Subject: The Digital Revolution and how it impacted me

Beginning in 1993, the Digital Revolution spanned most of the 90s and made way for the early 00s.

It also had an impact on my young female mind.

Because of the fear of technology turning on us, many "computer horror" movies and shows were made. Even cartoons - Brainiac from Superman: The Animated Series was a 90s twist on a classic supervillain that seemed to cater towards the "computer horror" motif of the 90s.

But it was the idea of a "computer virus" that the 90s seemed to favor. It was a program that could spread like a virus. It was a vague concept, so many media made computer viruses sentient.

It started with me owning The Omega Virus, a board game by Milton Bradley, as a little girl. Had to be around 93-94. It was a complicated game to play, but I mainly liked the virus because it "taunted" you and it could win. The voice is very stupid now, almost like a dying Furby, but I had a crush on that virus and never minded that he called me "human scum."

In 1998, my preteen self saw the episode of Superman: The Animated Series where 30th century Brainiac travels back in time to kill young Clark Kent. Now coming to terms with my sexuality, Brainiac made me feel some type of way. I would eventually go back to the comic books I had that featured Brainiac and think he was hot. (When he looked like a weirdo with facial hair and a distended brain, mind you.) And when December 1999 hit, I was very excited about the Y2K bug because I felt like I was gonna live my own sci-fi movie, only to be disappointed when it never happened.

Then, in 2001, I saw Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase. I thought the Phantom Virus had it going on, and I liked his baseball puns. Around this time, I started to think sentient computer viruses were one hell of characters, with their sexy designs and technopathic powers.

The final nail in the coffin was a year later, when Toonami's Trapped in Hyperspace event aired. I was introduced to yet another sentient computer virus: Swayzak. He was HEAVEN to this 15 year old, with his deep, ominous voice and intimidating-looking design. The online game was no help, with Swayzak having a weird accent and a sexy-looking full body which made him look like some feral beast, as well as infecting TOM, which made him become evil. The fact that you went into TOM's body to save him excited my endo-loving mind. Anyway, Swayzak struck a chord in my mind and I officially decided I was a cyber goth.

I listened to techno, watched cyberpunk movies, and wrote poems about how beautiful "interfacing" with technology felt. I remember saying this to my friends at school: "Each time you use an antivirus, the more the world will cave in on itself." I also remember trying to code my own computer virus, named "BATTLEZ0NE," and coming up with a design for "him," which looked like Lord Xenon but with anorexia (thanks, Swayzak!) Eventually, my phase came to an end when I went to a midnight showing of The Matrix Reloaded with my online friend, and my mom grounded me and gave me a talk about "no meeting anyone you met online in real life." Then it was back to normal Cherry business.

It was so cringey, but I feel like the 90s infected my brain and I really thought technology was gonna turn on us. And I was ALL FOR IT. :-[