As I sit here in MGC on a lovely March night, I'm just wondering why there has to be a fire alarm in my dorm. Usually during an alarm, I text everyone I know and complain (creating a mini social network hehe), but tonight, I am going to...wait for it...BLOG.
It always happens to me that I blog about the first thing I read. In this case, I picked up Smart Mobs by Howard Rheingold. The first thing Rheingold talks about in chapter 7 is the power of the masses in overturning authority, or at least giving it a go. But the case of the "Battle of Seattle" when masses came to protest the WTO in '99 always bothers me. The chapter would be better off leaving this example out. In my opinion, it takes away credibility. And I'm going to tell you why.
These people don't know what they were protesting. The book notes, and it is very true that these people used cell phones and computers as mediums to let people know to come rebel with them. HOWEVER, what takes away credibility is that, without a doubt, at least 90% of all these "new fangled contraptions" (thanks, Grandma) were manufactured abroad. How can you prove a point with products paid for and manufactured by capitalists...those who live the very principle you are fighting against? Thanks for funding the companies that are bringing down the little people (in your opinion).
Thank God for politics and the ability to talk about it on the web. Now even someone as unimportant as me in the political arena can express their opinion..and hopefully make some people angry.
In the end, can you blame the pundits of today for setting off an alarm for saying ridiculous things (even if it is just for a reaction)? After all, they just want to sell books and make an honest living. Isn't that what we all want?
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After our guest speaker had finished talking with our class this week about the virtues of the little guy using technology to push forward political movements - I wasn't convinced, but instead scared. In the past decade laws have been eroded that once protected people from a noisy minority that wanted to change laws to their advantage and protect their egos. The use of the web and other means has led to some harmful changes that can hurt the majority. There needs to be some responsible boundaries set behind the little guy being heard if he is manipulating the system to sound like he is the majority in order to give credence to changing laws or cause legislative changes to sooth his own personal issues. Stephanie
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