[PLUG-TALK] Bitching.

[Jeme A Brelin]

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 gepr at tempusdictum.com wrote:
> Consumer advocacy groups seem to think that finger pointing does fix
> problems.  Why, just the other day, I got a postcard in the mail
> suggesting that I join a class-action suit against Verizon. Ugh.  That
> type of behavior disgusts me.

I hate to ask, but why does it disgust you?

Seems to me that there are very few things that can be done by the public
to modify the behavior of corporate entitities.  Lawsuits have been one
tool.

Short of reversing Santa Ana, I don't know what else can really be done.

> I disagree.  The internet doesn't really help us live better lives.
> Farmers' markets, county fairs, town meetings, etc. help.

I think all of those things can help.

I think that the internet can be as useful a tool for sharing ideas and
challenging beliefs and understanding as a town meeting or county fair.

I do agree that the things you mentioned have the added bonus of enforcing
tolerance that one can too easily ignore on the internet (and only
interact with folks with whom they can be assured will bring no challenge
to their ways of thinking).

The internet brings information distribution to the people.  Projects like
the Independent Media Center (when it's functioning) provide a great
alternative to the filtered, hierarchical news agencies that shape our
worldview (and therefore thought and understanding).

It beats the hell out of broadcast.

J.
-- 
   -----------------
     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
   -----------------
 [cc] counter-copyright
 http://www.openlaw.org