. It spreads knowledge. Joy. Love.

But when the driving force is hatred of a thing (Closed Source), instead love of a thing (Free Software), things get dark. In a hurry.

What drives all of this hate?

I think most of us have seen at least a few examples of exactly this sort of thing. It is, to say the least, not pleasant.

But what is at the core of these sorts of reaction to technology (be it specific tech, licensing, or regulations around it)?

At first blush, you could almost describe the reactions as a sort of religious fervor. A deeply held, religious belief that is driving strong emotional reactions.

Yet that doesn’t really quite make sense. The fact is that most intense religious feelings come from a place of deeply held love for something. An idea, a group of people, a god, etc..

So, no. It’s not really religious in nature.

And it’s not really a “my team vs your team” sort of reaction, either. When you look at the vast majority of sport fans, they tend to root for their team. Celebrate their team’s victories.

… but there are occasions when someone will watch a sporting event hoping that a specific team will lose. Watching the Superbowl, when your favorite team is not playing, and being happy as long as the Oakland Raiders lose, for example.

While that sort of thing is fairly common… it is also usually pretty benign. Good natured. With lots of joking and laughter. “I don’t care who wins as long as it’s not the Raiders, lol.”

It certainly doesn’t tend to come close to the level of rage that so many display when confronted with opinions about a Tech that are not sufficiently angry. And in the approved direction.

In the end… I honestly don’t know that I understand the deep hatred that drives the technology decisions of some.

Poking fun at technology? Sure. Absolutely. We all do that. That’s what friends do… the josh with each other. Give each other a hard time (in a loving way).

In the end, nerds support nerds. And nerdy things. That’s what we do. You like Amigas? Awesome. He likes Windows? Cool beans. I use Linux? Awesome. We can all make a little fun of each other… and still come together in friendship and a mutual love for technology in general.

But hatred of tech? That causes people to attack (in hateful ways) others for their stances (or lack of stances) on a technology topic?

I just don’t get that.

Not at all.