Let's be realistic- the Internet- as Reiigion for example- is just a new Amplifier- makes smart people smarter and stupid ones\ more dumb. (informed people better informed, disinformed ones more and more confused). As almost always- the negative effect is much stronger than the positive one; I wrote many essays about this fundamental idea. Peter
On Sun, May 15, 2011 at 9:26 PM, OrionWorks - Steven Vincent Johnson < [email protected]> wrote: > Peter, > > <Sunday's Sermon> > > Following up on Mr. Beene's comment, I have often subscribed to a belief > that the development of the Internet may very well be ushering in the first > stages of a new sentient species that may soon dominate our planet within a > mere couple of thousand years, a species known as Homo Sapiens Goup-Mindus. > > When we think of experiencing or engaging in "group mind" activity Star > Trek's terrifying BORG civilization often comes to mind. Group mind > existence is often described as a horrifying condition particularly because > TV storylines, such as the BORG, are conveniently written in such a manner > that such a state-of-existence is constantly being forced upon us. > > I suspect our species worked very hard over many millions of years to > evolve > a state of consciousness that explores concepts such as separateness, of > individuality, and an acute awareness of our seeming temporal permanence as > perceived out in the external environment. We're not about to give up such > interesting perceptions, not without thinking long and hard about the > ramifications. Helping us sort out the ramifications a are few luddites > sprinkled here and there in every society, and that's probably a good > thing. > > Meanwhile, there are those who occasionally voice their suspicions (or > belief) that assuming we are separate temporal souls is a somewhat > contrived > concept. Sometimes we listen to their views and actually ponder the > ramifications. Typically however, we simply file such odd views away in our > sub consciousness. It would seem that most prefer to hurry back to playing > the separateness game. At other times we get annoyed with such > philosophical > perceptions and end up crucifying the perpetrators of such blasphemy. > > As for me, I've come to the personal conclusion that experiencing > consciousness in the form of existential separateness is both intriguing > and > terrifying. > > It's certainly an interesting game to play, perhaps over and over. > > If so, make sure you have plenty of quarters. ;-) > > </Sunday's Sermon> > > Regards, > Steven Vincent Johnson > www.OrionWorks.com > www.zazzle.com/orionworks > > -- Dr. Peter Gluck Cluj, Romania http://egooutpeters.blogspot.com
