"A tale of time and value"

"شبكة روايات التفاعلية- Riwayat Network Forum"

Amidst the old belongings I'd shelved for ages, by purechance, I found them. Buried in these ancient, neglected items, lay a weatheredmanuscript, stiffened by time. It was the first novel I ever attempted duringmy university days, when a personal computer was a curious creature, I barelyunderstood. This tale spun a story of a young man who discovers that his familyare extraterrestrial beings. Yet, he conceals this secret and grapples with therealization that he, too, might be an alien, but chooses to live as an earthlyhuman, deciding his own destiny. Drafted at the dawn of the millennium onMicrosoft Word, it was printed on A4 sheets, then hidden away in a blue folder,surrounded by mountains of books.

Among Forgotten Things

I held the manuscript gently, opening it with caution.Memories flooded back of my first time writing it. I didn't own a computer backthen. Instead, I frequented the newly opened ‘Bibliotheca Alexandrina.’ We'retalking about the early 2000s here. I'd revel in going there from morning tillevening, diving into forums I followed, writing stories or novels, learning newtopics, conversing with friends across the globe. We'd delve into literature,poetry, arts, and cinema, sparingly touching upon politics. We believed theinternet, especially the "Riwayat Network" forum, granted Arab youtha platform to connect beyond the constraints set by governments, politics, andsocietal norms. I was convinced that the artificial political borders betweenArab countries would someday crumble, simply because they didn't represent anygenuine divides in culture, traditions, language, or beliefs. We felt akin to asingular entity. Despite the many conflicts and disagreements amongst forummembers, a strong foundation united us all.

Transition to a Globalized Era

Back then, I was brimming with naive optimism. I believedthe internet and various technological tools would usher in a new chapter forhumanity. They'd bridge distances, spread knowledge, and ignite millions ofminds. I thought these communication tools would bond hearts, transcendinggeographical and societal boundaries. I was convinced that we were on the brinkof an ideal global community. This was before we transitioned to the nextphase.

After the proliferation of various forums, these dispersedspaces were consumed by behemoths like Facebook and Twitter, along withremnants of other social media platforms. These conglomerates coalesced thescattered members of diverse forums, pushing a peculiar trend towards globalizingindividuals under a virtual reality dominated by a select few, imposing theirunique set of rules coercively upon all their members.

This was a natural extension of the world's globalizationmovement under the control of economic conglomerates and multinationalcorporations. For a long while, I believed the internet could dismantle theseconglomerates, restoring the world's diversity and disparities. But there wasan unsettling feeling I sensed from everyone rushing to Facebook and Twitter atthat time. It manifested in their words, actions, and the phrases they used,sending me signals of degradation and an urge to chase the fast-paced world.

Yearning for a Bygone Era

After a year or so, the forums I followed became barren,resembling a desert at midday. Reluctantly, and quite late, I migrated toFacebook. Initially puzzled, I kept searching for the group or place I'd heardhad relocated to this Facebook oasis, but never found it. I wandered aimlessly,engaging in topics I found intriguing. However, a hostile spirit prevailed,peppered with mockery for those who couldn't adapt quickly. A rampant urgeemerged to chase everything new, every update, every unique group, beforeanyone else could discover them. An insatiable desire to gain likes and commentsproliferated. There was a narcissistic obsession without any limits orboundaries.

Gradually, the idea of combating different conglomeratesfaded, and the sense of Arab unity that had overshadowed us for many yearsunder shared hobbies, ideas, and convictions vanished. Minor differences weremagnified, and people's personalities began to mold under their influence. Theconcept of an Arab society surpassing politics and the absurdity ofnation-states disappeared. Hard truths slowly unveiled, imposing themselvesupon all dreams and hopes.

History and individuals repeated themselves withoutpondering the new opportunity presented to them and its potential for genuinechange in humanity's trajectory. The internet offered everyone a chance toregroup through a different medium, free from the traditional constraints theyresisted and suffered from. But they simply reshaped the same old nonsense inthis new magical medium.

