If Everyone's Talking, Who Will Listen? (enviro-nut says: tax internet-squash free speech)

Washington Post ^ | August 24, 2008 | Dusty Horwitt

[bamahead]

Everybody jokes about "TMI" these days: "Too much information," we say laughingly, when someone tells a story full of embarrassing detail about some personal foible or intimate relationship. But in our information-overloaded society, the concept of TMI is no joke. The information avalanche coming from all sides -- the Internet, PDAs, hundreds of television channels -- is burying us in extraneous data that prevent important facts and knowledge from reaching a broad audience.

Lawyers are familiar with this phenomenon. In fact, they use it to their advantage: They know that if you want to hide damaging information about a case, there's nothing like a document dump to do the trick. You make the facts freely available -- along with so much irrelevant data that no one will ever find them.

But the implications for our democracy are troubling. To achieve their goals, political movements need to reach and influence tens of millions of citizens. Despite conventional thinking that the Internet helps spread information, such reach is actually impossible online.

.............

This solution may sound radical and unlikely, but as an environmental analyst, I've spent long hours studying energy consumption.....It's possible that over time, an energy tax, by making some computers, Web sites, blogs and perhaps cable TV channels too costly to maintain, could reduce the supply of information. If Americans are finally giving up SUVs because of high oil prices, might we not eventually do the same with some information technologies that only seem to fragment our society, not unite it?

[bamahead]

You can only get so much from an excerpt, so here's an exec summary:

In a nutshell, this guy proposes enacting a huge tax on Computer and Internet technology, because he thinks such technology causes 'too much information' to be spread around to anybody that wants it, on demand.

Apparently he'd rather have Government and newspapers control the flow of information and use the punitive taxation powers of the state to make it cost prohibitive to maintain blogs, or sites like this one.

Here's the kicker:
A reduced supply of information technology might at least gradually cause us to gravitate toward community-centered media such as local newspapers instead of the hyper-individualistic outlets we have now.

HYPER-INDIVIDUALISTIC.

Inhale the collectivism...

[bamahead]

It's possible that over time, an energy tax, by making some computers, Web sites, blogs and perhaps cable TV channels too costly to maintain, could reduce the supply of information....
A reduced supply of information technology might at least gradually cause us to gravitate toward community-centered media such as local newspapers instead of the hyper-individualistic outlets we have now

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.

[bamahead]

tech ping

[KarlInOhio]

We could cut ourselves down to two newspapers. One named Truth and the other named News. Everything you would need to know would be published in those papers. If it isn't published, then you don't need to know it.

Of course, we will have to arrest and jail people who own things like copying machines or unauthorized short wave radios trying to tune in Rush Limbaugh's pirate broadcast from the Exile in Broadcasting network.

[ClearCase_guy]

Rapier-like wit. I like it!

[BigBobber]

Thanks for posting. This shows so well the leftist attitude about free speech and allowing the average citizen access to information or the ability to publish. They hate it and will stamp it out if they are able to.

Libs are not “well-meaning but misguided”. They are dangerous and must be kept from gaining power at all costs.

[bereanway]

It’s possible that over time, an energy tax, by making some computers, Web sites, blogs and perhaps cable TV channels too costly to maintain, could reduce the supply of information. If Americans are finally giving up SUVs because of high oil prices, might we not eventually do the same with some information technologies that only seem to fragment our society, not unite it?”

*****

Typical leftist, collectivist, totalitarian drivel. The common man is too stupid to handle this info overload so why not just let the intelligentsia decide what information the rubes in the hinterland are allowed. After all it will “unite” our society.

[hc87]

We could cut ourselves down to two newspapers. One named Truth and the other named News. Everything you would need to know would be published in those papers. If it isn't published, then you don't need to know it.

Brilliant! I had to check three times that I was reading the Washington Post and not The Onion.

[Nat Turner]

We could cut ourselves down to two newspapers. One named Truth and the other named News. Everything you would need to know would be published in those papers. If it isn't published, then you don't need to know it.
Of course, we will have to arrest and jail people who own things like copying machines or unauthorized short wave radios trying to tune in Rush Limbaugh's pirate broadcast from the Exile in Broadcasting network.

you mean like PRAVA and IZVESTIA? LOL

[RightWingTeen]

Taxes on internet will really hit the economy! I sell things on the net, but I don't collect taxes except for when my sales are in Maine. Do you what it would be like if I had to collect sales taxes in the other 49 (or is it 56?) states? I'd need a bookkeeper.

In some states there are local sales taxes, so I'd have to have to collect them. I would close my business, if they did that.

[griswold3]

Chomsky?

[pjd]

Typical leftist, collectivist, totalitarian drivel. The common man is too stupid to handle this info overload

Or, they are afraid that the people are NOT too stupid to handle this information.

[Brett66]

information technologies that only seem to fragment our society, not unite it?

Fine, as long as Rush Limbaugh designates which sites get the tax.

[KarlInOhio]

you mean like PRAVDA and IZVESTIA? LOL

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to recognize the names. :-)

[Nervous Tick]

>> Inhale the collectivism...

Check out the comments. Nearly everyone — right AND left — “gets it” and thinks this guy is an idiot.

His blather gets my dander up but his self-serving nonsense simply won’t get traction.

[bamahead]

His blather gets my dander up but his self-serving nonsense simply won’t get traction.

Not with the general populace....however, politicians who love control will eat this crap up.

[steve-b]

We could cut ourselves down to two newspapers. One named Truth and the other named News.

*snrk* The best part is that this dim bulb probably wouldn't get the insult (or, if he did, wouldn't know that it was an insult).

[longtermmemmory]

is this a SERIOUS article?

This is a dinosaur media desperation dream if not a joke.

shocking is not the word.

These “professional” reporters are threatened by amatures who do the job better.

[steve-b]

I had to check three times that I was reading the Washington Post and not The Onion.

But, then again, don't you pretty much always have that problem? LOL

[Nat Turner]

well 2.5 years of undergraduate Russian should not go to waste... Ochino horrowsho moiya tovarich !!