Published on 12, July, 2020
Was the world better without it?
I love the 'information superhighway' as it was once known for information and connection.
I grew up having to walk to libraries (using microfiche or books) or read newspapers and magazines if I could afford them, for my information, especially current affairs.
TV was sometimes available but the limited channels gave a narrower bias than these days.
I was dependent on 'experts' like doctors for diagnoses (or the occasional book written by these 'experts').
A lot of walking around shops to be done too (which of course the internet is killing).
There was also the option to ask people questions and try to sift their sometimes dubious replies.
However, it facilitates crimes to a rather horrendous level.
It also isolates people and childhood appears to have drastically changed because of it.
What do others think?
It's a tough say. I think as a society we weren't mature enough for the internet when it arrived. But it coming the way it did, and it staying such an untamed frontier for as long as it had, allowed young generations to become more familiar with it than the ones that created it. Now the rising youth can be made more aware than ever of the faults with society that the rest of us were kept ignorant to.
We're just... still very immature about what we do with it all. Many more concerned with covering everything in bubble wrap, publicly shaming differences or opinion, or worst of all, bringing about the passing of legislation that gives the government the power to censor the people. I really believe the control freaks and workaholics among those working in politics can hardly believe their luck at how eager many of us have been to beg them to silence us.
Can you provide some real world examples of people being silenced please?