Twisted Crossroads

I didn't realize the depth of my shock until years later.But at that time, I just grew to despise the internet, longing for the world offorums amidst accusations of nostalgia and an inability to keep up withevolving trends. I didn't understand then that these so-called advancementswere regressions from the civilizational path, not progress chasing the leadingpack.

In that time, I tried a different approach. The internetbecame a long street for me, knocking on doors, seeking genuine friendships orshared interests. Yet, it grew complex, especially when trust in the person onthe other end dwindled, and they cared more about accumulating likes andcomments than genuine connection. I found myself retreating, observing fromafar with little interaction.

Then came the deafening amplifier of it all: the trend. Thisobsession I sensed early on, this chase for progress or globalization orwhatever you'd call it, crystallized in the concept of 'the trend' - whateveryone's talking about. Tricks, deceptions, and even scams emerged in itswake.

In the Shadows of the Malevolent

Various cybercrimes spread, both psychological andfinancial, the dark web emerged. The internet began extracting humanity's worstfacets. It was as if all that society had suppressed, the public sphere, thetraditions and customs, found an explosive outlet online.

Yes, this tech spread knowledge and enhanced communication,but it also fed our selfishness, our lies, our greed. Technological advancementraced ahead, but our moral compass remained stagnant.

I realized, all too late, that technological progressdoesn't necessarily mean civilizational evolution. It might even signify thedecline of civilization, the regression of humanity within the species,bringing forth the ugliest parts of the human psyche. The signs were alwaysthere, I just didn't see them. I lived through wars on Iraq, Afghanistan, andremembered Vietnam. All wars led by the technologically advanced against those weaker,fighting guerrilla warfare amongst their own people. All these wars wouldn'thave occurred without technological progress paired with a lagging civilizationthat boasts such technology.

Recall how humanity dropped the first atomic bombs on fellowhumans just to test its effects. All these wars, the strong against the weaker,culminating in the atrocities against unarmed Palestinians in Gaza andPalestine.

Lost in Progress

Technology doesn't lead to enlightenment; it may, in fact,do the opposite. This lie was forged in the dreamy phase of the early 20thcentury before the world confronted the fate its own actions had designed.Technology is but an amplifier, echoing our deep-rooted values and intents. Iwas deceived into believing that scientific advancement meant moralprogression; that mastering our world would refine humanity's raw edges.

The notion of progress, so gloriously celebrated, is but amirage that hasn't truly led to any humane evolution. We often mistake the glowof screens for enlightenment, the hum of machines for wisdom. But what of theprogress of civilization? The advancement of the human spirit, the collective conscience,the shared values that bind us?

In my endless daydreams and tireless imaginations, Ienvision a world devoid of technology. A realm where the chirp of birdsreplaces notifications, where the setting sun is our clock, and whereconversations happen face-to-face, soul-to-soul. I ponder upon the possibility:could such a world be the ideal environment for the civilizational andintellectual evolution of mankind? Does the possession of technological toolsand tricks ultimately lead to the loss of our civilizational capacities, ourvery humanity? Does it blur the lines of moral and spiritual values?

A Quest for Genuine Connection

In this imagined world, perhaps we'd be closer to our trueselves, unburdened by the weight of relentless innovation. Without the constantbombardment of information, maybe we'd rediscover the art of contemplation, thejoy of simple pleasures, the beauty of silence.

The technology, while it connects us globally, oftendistances us from our inner selves, from our neighbors, from the very earththat cradles us. Could it be that in the absence of this digital deluge, we'dfind ourselves more attuned to our own humanity, our shared stories, ourcollective dreams?

In poetic simplicity, as the world races ahead, maybe it'sworth pausing, reflecting, and wondering: Do we lose a part of our soul withevery new invention? Do we trade away the essence of who we are for fleetingconveniences? A world less technological might just be a world more connected,more humane, more true to itself.