anonijus

[anonijus]

Courtesy of Anon I Mus.

[anonijus]

Ascend into Higher Dimensions of Love

“When we are ready to move beyond the third dimension, we must be willing to move past our old, egoic identities by releasing all of our negative, outdated belief-systems held in the mind about ourselves at the final door of liberation – our birth given names, judgments, attachments, guilt, socioeconomic status, fears, nationalities, religious groups, tribal identities, man-made traditions, cultural biases and social codes.”   ~Anon I mus (Spiritually Anonymous)

[anonijus]

Follow the ratist Gimprat for more gifs.

We are EVERYWHERE. The fucking Illuminati is US! 

[anonijus]

Happy New Year! 2018! New Era! New World! New Age!

The new year is a time for change. A rebirth. A renewal. So I am seizing this opportunity to reinvent myself and take a giant leap which I have felt compelled to take for a long time…

I am speaking my mind.

I am speaking the truth.

Unfiltered, unadulterated, unpolished, at times unpopular, underrated, unsung truth.

{and I am publishing all over this mother-lovin’ surveillance-ass Internet so that it can never be deleted, even if I am!}

Allow me to explain…

As everyone I know irl is well aware, I’m terrible at keeping in touch. I barely even try. But the reasons for this are complex. I’m not trying to run away from anyone. I’m trying to run toward everyone. Yet, it seems most people want to push others away, in one way or another. So whenever I find myself with people or in a situation that does not acknowledge the interconnectedness of the human family, and our responsibility to look out for all humans, I feel I must travel on…

When I am with these certain people or in these certain situations that are born of a more divided paradigm, it is very uncomfortable, and I can intuitively feel the difference. It is palpable to me whether the situation or gathering is born in the spirit of love and compassion for all humans, and the spirit of a united humanity, or whether it was born of fear, division, and the tribalist concepts of the “others”, “strangers”, “criminals”, etc…

The reason this is so palpable to me is because I’ve experienced something different. I’ve felt what it’s like to live as One. It is not just some abstract idea to me. It’s the “We are Everyone” of Anonymous that I grew up with. It’s the “Everyone deserves a place to sleep” of Occupy. It’s the “Welcome Home” of Rainbow Family.

There’s something magical happening here. Don’t doubt it. A new world is forming on the horizon. But we’ll have to stay focused in order to achieve it.

So don’t lose focus. Don’t get distracted. Don’t forget what’s possible.

Don’t lose sight of your visions, and don’t get pulled back into the mainstream. Even if it means you have to spend some time alone to hold onto that inner spark. You’re not crazy. The mainstream is crazy. The mainstream is a polluted river. We must forge new realities, and explore far enough to find fresh mountain streams.

The “New World Order” is NOT what’s forming on the horizon. The “New World Order” is already here. It is an ongoing process. But it’s starting to unravel. The ideology of a monolithic and centralized society is rapidly breaking down. The signs of it’s ruin are all around us. And as we learn to do things for ourselves, and for each other, and stop wasting our time working for the spoiled children among us who know no better, this monolithic zog machine built on lies and entitlement is going to predictably try to reach out and grab at us even harder. It’s doing everything in it’s power to hold our attention and never let it go. New flavors on old products, bright colors, loud noises, big promises, the latest and greatest marketing techniques, A.I.-driven algorithms… But by lashing out so vehemently, and never letting go, it is only becoming a better teacher at teaching Us to let go.

So as the mainstream zog machine goes into a death spiral, and every news channel starts blaming every other channel for being fake news, the illusion is finally unraveling. There is no unbiased news. There never was. And in this last ditch effort to keep your attention, the mainstream is only succeeding in becoming too hard to watch, and getting All of Us to finally turn away…

And so we finally turn away. We realize this downward spiral we’re watching is not just some distant reality TV show. This is our world. This is our future. And we are no longer going to be passive consumers of our own fate, watching powerlessly as our world appears to be collapsing on TV.

And so we turn away. We turn to each other. We turn inward to our own guiding light.

