Ah yes, you've arrived
During my years on the internet, I have stumbled across many useful, bizarre, informative, and thought-provoking websites and pieces of information.
Instead of hopelessly trying to keep track of all of them in some text file or word document that never gets looked at, I figured I might as well share my findings and organize them here. That is the primary goal of this website.
Indeed, isn't that what personal websites used to be about? People had interests, hobbies, and thoughts worth sharing with the world.
The second goal behind this website (which I imagine is something shared by so many others here) is to attempt to get back to that spirit or milieu that once made the web so great. This means far more than merely colorful websites and pixellated graphics.
Through the sharing of information on the web, we could become more informed about the world, its history, and each other. We could form communities and real, lasting friendships based on shared interests and personality traits—friendships which were not restricted by geographic proximity or even cultural barriers.
Most importantly, we were individuals. Not tribal groups and monolithic "identities", but individuals who, for the most part, could discuss and reflect on information as individuals rather than reactionary hiveminds. Each website was filled with personality, and each viewpoint (even if we disagreed with it) helped to break down stereotypes and challenge the kinds of polarized, reactionary mindsets that have become amplified in the social media era.
Early cyberculture was something revolutionary.
I suppose the internet did not entirely live up to the lofty ideals we once held, and the future fell far short of what we had once imagined.
But it was not all a waste. Not all has vanished. The internet has been one of the most important social revolutions in all of human history. As the years go by, it becomes more widely accepted and understood that the friends we made—and continue to make—online are real and not just cyber pen-pals. The hopes, dreams, mood, and aesthetics of the past are not gone, nor will they ever be.
I can say in no uncertain terms that the information and communities I've found on the internet saved my life. I hope that my work can give back to the world and make an impact on someone, somewhere, no matter who you might be.
How this website is structured
The Website Topics are pages centered around different themes that interest me (such as history, art, gaming, and so forth). Hopefully, in time, they can become thorough and useful resources.
One of the most exciting aspects of the Old Web was stumbling across super-detailed hobbyist websites for niche topics. People spent their years on the internet sharing their passion and knowledge with the world, because what else was the internet for?
The Blog section will be a typical blog, with reflections and miscellaneous things not well-suited to the Topics pages. (If I ever get around to writing).
