Mallette Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Since the trhead is meandering, a comment back on the social media driven new world order. I see plenty of ciricumstantial evidence that the historic tides have changed and a paradigm shift in power is, in fact, underway and driven by new networks that are difficult if not impossible for der Fuehrer to control. Note there are no "fearless leaders" in any of the current uprisings. That's been the scary part for the US and everyone else. No single voice to figure out who's a good witch and who's a bad witch. In Egypt, the UN ambassador (forget his name...Hassan ben Sober?) tried to take control and was ignored. In Libya, the people were caught up short as when they wound up with most of the country they had no plans for governance. Similar in Tunisia. The more I look at it, the more I see a new dawn of real people power driven by real time person to person communications. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Cell systems and the internet are self-healing systems. When I was stationed near the Mekong during the Viet war their were TWO phone lines to the US in the whole country that were non-military. Today, that area is as much a part of the web as anywhere. Kill a few nodes and the traffic simply goes around. IF you manage to throttle all the hard lines and radio, you then still have to track down every satellite link and peer to peer. Yes, it's concievable that govs may have some temporary success in dealing with this...though they've been singularly ineffective so far and it's cost several of them their existence. However, I don't think the people are in a mood to turn back the clock. People who never had any information except from the propaganda ministry are feeding from the fire hose of free information and the effects are clear. You see effective attempts to control the situation, and I see frantic attempts to turn back the clock. It's too late. I don't think it's too much to expect a more direct democracy coming in the next few decades as politicians learn that ignoring the will of the people isn't a good idea, and that "I didn't know how you felt..." isn't going to cut it anymore. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 I'm not sure I understand that sentence Dave. Is it true or not, that we've had our phones tapped for what....9 years now, without the slightest pushback from the citizenry whatsover? "Our" phones? I think you could run a hammer and sickle up in your front yard and I still don't think they'd tap your line, Mark. I don't think people are up in arms because, while I don't think much of getting felt up at the airport, I rather doubt the NSA is listening in on private phone calls just for grins and to build up a case against TEA Party rabble rousers and such. Yezzir, probably effectively tapping some .0000000001% of traffic. While I can be slightly paranoid on occasion, the NSA tapping my line is something I am not overly concerned about. I certainly hope there are lines they are tapping. If not, we need to make some changes. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Mark, the few times in my life that federal wiretaps have surfaced that even SMELLED like they were about what you are saying...Nixon comes to mind...holy hell broke loose. I am fully aware that there are Lords and Ladies running things, but even they have their limits. And their time is passing. It will take a while, but real "res publica" will prevail. You disagree, but I see a constant improvement over the past 2500 years and, "I have to admit it's getting better..." Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 "I have to admit it's getting better..." "A little better all the time..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hey Dave, I think you and I must be following different news and events. Well, how even a skeptic can view the wave of people power sweeping the Arab world and spilling over even to China without a bit of warm fuzzy is beyond me. However, in general, you are correct. In all of your commentary in these pages you tend to look at things "in the moment." My view is from a couple of millenia. Even if I come down to a couple of centuries I rather doubt the average citizen would vote for a return to 1850 or so even if paid. I'm rather certain a large segment of Americans wouldn't. Actually, even a few decades. Really doensn't seem that long since my mom refused to let me drink the "colored" water. I was rather disappointed... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.