This is a test we can’t afford to fail.

Can we seize back our hi-jacked attention? Can we focus on creating meaningful and lasting change? Or will we keep being distracted by fear, lust, hate, and the misguided inertia of the past? Watching, bewildered and powerless, as the world we’ve created collapses in on itself…

The choice is yours.

Choose wisely.

I, for one, choose to believe in this movement of movements. This humane force of humanity. And I intend to prove to the world what’s possible if we really open our minds and dare to imagine. And so I am speaking my truth, as loud and proud as I possibly can, to share my perspective, and not allow myself to be silenced by the fear.

So, before we lose the internet. What do you have to say that you haven’t said, yet?

“You gotta live your passion; gotta speak your truth; no one here on Earth is gonna tell your story but YOU.”

“Coals Into Diamonds” by Alais Clay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBV-avF9P-E

“It’s an epic tale, definitely one that should be shared…”

#imagine #nofilter #occupytheinternet #occupytheworld #Anonymous #RainbowFamily #opWakeTheMasses #opWakeUp #dearworld

[anonijus]

Loading... we're almost there, y'all, don't give up now...

[anonijus]

Harness your inherent warrior spirit. Be courageous, not cruel. Do not become a gangster, but a Jedi. Do not be afraid of being gentle. Do not be afraid to live with an open heart. Do not seek vengeance, seek understanding. Do not be scared into doing anything that you know is wrong. Do not be afraid of doing what is right, no matter the consequences. We have a long road ahead of us. But do not be afraid of what lies ahead.

[anonijus]

The End of Selfishness

Selfishness arises in all of us. It comes naturally to us. We have the drive to survive, after all, and we want to have things our way. But selfishness always comes to an end, at some point, as well. Eventually we are finally forced to confront the reality that, in the long run, all the unintended consequences that arise from this state of mind, all the behaviors and situations born of a selfish culture, result in heartache, trauma, and the unrivaled emptiness of a life devoid of meaning. We can ignore it, run from it, and numb ourselves to it, for only so long. But eventually there comes a reckoning that selfishness fulfills only superficial desires of the ego while leaving us fundamentally unfulfilled and searching for something more.

Selfishness is a cultural artifact of an individualistic culture. We in America especially tend to become absorbed into this idea of separation, and of each individual being separate from each other. After all, we are immersed in this idea. We are bombarded by it. We are taught it is the pillar of freedom, the highest value, something to strive for and celebrate: our “individuality”.

And yet, the fact that an entire nation of people from all over the world can all become immersed in this same narrative of individualism is the greatest evidence of all that we are nowhere near as separate as we pretend to be. We have all succumb to the idea of individualism, together. The idea that somehow everyone “deserves” their lot in life.. ‘cause we “earned” it. The idea we can’t be fooled by marketing, even though it’s obviously one of the largest industries because it works. The idea that we are all unique individuals, each on our own path, somehow impervious to being affected by each other. The idea that we can do it on our own… We reinforce these ideas to each other constantly in conversation. Conversations which are heavily influenced by mainstream media - commercials, propaganda, the news… Yet we claim to we think for ourselves.

We reassure each other that we’re different, unique, separate, and that we can overcome any and every external circumstance on our own. Until we can’t. One day, the dream shatters. A loved one dies. A war breaks out. We lose our job. We spill our tea. Whatever it is, however brief, we have that moment of realization that we are susceptible to the world around us. That we can only pretend we are separate, until we are forced to recognize that we aren’t. That there’s a world out there, and whether we like it or not, we are a part of it, and it is a part of us. That we are both affecting, and affected by, this world that surrounds us every day.

What this really is, this lie of individualism, is our culture’s superficial antidote to a widespread feeling of powerlessness. A shortcut to nowhere, so we can avoid all the effort of taking the long way to truly feeling empowered. Self-education, introspection, meditation. Instead, the promise of individualism keeps us buying stuff, using up resources, and using up each other, all under the lie that your problems aren’t my problem, without ever realizing the obvious and fundamental truth that our life paths are irrevocably intertwined, and that we can never fill the hole in our hearts without taking the time to help others heal the hole in their hearts as well.

