Vox Populi & Governments

[David Honig]

At 09:09 AM 3/13/01 -0800, Ray Dillinger wrote:
>I had hoped that the internet would change the dynamics of the vox 
>populi, by allowing people unintermediated discussion with one another, 
>the space to develop ideas fully and learn that they were not alone in 
>holding particular ideas.  

 people who think differently are being 
>drowned out almost as effectively there as they are on television.  
>Censorship is running rampant, and tolerance is at about the lowest 
>ebb it's been in my lifetime.  The "mosaic culture" that the internet 
>was supposed to enable keeps having bits of it cut off

Bear, the net is letting people see who / what their neighbors really
are, and really are interested in.  Whenever you mix cultures
you find xenophobia and suppression of the minor cultures.  The internet
is merely stirring things up a little more.

That's my long-term optimistic take on what you write, which I agree with.