Truth is, yes the internet gives you a lot of power. Though I don't normally bring it up, yes, the Internet has given me a lot of media-based raw influence and power. I'm a new generation of powerplayers, who have tons of power, but not money to go along with it.
Because Technology online literally gives a lot of power to people young and old who wouldn't have any otherwise, perhaps even for an entire life time, power newbies, as I like to call them, will sometimes cyberbully other people online and abuse what little and inferior amount of power they acquired in such a limited amount of time. The vast majority of the time, these power newbies are so power mad and high on power that they'll abuse their power repeatedly, to get their way, by manipulating or scaring others and intimidating/manipulating those in their little sphere of influence with fear and bullying. This is not cool, and it mostly backfires in disasterous ways, often landing said individuals in places like jail or juvenile detention, (and sometimes, even seriously hurt or dead) where they're anything but prepared for the suffering the results of this abuse will bring them.
And the thing is, I'm more powerful than all of them. Not saying how I got to be this way, but I am. So when they attempt to manipulate me this way, I'm blatantly aware of the fact that they ARE a power-newbie. Most of the time I don't try to fight back in hopes that they're not as hell bent on killing themselves through me as they look on the surface. Sorry Kevin Smith. Not really.
Anyway, power dynamics and politics on the internet is a new subject. But not so new that I have no experience in that area. I do, but unfortunately most people are ignorant of either A) Technology's power (and therefore they mock it or deny it exists, quite confidently I might add), or B) It's function and the scope of its sphere of inlfuence. That's why I don't advertise my power. You never know what kind of reaction you're going to get from people, whether they're trying to sabotage you or seduce you, sexually. It can be hazardous territory. In a way, it's like having a lot or money, only with influence.
In other words, you're not going to win if you want to boss others around, attempt to make other's less popular on purpose, or last and very much not least, attempt to hurt others maliciously using your power.
Bertrand Russel needs to update his little power book with a chapter on "technology power".
There are ways to attain my kind of individual power. Not all of it is a "miracle" though some probably is.
You can attain a lot of power (over time) through:
- Hard Work, Discipline, and Will Power
- Humility
- Being present to a lot of people all of the time
- Being in the right place at the right time (like on the internet during its biggest growth period)
- Not betraying those loyal to you. Treat people who believe in you well
- Practicing your craft on a daily basis
- Never fully believing the hype about yourself, or letting criticism or lies/slander/libel generated about you get to you
- Being original. "Do your own thing. Not someone else's". It will show.
