14 September 2005

This is Me 2 Years Ago

In regards to my previous post, this writer expresses some extremely idealistic views about the internet and its power to challenge bureaucracies. One difference is, the linked author has better writing skills, but I presume that's obvious.
This partisan practice of waging malicious and unprincipled disinformation campaigns is so far beyond bad journalism that it resembles mental illness more than it resembles rational political discourse. Although we must exercise extreme caution before characterizing the behavior of any political group as pathological, there are situations in which such a characterization is sadly accurate. In this particular instance, there is a well-documented pathology, complete with classic psychological manifestations like the idealization of self, the demonization of others, the gross distortion and outright denial of factual realities, and the projection of one's own unacknowledged motives and behaviors onto others.
Me c. 2003 says, right on! But the blogger network has proven more a bureaucratic intranet (i.e., a tool for transmitting memos and corporate mission statements, or career assignments) than a tool for dissent.

1 Comments:

At 12:52 PM, October 14, 2005, Blogger Dr. Taoist said...

Thanks, jrm, for quoting and discussing my article on your blog! Today, I posted links to your article and to your blog in a comment on my original article on my blog.

I really do believe that the Internet can be used effectively to challenge bureaucracies, expose leadership failures, and hold governments accountable. I realize that my blog, The Way of Peace, won't accomplishing all this single handedly.

I view my blog as a clearinghouse for more extensive resources, such as progressive online media and political action groups with a highly visible online presence. My blog is merely a sign on the highway pointing to the important work so many others are already doing. I'm just directing traffic and hoping to speed people on their way! :-)

 

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