Just a few recent stories of efforts to exert more and more control over people...
First, the Internet. A lot of people think that the Internet is completely without boundaries, and that no one can prevent anyone from finding anything out there. That is simply not true. Everyone who connects to the Internet has to go through a gatekeeper called an 'Internet Service Provider'. The ISP is the company that controls the network equipment that allows your computer access to everyone else's through a flow of data.
That flow of data can be restricted and/or controlled.
There are a number of controls that could be put in place on the Internet. ISPs could be filter out websites or data that are considered 'objectionable'. Think it can't happen? Google and Yahoo have already agreed to let the Communist government of China filter out things they don't like (such as the Tiananmen Square massacre). AT&T, the U.S.'s largest ISP, is considering filtering copyrighted content, and Comcast, the second largest ISP, has already begun some filtering of peer-to-peer networks regardless of the legality of the content. There are lawsuits all over the place from free speech groups and scholars, so the battle is in full swing. But it doesn't stop at filtering content.
The aim is squarely at your pocketbook.
Time Warner Cable is experimenting with creating pricing tiers for customers based on how much they download. Power users would be required to pay more than light users. Does this structure sound familiar at all? You got it - taxes! The rich pay far more taxes than the poor, and this experiment is set up exactly the same way.
Speaking of taxes, I blogged last fall about Congress' move to address the moratorium on not taxing the Internet (i.e. sales tax on Internet purchases). Fortunately, they extended the moratorium, but it's not permanent. Trust me when I tell you that our wonderful politicians are salivating over the possibility of taxing Internet purchases. Amazon.com alone makes over $1 billion a year, and that's just ONE company. Can you imagine how much money tapping the vast purchasing landscape of the Internet would rake in? They'd love to put this tax on the Internet, and that would affect you directly.
But, it gets even more sinister. Microsoft is now working on a patent for software that actually watches you while you work at your computer, monitoring your performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure and sending the information straight to your management. If that doesn't chill your blood, I'm not sure what will!
It's not just technology, though. The liberal philosophy affects all aspects of life, seeking to consolidate control in an all-powerful government. Another case in point is that young girls (as young as 12) in the U.K. are being given the morning after pill without their parents' consent! The thought here is that the school (which is controlled by government) knows what's best for the child more so than the parents.
I am planning a blog at some future date about one of the founders of a very sneaky and powerful movement that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (as well as many other liberals today) follow. My point here is that the control is the key, and liberals believe there is never enough control. If there is any opposition, it has to be crushed. If there is any dissention, is has to be silenced. This may sound hard to believe, but just take a look at how these people operate. The evidence is there, for anyone willing to 'connect the dots'.
This is why conservatism is vital to the both the success and the survival of America - it seeks to distribute power to the people, where it cannot be abused. As a single person or a small select group of people gain more and more power, that power can be abused more and more easily, like a tyrant dictator or monarch. A conservative nation is a natural preventative for that kind of abuse.
That's why I keep chanting about this conflict between liberalism and conservatism. It is the quintessential question of the day.
There's my two cents.
2 comments:
TimeWarner Cable...Microsoft...AT&T
Last I checked, those were not politicians, governments, or liberals. What are they? Corporations...exactly the kind that can run roughshod over people's lives in the "free" market that is one of the backbones of conservative philosophy.
That's a great point - let me try to clarify a bit. They are corporations, but let's look at how they operate in the context of these particular situations. I think we can all agree that these huge corporations look very, very favorably on certain over-reaching government regulations, and are the source of a lot of lobbyist money (and we all love lobbyists, right?) in return. Put the two together and you have a recipe for problems.
I respectfully submit that you're mistaken about their liberal tendencies - Microsoft and TWC, in particular, are very liberal at the top, and the top is what determines the direction of the company. I can tell you from personal experience that phone companies and government are almost incestuous, too. Can we just say monopoly for the sake of profits (and taxes on those profits)...?
My concern here is that these developments open up a huge capacity to control people, especially if they are 'regulated' (think mandated) by the government. In fact, one could make the argument that control is really the only purpose they have. That's the problem I have with these things. We all know how government works - give it an inch, they'll take a thousand miles, and they'll never give it back. A perfect example of this is light bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs are a fine thing, and it's great that they're out there on the free market. They have a place right alongside incandescent light bulbs, utilizing the free market to drive down costs and increase efficiencies. But, then government came along and saw how they could control people, and have now passed a law that will restrict not only the lives of American citizens, but the very free market that provided both kinds of light bulbs in the first place.
A free market is one thing. These developments are another.
Hopefully that makes more sense. Thanks for your comment!
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