This pervasive culture of selfishness has been with us a long time. But nothing lasts forever. It’s time to realize we’ve based our cynical outlook on a lie. This idea of everyone for themselves has driven our entire ecosystem into the ground. Based on what? Lies like the “tragedy of the commons”. The redundant story of that one time someone was raped and killed in an alley in New York, and no one did anything. Yet, this is not evidence that we’re doomed. This is not evidence of human nature. It is only evidence of a sick, disconnected, individualistic culture. A story we tell over and over again, to justify our own cynical outlook, and all of our own anti-social behavior. Yet, time and time again humans have rallied behind a more holistic idea of health and well-being. Time and time again, cultures have sprouted up that regard it as a powerful and sacred act to help keep your community safe, clean, and healthy - not just the people but also the environment, the water supply, the food supply… Research in this field has been named the “Victory of the Commons”, and has even earned Elinor Ostrom a Nobel prize.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/the-victory-of-the-commons

So never say never. We can get back there. Just don’t expect a random alleyway in York City to lead the way.

[anonijus]

wow..an Anon Jedi…Vader on the right side of the force lulz…church. #metatron is a martian.

Greetings anonymous. we are anonymous. in light of recent WInfiltration by snakes and rats, it is Important we remember what it is to be anonymous. sabu became Infamous because of sabu. Barrett brown is known because of barrett brown. there are no Names in anonymous. Anonymous is anonymous. anonymous has no leaders. Anonymous is everywhere. anonymous is no where. Anonymous is no one. anonymous is everyone. We are your brothers. your sisters. your prophets. your preachers. Your teachers. your leaders. your followers. Your mothers. your fathers. Office space to blue collar. The media is not our allies. We have no allies. All we have is anonymous. All we have is this idea. Those who seek fame. those who seek to build an individual name. That is not anonymous. Anonymous is one. anonymous is many. For the philosophy of anonymous to survive. For the collective and the hive to remain effective. You must leave self behind. To abandon the true philosophy of anonymous is to betray Anonymous. To betray anonymous is to betray your people. your family. your Country. Those that chase fame, glory and infamy should be considered Enemies of anonymous. This message is to all of anonymous and those who support and Follow the philosophy that is the idea of Anonymous. Hackers, defacers, google wizards, dox perparers,those that deny Service, information seekers. truth seekers. Freedom fighters. It is time to leave your names behind. it its time to once again Become anonymous. Individuality is a weakness and a curse when used in the name of Anonymous. The department of homeland security. The federal bureau of investigation. The national security agency. Local law enforcement. For you to step away from anonymous and become an individual Name. Is to allow these agencies and all our enemies to move one step Closer to anonymous. Anonymous is not one single person. anonymous is not one single Group. Anonymous is hundreds. anonymous is thousands. anonymous is Millions. Anonymous grows stronger in numbers every minute, every hour, of Every day. For you to promote self is to stunt the growth of anonymous. It is to turn your back on your family. It is to incriminate your brothers. We must remember that anonymous is simply an idea. Any work done that includes any name besides anonymous, its not Anonymous But rather a contradiction to our philosophy. to our idea. To everything that we stand for and everything that has made us as Strong as we currently are. The church of scientology, westboro baptist church. stratfor. paypal. The banks. the corrupt. the corportations. the elite. the politcians. The illuminati. the elite. the one percent. All our enemies rejoice when we show weakness. Inequality. division amongst our ranks. To forget the original revolutionary philosophy of anonymous Is to destroy anonymous. To forget that the principla meaning of the idea of anonymous Is to put all of your brothers and sisters at risk. Anonymous is an idea an based on a massive faceless collective Unity. Titles, groups,factions, and identities are forms of division That contradict the idea that is anonymous. Division is a sign of weakness And with every tick of the clock we approach 12,21,12 and project Mayhem. As we grow closer towards this hour we must show no signs of Weakness. For one to compromise the idea of anonymous is no worse Than the likes of sabu compromises the identities of anonymous. Are there those among us that have failed to remember not to Forget. Listen to anonymous, anonymous. You must be reborn anonymous. we must act now. We must regain the strength of anonymous, which is the idea of Being anonymous. We must fight the fight for those that can not fight. We must give fight to those that can not see. A voice to those who can not speak. We must listen for those that can not hear. We must do this now. We are anonymous. We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Anonymous. Expect us.

