From Eternal September to TikTok: The Wild Ride of Internet Culture
The Internet hasn’t always been infinite scroll, viral dances, and “Like & Subscribe” buttons. Long before TikTok trends and meme culture took over our screens, the Internet was more like a weird digital clubhouse where only a few nerds hung out. It was slow, text-based, and full of strange etiquette rules. But everything changed in the fall of 1993 – and the Internet’s never really slowed down since.
Eternal September: When the Floodgates Opened
Back in the early days, the Internet was mostly a place for academics and computer geeks. Places like Usenet were where people talked, argued, and shared information. Every September, a wave of new college students would get online for the first time. They’d mess up, get scolded, and then – eventually – learn the ropes.
But in September 1993, AOL (America Online) gave its users full access to Usenet. Suddenly, tons of people with zero online experience poured in. And they never left. Nobody could teach that many newcomers the social rules, and everything got chaotic fast. That one September never ended – hence the name “Eternal September.”
That moment basically kicked off the rise of Internet culture we know and love (or hate) today.
The Rise of the World Wide Weird
By the mid-to-late ‘90s, things got messy in the best way. The World Wide Web became a thing. Now, instead of using weird text interfaces, people could click on buttons and see images. Browsers like Netscape made it user-friendly, and suddenly, anyone with a dial-up connection and patience for loading bars could make a webpage.
This was the golden age of personal homepages. Think crazy colors, blinking text, and auto-playing MIDI music. Sites like GeoCities and Angelfire basically gave us the first real “social media” before platforms were a thing. You weren’t building a brand – you were just posting your favorite quotes from The X-Files and a hit counter to track visitors.
Not long after came the early memes. Think: dancing baby, Hamster Dance, and “All Your Base Are Belong To Us.” They were low-res, weird as hell, and kinda magical.
The Dot-Com Boom, Napster, and Internet Rebellion
By the late ‘90s to early 2000s, the Internet was starting to look like a new digital frontier. Everyone wanted in – and dot-com startups were popping up like mushrooms after rain. Most of them didn’t survive, but it set the stage for what came next: people started expecting the Internet to be part of daily life.
Meanwhile, the rebellious side of the Internet was waking up. Napster let people share music files. Suddenly, you didn’t have to buy CDs anymore – you could download songs for free. It kicked off a giant war with the music industry and showed that the web wasn’t just about goofy web pages – it could shake entire industries.
Welcome to the Social Internet
This is the era where people started building digital lives. Blogs like LiveJournal and Xanga let you share your thoughts online. MySpace let you flex your personality with photos, music, and your infamous “Top 8.” If you remember adding sparkle GIFs to your profile, you were part of something truly special (and chaotic).
Memes became a language. “Numa Numa guy,” “Evolution of Dance,” and “Chocolate Rain” weren’t just viral videos – they were Internet events. The idea of “going viral” was born.
Then came YouTube in 2005. At first, it was just a place for random home videos and viral stunts. But soon, it became a media universe of its own. And let’s not forget Reddit, also launched in 2005, which became the front page of the Internet and a launching pad for countless memes and strange communities (shoutout to r/aww and r/AskReddit).
Facebook, Twitter, and the Algorithmic Age
Once Facebook opened to everyone in 2006, things changed fast. Social media turned from personal expression to a global town square. Twitter came along and introduced the idea of micro-blogging. Suddenly, everyone had a voice – and some people used theirs very, very loudly.
The 2010s brought in the algorithm. Platforms weren’t just letting you post anymore – they were deciding what you should see. Likes, retweets, and comments became the currency of attention. Internet culture exploded in all directions. Memes got faster, weirder, and meta.
Dank memes, Pepe, Doge, Harambe… and let’s not forget the birth of entire languages like “LOLcats speak” and the glorious weirdness of YTMND (“You’re The Man Now, Dog!”).
Vine also deserves a mention here. It gave us six seconds of chaotic genius and launched creators who’d later become mega-famous.
Smartphones and Total Connectivity
Once smartphones became the norm, the Internet followed you everywhere. You could tweet from the bus, post an Instagram Story from your lunch table, or check memes while pretending to listen in a Zoom meeting.
People weren’t just online – they were always online. The line between “the Internet” and “real life” blurred, if not vanished completely.
Memes started driving pop culture. A viral tweet could get you on the news. Memes made their way into political debates, music videos, and product launches. The Internet wasn’t a subculture anymore – it was the culture.
New Kid on the Block: TikTok
Then came TikTok. Technically, it started as Musical.ly before turning into TikTok in 2018. At first, it was all lip-syncing teens. But then something happened. The app’s For You Page, powered by a shockingly good algorithm, broke everything wide open.
TikTok became a creative playground where you could go viral overnight. One minute you’re scrolling through someone making tiny pancakes for hamsters, and the next, you’re learning a new dance or accidentally watching someone’s emotional breakdown.
The memes? Absolutely next level. “Berries and cream,” “It’s corn,” “No bones day,” sea shanties, the “Ratatouille musical” – TikTok turned niche jokes into full-blown cultural moments. It’s like meme culture with rocket boots on.
TikTok also revived DIY creativity. You didn’t need a fancy camera or perfect lighting. Just an idea, maybe a sound clip, and boom – you’re a creator.
So… What’s the Internet Now?
The Internet today is a weird, wild, brilliant mess. From Eternal September to TikTok, it’s morphed from a slow, nerdy system of forums into a global party, news machine, meme factory, and market all rolled into one.
Sure, it’s not all good – privacy is a mess, algorithms are mysterious, and misinformation spreads faster than ever. But there’s also beauty in it: strangers raising money for each other, artists going viral, lost pets being found, and millions laughing at the same meme at the same time.
In a way, we’re still living in Eternal September. The Internet is still growing up – awkward, chaotic, and always learning. But one thing’s for sure: it’s never, ever boring.