The Internet isn’t a place, it’s a tool. A multi-tool, in fact. You can use it for all sorts of things. Encyclopedia, shopping mall, megaphone, TV, billboard, art gallery, community center, arcade, atlas, and a hundred other things I haven’t thought of, and a hundred more that haven’t been invented yet.

But what makes the Internet so useful and alluring? The answer has been the same since Day 1.

People. Us.

We are the animating energy of this world inside our computers and phones.

I’ve been on the Internet long enough to know it’s no utopia. But I also know that some of my dearest friendships began here. Listening to each others’ stories, leaving responses or questions in the comments. Isn’t that how we’ve always gotten to know each other?

Human connection is the Internet’s DNA.

Has a blog post ever changed the course of your day? Written by a regular person just like you? Or me?

Have you ever read a blog post and felt understood? Or less alone? Or cheered up, even for a few minutes?

Has a blog post ever helped you decide what to cook for dinner?

Has a blog post ever made you laugh out loud at how bizarre and ridiculous everyday life can be?

Has a blog post ever opened your eyes to a perspective or experience that’s completely unfamiliar to you?

Not everyone remembers or believes in the Human Internet, but it has always been here.

Welcome back.

I’m bullish on personal blogs. Want some backstory? Read Can Blogs Rebuild America? and What Feeds Us.