Will the Internet facilitate a golden age or civil w@r?

[StandingInLeftField]

Honestly, the rhetoric is so shrill on the right that I might really have to give up and withdraw from the internetz, at least from the perspective of looking at all points of view. I always felt forwarned is forarmed, but this is really making me physically sick now.

Dang....:banghead: :puke:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Both?

:shrug:

[gratuitous]

2. That's sort of up to the hostage takers, I think

The warning has gone out across the land that it's time to fashion a more just society that serves the needs of more people. Those who have set up a system that cheats workers out of the wealth they create have the choice to reverse course peaceably on their own, or face the natural and inevitable consequences of their greed.

[MorningGlow]

3. Great question

I vote "both". You have to break some eggs to make a cake, yanno?

I love how the intertubes are a great equalizer. TPTB can't keep information from everyone the way they used to, which drives them crazy, so for that I give modern technology the big ol' :thumbsup:

[StandingInLeftField]

4. I agree that it lets the sun shine in

On the other hand, it also allows for a vastly enlarged herd mentality to proliferate. It has made large-scale psychological manipulation much easier to accomplish than in the past.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I view the Internet as having the opposite effect, it

makes large-scale psychological manipulation much more difficult, people challenge one another in two or more way debate for the world to see.

The Internet brings political reality closer to the days of the Founders than anything else, even exceeding the democratization of debate during those days, you can't be judged here in the blogosphere by your gender, race, religion, ethnicity or nationality unless you choose to make those traits known.

Debate either rises or falls on its' merits or lack thereof.

On the other hand no creation on the planet made large-scale psychological manipulation easier than the one way, top down godlike power of television with radio coming in second.

[Kaleko]

8. What Uncle Joe said.

:thumbsup:

[eShirl]

7. better unplug your TV then

[RickFromMN]

6. Civil War. People talk past each other and don't listen to opposing views.

The Internet is great for forming like-minded communities.

People wish to belong. They wish to be part of a group.
If the group has some charismatic leaders, the group will grow.

Is this a truism, if you're not with our group, you're against us?

All we need are the charismatic leaders who know how to use the Internet to their advantage.

[peace13]

9. Neither....the powers that be will shut it down if things get out of control. n/t

[kctim]

10. There will be no golden age without a civil war

and that will be dependent on which side one fights for.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Don't know. But, they'll want to sell you a plugin to participate in either.

[randome]

12. The shrillness...

...is on the Left, as well. Have you seen the Obama-bashing lately? Our best chance to stick it to the Pukes and so many on 'our' side want to knock him down.

People are venting everywhere. Arab Spring. American Autumn. Hard to say what will shake out in the end but it's a fascinating process.

[Uncle Joe]

13. To a large degree the criticism of Obama from the left helps him against the Pukes.

It inoculates him against the vast Puke corporate media propaganda machine saying that he's went too far to the left.