[anonijus]

Heart vs. Mind

Now, just as ever, it is only a matter of time before this more harmonious world our hearts know is possible manifests fully into reality. Right now we are just caught in the predictable turbulence of a phase-shift between two realities. A debate between the heart and the mind. The heart pleads for a world where life is sustained by mutual respect, while the mind remains unconvinced that such a world is possible. Yet, it is only this uncertainty that keeps us caught in a self-fulfilling prophecy of apocalypse (see "Tomorrowland"). And until we close the gap between what our hearts know and what our minds think, we will remain caught in this limbo of DOUBT; watching powerlessly as we destroy everything we know and love because we don't have the courage to try something different.

Although the mind will convince you that this doubt is a doubt born of intellect, it is in fact a doubt born of cowardice. After all, we cannot know the future. We cannot accurately predict whether the future holds success or failure, no matter how intelligent we think we are. But we do know that failure is certain for those who don't try... for those who give up.

The trajectory of history/herstory/ourstory is a path cleared by the dreams we longed for so fearlessly that we decided to act on those dreams despite the nagging doubts of the mind.

Whether you decide to fight for a life worth living, or settle for a life that makes you feel like dying, you will inevitably suffer and die, regardless. There is no cheat code to escape the pain of life, although every industry will prey on your doubts and fears by promising you one. So you might as well get over yourself, live fearlessly, and throw yourself into the fire for what you know to be right.

To that end, I recommend: "Swim in the Light" by Kid Cudi

The real secret to fighting for a life worth living is that, as soon as you make the choice to go through your fears instead of around them, avoiding them, your life instantaneously becomes a life worth living. It doesn't wait to see success or failure. After all, you can't know what happens after you're dead. You'll never know what could have been, or what will come to be. But you will experience what it is to be filled with the force of life once you decide to live fearlessly, and try your hardest to do what's right.

So fight for a life worth living. Stand up for what's right. It's not a cure-all. You will still fall on hard times. You may even die young. But life makes more sense when you measure it by what you can fit in it rather than the size of it.

The heart knows what the mind doesn't want you to see. The mind is concerned mostly with the self. The ego. The mind is concerned with personal freedom, status, and individual success. The mind is concerned with longevity and reproduction. But the heart knows there is more to life than your own self-interest and self-replication. There are the others. Sitting across from you, down the hall, next door, and on the other side of the Earth from you. And they matter, too. Just as much as you do. This is the red pill that releases you from the petty struggles of the self, frees you from your own mind's matrix, plugs you into the universal mind and the eternal struggle for an enlightened society, and invigorates you with the force of life.

"We don't matter, that's the good news."

Get over yourself, get out of yourself, and join the party! Ascend the illusion of identity and become Won with Anonymous. ;^}-

[anonijus]

Anonymous Lives On

As the pursuit of anonymity became more and more complicated, slowly turning into what appears to be an uphill battle with no end, I slowly realized I was spending so much time trying to attain anonymity I wasn't spending any time writing things like this. I had essentially been silenced...

As someone who has grown up with Anonymous, as One with Anonymous, with a deep understanding of what means to be Won with Anonymous, this has been a hard pill to swallow. It's like I already swallowed the red pill, then suddenly I'm getting my stomach pumped and being force fed the blue pill. It feels like, after tripping so hard for so long, I'm finally coming down... "reality" is setting in... But it's a "reality" I refuse to buy into, regardless of how difficult it is to find portals to the new world. I'll open portals myself if I have to. I know what I saw. I know what life can be. And I know I'm not the only one.

