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submitted: Jun 6th 2008 | by: DanScott | Total views: 2 | Word Count: 949 | |

Lately, there has been much written about the forthcoming new independence enabled by the latest enhancements to Internet technology. There seems to be a certain breathless anticipation of a new (virtual) world where all information is free and immediately available. But, the idea of new technology creating new freedom is not new. Every significant technological breakthrough from the discovery of fire to integrated circuits is guaranteed to incite discussion and even expectation of new freedom. The light bulb banished the night; radio connected us all, village and continent; the automobile shrank the world, and the airplane practically miniaturized it. Mankind's constant drive towards understanding his environment has created an unending list of innovations, each in its own way changing the world.

From electricity to the Internet, there has always been a sense of hope that the next technological marvel would set us free. In the current example free usually means free from the requirement of working in cubicle mazes and making hours-long commutes through rush-hour traffic every morning and evening. It means the freedom to choose where you work on a daily basis and the freedom to live anywhere. As an example, I'm currently sitting in a coffee shop in Seattle working on this article as well as typing up notes for my real job and catching up on some emails. By the time I finish this article I will likely be submitting it from an airport in Phoenix. I am free to live wherever my wife and I feel is best for our family because I can do my job from wherever I happen to be at the time.

But, at what cost? Freedom is never free whether we're speaking of grand-scale freedoms like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness or small-scale freedoms like not having to go into the office today. By giving me the ability to connect to my coworkers and customers alike from wherever I happen to be, the Internet has afforded me greater independence but it has cost me my private time. Because there is the capability to always be connected wherever I go there is now the expectation that I am always available. The question is, is it worth giving up the distinction between when you are at work and when you aren't for greater latitude in how and where we do our work?

As you might expect, some say yes and some say no. Typically, the older you are the more likely you are to say "no". The younger people are more accustomed to the lack of privacy afforded by the Internet and often seem to revel in it in the extroverted sense of exhibitionism common to youth. Older people, more familiar with the darker aspects of the world and its government, look askance at a technology that asks them to give up any of their rights and especially their privacy.

The iGeneration is likely to have spent a significant fraction of their life on the Internet by the time they reach a point in the generational cycle where they are determining the political structure of the planet. The Internet will become such an integrated and accepted part of our culture that the distinction between what is "online" and what is "offline" will be mainly philosophical. Using the Internet to accomplish things once thought of as too sensitive in nature to be subjected to the potential scrutiny of the public will not only be accepted, it will be assumed.

It doesn't take too much imagination to see the Internet at some point in the not-too-distant future becoming the new ballot box. For the first time in the history of the world, true democracy on a large scale will be conceivable. But, what seems at first glance to be a desirable goal may in reality turn out to have the opposite of its intended outcome. Politics could easily become an exercise in mass marketing using emotional appeal and catchy sound bites to sway a majority of the population on subjects that are technically difficult, often to the point of obscurity. Politicians and their staffs will become adept at manipulating the message since they know the audience will often be uninformed on the topic at hand or not have the background to properly understand it. In addition, since they are only carrying out the "will of the people" the can always absolve themselves of any blame whenever things don't work out.

Not that I'm against democratically elected government. I think history clearly shows the most effective form of government is one that represents the needs of the people and acts in their behalf and the surest way to achieve that kind of government is by democratic election. But, to extrapolate that idea to include every political decision in the voting process may take things too far. All government officials will quickly learn the lesson to always leave "sticky" questions up to the people. Anything that could possibly go astray would be dealt with by proxy allowing them to take credit when things go right and when things go wrong it is simply "the will of the people". Just imagine what a large corporation would be like if all business decisions had to be made by popular vote.

We are quickly approaching a day when the Internet will provide the means to create the first true, large-scale democracy. We may live to see a demonstration of a real government "of the people" where everyone has a say in everything. But, at what price?

About the Author

Dan Scott is a Computer Scientist with over 25 years of accomplishments designing, building, and supporting computers and information systems. Make sure you check out his web hosting analyses covering the top affordable web hosting providers. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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