Internet. The new printing press? 1

[Sensibilium]

I'm not sure whether everyone will know what I mean by the above question, so let me explain.

In the days before the printing press, the church held all the power in the world, by suppressing works and often burning them so that the general population wouldn't learn certain truths about life and living. When the printng press was invented, the churches power was dissolved. Oh sure, they didn't like it, and they destroyed quite a lot, but even they couldn't stand in the way of progress and had no way of controlling it (destroy one, and another two were built elsewhere).

Now we have the internet. Is this the last straw for governments? The governments are in a similar position. They are desperate to control everything and everyone, and they are getting in the way of progress, but the internet cannot be controlled.

Therefore I see that the internet is the driving force behind the removal of power from the worlds governments, the power is finally in the hands of us ordinary folk. We can make more informed decisions, and politicians are getting nervous.

Thank you, internet, for turning the world as we know it, upside down.

Now, let's get the colonisation of space underway!
Ahdkaw
"What would you expect from a bunch of monkeys?"

http://www.sensibilium.com

 

[gunthnp]

i don't think it's there yet i hear a lot storys about how some breaking news happens in china (or some other place but i hear about it the most there) and 30 min later it is off the net, this happens all the time

but what a country can not stop it the free flow of idea in which may be more important just like this theard in a lot of lands it would be illeal.

P.S. you know what book caused the last revelution the bible it was the first time people could see what the chruch said and the bible said was differnt. What now can open peoples eye as much as the bible did then.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

[mcconmw]

In the hopes of open interchange, I have to disagree with many points expressed here. The printing press did little to change the world. It made writings more accessible if you spoke the language or were literate, period, but it did not help with comprehension. To this day, if you question most lifetime church goer's (of any faith). They will quote you verbal indoctrination over written truth everytime. In other words, what the clergy says over what they are capable of reading themselves is still the bottom line.

The fundamental (not necessarily the reality) goal of government is to regulate the interactions of people. ex. If you put ten people together an eventual leader will result simply because some decisions must be made based on faith rather than logic or experience. Bottom line, a form of government will exist anywhere 3 or more people coincide.

To somewhat return to the subject at hand, the internet is doing as much damage as good because it is allowing as much misinformation to be spread as information. I am not by any means suggesting censorship, because my opinions are set by my perceptions, but I do say that the internet, much like the printing press, will have as much effect as the people that read it and more importantly digest it.

 

[Sensibilium]

mcconmw misinterprets what I was saying. I never said that the internet will destroy all governments, just as the printing press didn't destroy the churches.

What the printing press did was take away the power to hide information from the "people", as does the internet.

Misinformation may be passed around as information, but in the end, it will be shown as being just that - being misrepresentative of the truth. Both types of information therefore are important in the advancement of the human species.

Don't forget, before the printing press, the churches ruled the world by giving out misinformation, and the printing press showed that (this was not an overnight phenomena, as such things as literacy took time to infiltrate the education system, as pointed out).

Now the governments are in the same business as the churches were all those centuries ago, representing misinformation as truth, and the internet is here to free us of the lies of government. Here on this very forum, we are shown that "leaders" are not required to achieve anything, difference of opinion is important, but doesn't block the overall goal of passing on relevent information.

Put it this way, Tony Blair isn't my "leader", I'd rather "egg" him. And I'm sure most of the folk on this forum (and the internet) don't consider Georgie (Porgie) Bush as their "leader". Well, I hope not anyway...

Governments require a reduction of power, they are getting in the way of progress, and their time is over.

Strong views? Possibly, but they are mine and you are perfectly welcome to disagree. Ahdkaw
"What would you expect from a bunch of monkeys?"

http://www.sensibilium.com

 

[Kspade]

The people may be able to provide information that the governments may not want released, but the internet will never have the effect the persses had on churches. I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every moment of it.

 

[pivan]

I dont think the internet supplied much viable information to help us make informed decisions about who to vote for in this last election. As I reach down into my wallet to pay for my utilities.

We can get a wealth of educational and learning information over the internet, but the type of information required to shake the government up we are a long way from. This is meaty content which few want to read, really. Judging by the number of people, alas myself included, who have their browser home page pointed to MSNN, or Netscape news and getting the latest on Survivor Two or Buffy the V'Slayer we have a long way to go before we have an "informed public" that would make our legislators worried.

Their is to much lip service paid to free speech and in the end it is usually squelched by the web manager, or the editor of the thread or forum. Lets not talk about software pirating or hacking. The internet started off with a lot to offer, in this area and what looked to be a bang is turning itno a whimper. As it becomes commercialized and we the people who develop and maintain it fat and complacent, so does the internet.

Regards,
ivan


In not now, when?
If not here, where?
If not us, who?

Just do it!!

 

[pivan]

...and the printing press, actually moveable type, revolutionized the world, was instrumental in bringing about the Renesaence, getting us out of the Dark Ages, it bought literacy to the masses and spearheaded the industrial and digital revolution . Correct it did little to change the world....it was a critical component. In not now, when?
If not here, where?
If not us, who?

Just do it!!