Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 18:41:07 -0700 From: ego <ego@club-internet.fr> To: bandwidth@waag.org Subject: Re: Some remarks on the question of bandwidth
Very interesting manifesto But, on the question of the similitude between the Internet and democracy, I'd like to make a few observations. Your mail shows clearly that the Internet, like any epidemy (AIDS included), or any natural disaster, reflects worldwide and social inequalities. In that sense, the Net fills its so-called role: create a worldwide consciousness able to figure the entire world and its diversity.
If the Internet is a democratic idea and process, it's in a specific and restrictive way. The Internet can be seen as a democracy funded on the free circulation of information (and thoughts sometimes). And there is always on the Net the alliance between datas and conciousness, simple informations and individual positions in front of those informations. If the Internet serves equality, it's in that way too: promoting a type of writing, reading, and informing that stimulates consciousness. Computers, and electronic, and programming, had only one goal in the last decade: establishing 3 dimensional graphics technology, and establishing interfaces. In those case, the problem is mostly similar: playing DOOM or surfing in a good net day requires two important qualities: reflex and orientation.
I'm not talking of a worldwide consciousness. I'm talking of an occidental consciousness, and of the occidental belief in truth, than is an obsession and a fundation of the Internet. And that could be its best weapon.