[Winona Online Democracy]
From: Gene Thiele <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> [...]
>It doesn't appear to me that most people use the web for anything
substantial. In fact, some would argue that there
>is more bad than good out there because of the unrestricted access [...
(snip list of some of the bad stuff) ]
>
>In the year 2000, or in the near future, why is it important that the
average citizen (or student)
>have e-mail/Internet access?
Yes, I become terribly disappointed quite often because of the junk on the
Internet, and almost sick to my stomach when I see how the Internet appears
to encourage a mentality and morality that is lower than most citizens would
tolerate in public. I agree that most people don't use the web for anything
substantial in the way that you and I probably define the word, and of
course the Internet reflects the entire range of human interests, which
necessarily includes some of the very worst characteristics of humankind,
but also some of the great qualities as well.
In my generous moments the best I can say of the whole phenomena is that it
has an Egalitarian characteristic, which is damning with faint praise. But
it is egalitarian, and that is all that need be said to justify equal
access. (Perhaps some discussion of Egalitarianism is necessary. I do not
view it as a higher principle, but an acceptable common one.)
If the net can provide some excellence not available in the citizen's local
area, then that justifies equal access. For example, if a citizen wishes to
study something not taught in Winona's public schools, he is out of luck.
Winona is not the defining institution of learning.
--
[My Background regarding the Internet. I helped establish Winona State's
internet in 1989, and have worked with wide-area network communications
since 1977 when all we had was proprietary e-mail, bulletin boards,
downloads and the beginnings of a hyper-text facility which became the
'web.' I am exposed daily to internet content as part of my work. I know the
content by specifics because it spills across my screen during some work and
much of my works is internet crisis intervention. I also have a good feeling
for the aggregate of content through network traffic analysis.]
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