A direct electronic democracy is sound in principle but flawed in reality.
Democracy presupposes and requires a rational, educated and aware populace.
Unfortunately, mass and consumer culture distract the attention of the
populace and numb their brains by either sensationalizing ideas and events
or reducing them their lowest common denominators, sex and violence.
While this phenomena is most developed in the US, it is becoming
increasingly evident in the other industrialized nations.
As a result, although the Internet may hold the promise of new forms of
direct democracy, the reality of the Internet is the opposite: it promises
new, more powerful, more personalized and interactive means for manipulating
the masses, new channels of direct surveillance (Big Brother watches through
your net connection) and new avenues for mindless consumerism.
--------------------------------------
Carl H.A. Dassbach [log in to unmask]
Dept. of Social Sciences (906)487-2115 - Phone
Michigan Technological Univ. (906)487-2468 - Fax
Houghton, MI 49931 (906)482-8405 - Private
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Macpherson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 10:20 AM
Subject: direct, electronic democracy
> Dear Colleagues and Friends,
>
> The following may be of interest.
>
> Richard Askwith, former editor of The Independent Sunday Review writes in
a
> long article for The Independent Magazine, 4th September 1999 (Essay:
> "System Error" pp 27 - 30)
>
> QUOTE/
>
> Parliamentary democracy was invented in the days of the horse and cart,
and
> perfected during the steam age. In a world of ATMs and the Internet, isn't
> it time governments found new ways to let the people decide, asks Richard
> Askwith.
>
> (....)
>
> Every other sphere of human activity is now being turned upside down by
the
> Internet, what about politics?
>
> (...) I hurtle through a tunnel of links that takes me around the
connected
> world in around 80 minutes. My journey includes visits to the websites of
> such organisations as the US-based Teledemocracy Action News & Network,
the
> Swiss-based Campaign for Direct Democracy and the German based
> <A HREF="http://www.democracyforum.net">Dem@cracy Forum</A>. By the time I
> disconnect, feeling surfeited but strangely elated, a starlingly obvious
> conclusion has already penetrated my consciousness. The revolution has
> already begun.
>
> All over the Western world, "initiatives" am sprouting, giving
experimental
> substance to the idea of direct, electronic democracy.
>
> /UNQUOTE
>
> ATM = automated telling machine
>
> Sincerely,
> Michael Macpherson
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Dr. Michael Macpherson,
> PSAMRA/Integral Studies,
> Berlin FRG
> tel.: +49 30 262 3768
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> INTEGRAL STUDIES
> http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/index.html
>
> PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH PSAMRA
> http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/psamra.html
>
>
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