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Re: How Internet Is Ruining Representative Government (fwd)
On Sat, 12 Apr 1997, Joey Senat wrote:
> This is from a First Amendment list. Cokie Roberts, in a column, complains
> that the Internet will ruin representative democracy.
{ship}
>>To us it sounds like no more deliberation, no
>>more consideration of an issue over a long period of time, no more
>>balancing of regional and ethnic interests, no more protection of minority
>>views.
Ms. Roberts conceptual error is that she is thinking that being
part of the discussion means that you are part of the decision. Which
isn't surprising, she is - as Joey Senat pointed out - from a family that
has been involved in decisions in this country for a couple of
generations.
She also makes the mistake of assuming that just because people
are talking to each other that decisions will be quickly made. Maybe that
is how the Rich and Powerful live - but I'm much more familiar with
decisions-that-are-talked-about taking longer to make. (but are often
likely to be better descions.....and not uniquely benifit just a few
people.....)
cheers,
christopher
Christopher Gwyn
gwync@ruby.ils.unc.edu
5602 Lockridge Rd.
Durham NC 27705-8099 USA
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