I've never been convinced that mainstream reality was any more real than other realities. And even if it is louder, or more widespread, as #etherSec put it so eloquently: "we are here to transform the groupthink paradigm on which mainstream reality rests". Not for fame, or fortune, or to serve our own interests... We do it because it is the right thing to do. We are doing everything we can to unite humanity. And we will not let the desperate egos of the Old World stop us out of sheer ignorance and fear. Instead, while these egos are clambering to make meaning where there is none to be found, we will continue to create art that inspires unity, instills hope, and eventually even the clingiest ego will let go of the Old World paradigm as it realizes the New Age can better serve everyone's interests in a mutually beneficial way.

After all, even a sociopath will settle for a win-win scenario. Did you know that?

Still, I resist the idea that anonymity is lost. I know there are plenty of people still safely cloaked in anonymity. But we would be just as foolish to say it's easy to do. That "anyone" can do it. Because that completely ignores the range of knowledge of the average human. We aren't all techies. Nor should we be. Damned be those who confuse solidarity with homogeny. So let's rethink the conversation a little bit...

I have been called back to the surface web, the "CLEARNET", to exchange ideas out in the open, and reach out to the new blood. After all, I could spend all day on Galaxy2 and other darkweb sites, but it is those who have lost contact with the underground that I am here to reach out to, and those are the ones who aren't on the darkweb. I am here for You. Anonymous is not Anonymous without you. For Anonymous is Everyone.

Anonymous has promised that Anonymous is for everyone, the voice of the people, and that Anonymous speaks as one with Everyone, so I'm doing my best to make good on Our word. We have researched a multitude of ways to make Anonymity and unity more accessible for all, and I will be using this blog to share what we've figured out.

Finally, I am here to share the Anonymous spirit. The spirit of fearlessness. After all, many, if not most, Anonymous operations have been conducted without the cloak of anonymity. Right out in the open, United by imagery and symbolism rather than the cloak of anonymity. So please stay tuned as I explore and unravel these contradictions and expose the truly empowering truth behind the spirit of Anonymous.

[anonijus]

I want out.

Out of the Matrix. Out of myself. I don't want to be tracked all the time. I don't want a profile being compiled of everything I buy, everywhere I go, every website I visit...

So I get a new laptop. One not connected to my name. I buy it in a different city. But then does that mean I can only use it in the city I bought it? I bring it back to my home city. I want to go online at one of my favorite cafes, but I realize that would make it easier to deduce whose laptop it is. Especially with how often I use it. I start to mix it up. I frequent cafes I've never been to. I spend more time in cities I would never want to be in. Yeah, that'll throw them off...

I never make a new account with my real name. Pseudonyms only. I never refer to accounts I've used before. I never log back in to Facebook. I tread lightly when it comes to looking up stuff I used to look up so it's not too obvious who I am, based on what types of searches I make. Then, one day, I make a mistake... Damn! I just visited a part of a little known website that only I would go to. Or I searched for a hashtag that only I used before. Too obvious. Start over.

I get an old used laptop from a homeless homie. Not sure if that's secure enough, since he's not a stranger - there's still a breadcrumb trail back to me. Not really, though. What am I so worried about? That they'll corner him in an interrogation center to find out who he gave the laptop to? For what it's worth, our friendship is off the record. We were never friends on Facebook. He doesn't know my last name. It's hard to know what's irrationally paranoid and what's just rational paranoia in an age of totalitarian surveillance.

I can't risk making the same mistake again if I have to buy a new laptop every time, just to feel secure in my anonymity. I start looking into how I can better cover my tracks. I wipe the computer and install a secure Linux operating system. Not the most popular one, though... you never know when a big mainstream project could get infiltrated and compromised. Of course, all these precautions are pointless if everything I'm doing is still being tracked online. Even without making any new accounts to be tracked, all my browsing history is probably passing through the N$As servers. Even if it's not tied to my irl identity, they could still build a profile of all my pseudonyms and browsing history. A statistical analysis of what YouTube videos I'm watching could be enough to make an educated guess at who I am just based on my music tastes...

