Hypertext

Digital media have their own internal possibilities of resistance. My discussion here deals with exclusively with textual hypertext, because this nicely shows the possibilities of linking. There are analogous and other things to be said about image-rich hypermedia. There are as well other loci of resistance and subversion within the mechanisms of the digital world. The most famous are those caused by the aspirations, political and otherwise, of coders and hackers.

I wonder if it is possible as well that entertainment in the digital world will on its own encourage a less passive consumption of culture and knowledge. It is too early to tell, but there are encouraging signs in the willingness of some players to cheat and reprogram their computer games.

Another sign of more active consumption-relating is the creation of personal, then communal web pages. People want to say things; web sites are thrown up in response to enthusiasms for a movie or a rock song or a celebrity, or to vent an annoyance. Such web makers may not be as creative as the people who make their own music or videos, but with time and better tools, the wired world may encourage more creativity and community more than we might expect.