The Internet Threat
Avedon Carol, making remarks* on a piece by Raul Fernandez about the rising influence of the 'net on politics, and particularly on the recent election, had these perceptive things to say:
I think some people have already realized that the ground-up nature of the Internet is a threat to the prevailing order, which is why they are trying to impose both legal and economic impediments to ordinary people like us being able to do what we do. Make sure your reps know that you regard any opposition to net neutrality as an assault on democracy.
One might add this gloss: they may not think about it consciously — or they may — but many will simply react to anything that threatens their hold on power, and that paranoia is nonpartisan. Thus, while making one's wishes known to the powers-that-be, one should also take note that they are the powers that be and may not always be working in our best interest. Many tend to view democracy in the hands of the people as a dangerous idea.
Thus again, it's in our own best interest to continue to exercise our prerogatives vigorously and visibly in order to keep them our prerogatives.
———
*Avedon Carol, "How we did it", The Sideshow, 9 December 2006.