Internet as a Metaphor

So far we have discussed the metaphor of the internet and then what it means to be a person online. I think that the metaphor of the internet is very relevant to the latter discussion. Understand how people think about the internet plays into how people think of themselves as a person interacting on the internet.

To me the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis exemplifies this point very well. While I was reading through this I came across some examples in fiction where the idea that language determines thoughts and consequently behaviors. I am not sure if any of you have read 1984, but if you have not you definitely should. Any way in the novel there is a language called Newspeak which was created and implemented using the logic that if people can not express something in words then they will not think about it and will not do it. In this case the words being eliminated are about revolution. So the question is then, is it their language that keeps these people from rebelling or is it something else. Obviously this is only a fictional example, but I think it is one to ponder.