So I started using TOR-browser whenever possible, for almost all my browsing needs. Again, I avoid old accounts. All new accounts. All new pseudonyms. All new hashtags. Damn, it's like I have to erase my whole existence and start over every time I mess up. New projects. New websites. I forget what projects I was working on two identities ago. How long have I been doing this? How many people have I been? Am I getting anywhere? Isn't this fruitless run-around exactly what the N$A wants? I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels..

The more I learn about security, the less secure I feel. The more you know, the more you know you don't know. The TOR-browser is sweet, but it has been compromised in the past. But it's fine now, right? But it could always happen again... But it's pretty safe, it gets audited by third parties, right? But anything can be compromised, so how can I trust the audit? But no, I'm being too paranoid again. My digital footprint is so small... It's not like I'm running the next silk road. Besides, bit torrents are still going strong, despite the fact it's hard/impossible to avoid being tracked when you use them (as a function of how bit-torrent works).

I remind myself that all I really need to do is stick to best practices and forget about being perfect. I'm not doing anything illegal, anyways... TOR-browser on a secure Linux system should be enough...

But I can't help it, and I start to pick up superstitions from the Swarm. The government can open their own TOR exit nodes, and if they open enough of them, they can start to get a sense of who is doing what in the TOR network. Theoretically. So I start double-checking where my first three connection hops are. The rumor is that if all your TOR hops keep coming out of the USA then the network could be compromised. But that doesn't even make sense... you really think the same N$A who tramples on everyone's constitutional rights is going to be too inundated with legal beaurocracy to just open exit nodes out of foreign countries when they need to? You really think that's above and beyond their capacity? But that doesn't help, now I just feel less sure of my anonymity even if the connections aren't from the USA.

As I learn more about TOR, I realize my footprint isn't nearly as small as I thought. There are holes in my security everywhere. Since anyone can open an exit node, and your connection must go out an exit node any time you access a website that doesn't end in ".onion", I might be giving up my passwords every time I log in. Well, at least I'm using accounts that are relatively unrelated to my irl identity. These are mostly throwaway accounts, anyways. Then I learn about the potential of an attack using end-to-end statistical analysis of bandwidth. Although IP addresses and internet traffic are masked, you can see when someone is using TOR, and you can see how much bandwidth they use. Enough to deduce which TOR connection is connected to which websites if the bandwidth at both ends are closely monitored. (Again, ".onion" websites are safer because your connection won't go through an exit node, so there is no "other end" to match your bandwidth).

On top of it all, my MAC address is probably attached to everything I'm doing... TOR hides the internet traffic, but I bet the N$A still builds bandwidth profiles for every MAC address just in case they can connect the dots at a later date. (That's the address embedded in your hardware, the physical address).

At this point, I start to regret knowing so much about how these technologies work. I know plenty of people who continue to speak freely online, as if there were no surveillance at all. Of course, they also don't question the status quo as much, or as directly. My argument is usually that the surveillance could be influencing them on a subconscious level. It's not that they are so confident and enlightened that it doesn't bother them. Rather, they are simply unaware of the extent to which they are being silenced. But I have to admit, at times, I wonder how much more I could be getting done if I was naive to all of this.

Sometimes I even wonder if Edward Snowden was actually a part of this whole subconscious silencing agenda. A critical component of imposing this so-called chilling effect is to let people know they're being watched. Otherwise we could just continue organizing and resisting as if we weren't being watched. No wonder that news story managed to get paraded around mainstream media outlets, when so many bigger stories get completely censored out of existence. Perhaps it was all part of the plan to implement a panopticon-type of atmosphere where everyone watches themselves. (Note: whether Snowden played into this agenda on purpose or by accident is irrelevant.)

Finally, I start using Tails OS. Something tells me whonix/qubes would be even more secure, and less likely to get compromised, but I settled for Tails for now. It uses MAC spoofing by default, masking the MAC address with a fake MAC address. And the OS is hardened to the point that I don't have to worry so much about viruses and glitches on my own OS. Finally, I feel like I've got a decent setup. I use email addresses that I can access through a ".onion" website. I start frequenting more ".onion" websites to communicate with others, and recede even deeper into the world of the darkweb...

