A rhizome has no beginning or end; it is always in the middle, between things, interbeing, intermezzo. The tree is filiation, but the rhizome is alliance, uniquely alliance. The tree imposes the verb "to be," but the fabric of the rhizome is the conjunction, "and...and...and..." This conjunction carries enough force to shake and uproot the verb "to be."
Gilles Deleuze & Feliz Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus
University of Minnesota Press, Translation by Brian Massumi

Doubts about the "Internet boom"

The Internet/www is in rapid growth. Being one of the most-talked-about subjects, it has even created the 'Internet boom,' which is beyond our expectation even when the Clinton administration disclosed its huge plan of the 'Information Superhighway' and people here in Japan were focusing on 'multimedia.'

People talk about a new type of media or the network media such as the Internet/www, but in most cases, they are discussing news that stems from expectations or rumors, rather than reliable sources. So, I always wonder if they are just making a fuss over it.

How many of them are getting access to the Internet on a daily basis? Suppose they are regular users, how many of them have sent messages and communicated with people they have 'met' on the Net??

Aren't they using the Internet to get information just as they do from newspapers or catalogues?

The existing media such as newspapers or TV are most likely to survive the age of network media, serving as attractive contents providers. As effective means of distributing information to consumers, companies will probably seek more active use of the existing media.

But, if we consider the network media simply as an extension of the existing media, we may fail to explore its great potential.

Modern Nations and Mass Media

Mass media has had close relations with the development of modern nations.

For example, newspapers or magazines were originally intended for a small group of people who had the same concerns or lived in the same community. But, as their "common illusions" in each group became unified within the framework of a nation, newspapers or magazines acquired the common characteristics.

For example, Japanese newspapers or magazines acquired readership by offering articles that fit the interests of the people living in Japan to achieve business success.

This was particularly true with TV, through which only a limited number of people can distribute information. TV requires the government's authorization for business implementation and requires a big investment for establishment, operation and production of entertainment programs.

Take the Japanese TV for example. In the competitive market where business has become more efficient and sophisticated, TV program creators have been providing information in an effort to meet the needs and "the common illusions" of the Japanese people and to attract their attention as much as possible. Through the information provided, the Japanese "common illusions" became amplified.

In this way, the "common illusions" has formed and developed within the nation to maintain its presence.

This situation is not unique to Japan. It applies to all nations where capitalism and computerization are well-developed. The situation is the same in countries which do not have newspapers with a large number of circulation. They have the same news with the same headline and photos in various newspapers because they use the article provided by the same news agency.

Will they continue to have the same illusions within the framework of a nation? Don't they ever want to get out of their national borders?

Isn't it the role of the new media to accomplish what has not been achieved by the mass media?

Will the new media have new possibilities?

While distributing and reproducing the common illusions in modern nations, mass media have been influential to us at an unconscious level.

But the network media may be able to bring us new possibilities in view of the following features:

1. Swiftness for global communication

2. Interactive communication with a diversity of people

3. Transmission of "hyper-text" with links to offer different kinds of information

4. Performance of the above tasks at a low cost

If we make full use of these features, we should be able to feel, think and act while sharing the same information, interests or concerns on a global scale.

Rather than confining ourselves to the racial, national, or corporate framework, we should transcend the existing borders to develop collaborative, borderless relations, where new ideas will be generated and shared. This will result in the development of a multi-layered, collaborative realm built on the foundation of the network media.

Since the network media enables us to share information beyond the national borders, it should be effectively used for exchanging messages regardless the national interests. NGO is a good example. Greenpeace and some other organizations are becoming active users of www.

With regard to contents business, the network media will spur business based on the idea of "world distribution," which changes a niche market to a global market.

At the corporate level, the network media will play a key role in extending their activities from "local-based" business to "borderless" marketing, communication and operation to meet the interests of those who have got over the national borders.

What we should discuss or try regarding the network media is communication which enables us to transcend the illusions we have in common in modern nations.

If we keep considering the network media as an extension of the existing media, we will only see the expansion of the world that reflects our common illusions, which we are already fed up with.

Unless we try to get over the inner realm and reach the outside world, we will end up with having boring chats within our own circles, even though the Internet further develops and expands.