I know I'm an opinionated person, as are most people here. I also know that everyone has opinions whether they express them or not. People should speak up and let themselves be heard without reservation, without the fear of being publicly criticized, with conviction and solidarity. Not everybody feels this way about themselves and that's why we never see them post in this forum. That's quite alright in my book because this forum is not the only outlet for opinions of political nature.
But my fear is that not everyone uses those other outlets, not everyone participates in Democracy. I'm haunted by this quote from John Perry Barlow posted by JackSpratts:
Quote:
TV in America created the most coherent reality distortion field that I’ve ever seen. Therein is the problem: People who vote watch TV, and they are hallucinating like a sonofabitch. Basically, what we have in this country is government by hallucinating mob.
It’s a perfect set of circumstances to give us the time Yeats foretold, with the best having lost all conviction and the worst full of passionate intensity.
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His implication is that those of us who don't share in that hallucination because we spend more time online are also the least likely to vote. And I'm sorry to say that I'm guilty, I didn't register to vote until just recently. I havn't participated in my local community like I should. There are important things going on in the world that people just don't pay attention to, and apathy can be very dangerous.
This is my plea, that every American of voting age who reads this message should register and vote. This is something you have to go out of your way to do, you have to make a consious effort to be a participant. That doesn't mean it's difficult, just that it's an extra step you have to take. Registering is the simplest part, it's a wonder people don't do it more often. But voting actually takes some thought. Do your homework and study the ballot before you fill it out because this is where your opinions matter the most.
I'd like to prove Mr. Barlow worng on just this one point, because I know that those who do post their opinions here are intelligent and passionate people, whether I agree with them or not. I'd rather have Napsterites govern my way of life than a bunch of mindless TV viewers. I'd like to know that people who actually think things through and seek the truth are at the polling places taking a part in Democracy. The discourse that takes place on this forum needs to be brought out into the open.
To those who are active members of the Napsterites Underground I ask that you also become active members of your local communities. And to those who are not active members of NU I ask that you find some place to speak out and do so. To all of us I ask that we register as a community and vote as individual citizens.