So then, with such a solid OS, I stop worrying about whether or not JavaScript is on... bad move! There's still so much more to uncover. For one thing, I realize that Tails is mostly funded by the government - which doesn't necessarily mean it has backdoors, because they use it themselves and wouldn't want to plant backdoors for their own enemies to use against them, but it is something to consider. Then I learned about "uxdt". Ultrasound-cross-device-tracking. Using ultrasound footprints in commercials and on websites, uxdt can be used to trigger smart phones to gather data about what commercials you've watched so they can continue bombarding you with the same ad on your smart phone. With JavaScript enabled in the TOR-browser, I risk coming across a website that triggers a smart phone to know what website I visited through TOR, which could be enough to backtrack through that TOR sessions activity and link it to me. Theoretically. So I start turning off JavaScript again, or at least turning off the sound on my computer... I hope that works...

My point is... in a world where anonymity was once the default for all Internet usage, these days it seems to be slipping away from me... Perhaps this Tumblr will be my final resting place, to hang my hat, and give up the chase. Not a place to be silent, but a place to speak my mind, despite the risk. A place for all my anonymous loose ends to synthesize into a single identity, for better or for worse. Not that I will quit my anonymous projects altogether, but that I will accept my fate that I may never perfect a completely decentralized, untrackable, unknowable online presence... Even now Skynet is no doubt scanning my words, and building a profile of this pseudonym, perhaps even using stylemetry to figure out my irl identity. But to remain entirely in the dark web doesn't seem like a particularly effective way to spread information and expand consciousness, either, because of the catch-22 that the very people who need to hear more about this kind of stuff are the ones who aren't on the darkweb.

In my lifetime, I've seen technology progress by leaps and bounds. But for whom? And to what end? Must Skynet come to fruition, despite all our warnings throughout the years? Must we settle for an identity-driven Matrix that most people silently long to escape? I remember when computers were new. I remember when my family got our first computer. And over the next couple decades, we went from owning our first computer, to living inside one. We've gone from getting our hands on these cool devices that give us more control to manipulate numbers, data, sound and video, to becoming controlled and manipulated ourselves as components of the machine.

But the original spirit of the Internet lives on. It lives on in me, and perhaps in you, as well. It lives on in the opensource movement. It lives on in whistleblowers and hackers who still manage to maintain some degree of anonymity, and it lives on in groups fighting for the right to internet freedom such as the EFF.

In the early days of the Internet, Anonymous arose quite naturally and organically as a wellspring of information. A channel for an ongoing global conversation about where our world is headed, and how we can shape it for the benefit of all of humanity. It gave people the truest expression of free speech this world has ever known. A chorus of whistle-blowers began, and the world started waking up. At the same time, people were given a break from their egos. We saw what we were capable of when we completely side-stepped our own self-concept, and spoke as a faceless genderless raceless ageless entity. In those days, there weren't even images online yet, and when images did arrive it took a while before anyone was willing to show their face. But now we seem to be moving into the era of "asl", and being shamed off of social media for not showing our faces. Facebook is slowly but surely implementing a "real names" policy and the clearnet more resembles an FBI look-book than an underground movement to unite humanity beyond the superficial personal identities.

But I have trouble believing that this is the direction we want the Internet to move in. It seems more like we're being swept up into a direction not of our own choosing. A chorus of egos, where truth is polluted by identity and self-concept, where personalities clash and conversations stall out, and people care more about who is talking rather than what is being said. I hate to say it, but the surface web is looking more and more like the real world.. a wasteland of bullies and fear, where information is willfully ignored or even violently silenced whenever it is convenient...

But here we all are. The children of Earth. Brothers and sisters of humanity, immediately and intimately hyperconnected through the Internet. It's up to all of Us how we decide to shape our world. So, tell me. What's it going to be?