From: KN Iyer (kn_iyer@mantraonline.com)
Date: Fri Apr 20 2001 - 05:21:11 MDT
Internet is only the medium but the final arbiters of any situation is the
government and ultimately its people. I guess one good thing about having
such a high rate of diffusion of emotions is that it will normalize
faster than ever. Besides the net does allow people on either side to
explore the reasons for the other party's reactions.
One must understand that ideologies ( be it
capitalist/socialist/fundamentalist) in their extreme forms may have their
sparks but they will find it difficult sustain themselves in the face of
such a high rate of diffusion (or one can call it confusion too). And even
if they manage to light a fire the cross currents of contrary
opinions/views/perceptions (in that order) will test the belief systems very
ruthlessly be it the US, China or any other country.
I assume that 'national' borders here means the political lines drawn on the
map but cultural contigiuties have never allowed such attempts to succeed
and examples are numerous. It will be interesting to look at the net
providing this cultural contuguity that could solve a lot of problems for
all of us. The net is a boon to pacifists.
Krishnan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jimmy Wales" <jwales@aristotle.bomis.com>
To: <sl4@sysopmind.com>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: China-US cyberwar
> Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote:
> > They said the Internet would dissolve national borders.
> >
> > They said the Internet would transfer power from governments to
> > individuals.
> >
> > So now we have a situation where two populations that hate each other
can
> > declare war on each other directly.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean. Is there some reason to think that the
_populations_
> of China and the United States hate each other? Politicians hate and
start wars.
> Regular people just want to sit on the porch and watch their grandchildren
play.
>
> I don't think very many people in the United States hate the people of
China. I
> suppose some do, there are always a handful of racists around. But I
think most
> people in the United States hate (if they hate at all) the totalitarian
government
> of China.
>
> I don't know what the ordinary people of China feel about the people of
the United
> States. But if they hate us, I'm sure that the Internet can help to heal
that hate.
>
> --Jimbo
>
> --
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