"I have an almost religious zeal... not for technology per se, but for the Internet which is for me, the nervous system of mother Earth, which I see as a living creature, linking up"

Dan Millman conveys a passionate fascination with the Internet, transcending ordinary appreciation and reaching the realm of spiritual reverence. His preference is clear: it isn’t technology in its entirety that inspires him, but rather the Internet specifically. The Internet is personified not as a cold, lifeless network, but as an integral component of a living organism, Earth itself. By likening the Internet to the nervous system, Millman draws a parallel between humanity’s digital interconnectedness and the intricate communication pathways that allow living beings to sense, process, and respond to the world.

Referring to “Mother Earth,” he invokes an ecological, holistic perspective that sees the planet as a single, unified organism rather than a collection of independent entities. In this framework, the Internet becomes more than a technological tool; it acts as the medium through which ideas, information, empathy, and understanding flow, an extension of the planet’s consciousness. Just as the nervous system unites and animates disparate parts of an organism, the Internet creates webs of connection between people, communities, and cultures across vast distances, linking up humanity into something akin to a global mind.

There is an implicit optimism in this view: the Internet’s ability to bridge divides and foster unity hints at a vision in which collective intelligence and shared experiences drive progress, awareness, and compassion on a planetary scale. The “almost religious zeal” Millman feels speaks to the transformative power he attributes to this connective force. Through the digital web, boundaries dissolve, perspectives broaden, and the pulse of life quickens. The Internet, then, transcends its inventors and operators, becoming a manifestation of Earth’s potential for growth and harmony. Millman’s awe is rooted in the collaborative possibilities of this network, a faith in the capacity of connected minds to sense, respond, and nurture the living Earth much like neurons kindle the consciousness of a single being.