The Internet: Fighting Ignorance and Injustice
The Internet has stupendous potential for advancement of society.
Yeah, I know, you’ve just been over at YouTube reading the comments where people with the maturity level of 12 years olds are calling each other names and threatening to kill, behead, bomb and/or slaughter each other. My statement that the Internet has potential may seem monumentally oblivious.
It isn’t.
The Internet has its faults. It has predators, propagandists, liars, cheats, Nigerians and spammers.
But it also has information. Readily available and free information.
In the past, it was relatively easy to maintain one’s ignorance. All you had to do was not buy books, not subscribe to any newspapers, not watch the nightly news, and spend the money you saved on much more enjoyable activities, like drinking beer.
On the Internet, however, you can’t take click on anything without being accosted with information. Iraq did this. Iran did that. Bush is the anti-Christ. That guy chopping off that lady’s head, he’s actually a noble “Freedom Fighter”.
Okay, bad examples. But there are also a plethora of legitimately insightful opinions, validated facts, and education to be had, absolutely free of charge.
The Internet has helped to educate voters about the positions held by candidates for public office.
The Internet has helped to educate the world to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The spread of knowledge on the Internet has helped highlight injustices and brought more public pressure to bear than could be imaginable otherwise.
One common myth is that the unborn child isn’t human. As if the child changed species suddenly at birth. (More on the abortion debate.)
The Internet has the power to dispel this myth, so that more intelligent and honest debate can take place.
So, will it happen? Or will the the propagandists dominate?
Only time will tell.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
