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GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST - Does internet contribute to eliminating borders between countries and cultures? What role does it play in your life?
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- Michael August 10, 2008, 04:49
- I honestly am amazed at the internet and it's usefulness.
I am 16 and the internet has allowed me to learn and become more cultured. I have steadied many things about europe,russia,history,religion and has allowed me to meet kids,adults from all around the world.
It is interesting also how available data is and information.
I had found a lost sister I had never got to meet from our real mother because of the internet and now we talk offen.
I am also able to listen to new from other countries such as russia where the media is less corrupt and bias where american media hardly tells the truth and tries to hide things behind their own opinions.
CNN news is currently saying russia invaded georgia when georgia was the one who started it.
So I thank the internet for allowing people to come out of their shell and most likely find the truth if they really seek it.
- K August 9, 2008, 22:15
- Wow, just read Dmitry Medvedev’s G8 interview I’ve got to say I’m pretty take a back it was probably some of the most forward thinking and economic rational pieces I’ve heard, well, since Putin I guess.
I’m sure you have all read it but in there is talk of combating corruption with competition etc, from an economic standpoint really refreshing and dynamic of course everyone is judged in history I guess on actions not words but, I really find it amazing there is a real gulf of perceptions from these words and what is being portrayed by other media outlets.
basically why are people so down on Russia in the west media? are they even reading these speeches?
this is really forward thinking stuff here.
- Laureen July 28, 2008, 05:45
- The Internet is a wonderful communicator which will change the lives of our children and grandchildren into the future and hopefully better communication will lead to a better world.
There is a great new site for those who want to find all kinds of jobs at sea. Check it out... SaltwaterJobs.com
A great way to travel and be paid for it too!
- Rita July 24, 2008, 11:10
- I use internet 10 years. The internet especially open the world and give possibility to communicate.I think the satellit also, because there you can see other people 's life and thinking, which is increase your knowledge.
- davincispb July 6, 2008, 20:15
- The internet made it possible for me to finally visit Russia. For years I had read all the great writers but was sceptical of going there until I met some people online and decided I wanted to see the country for myself.
Once I got to Saint-Petersburg I felt like I was home. I have been to Europe many times and lived for awhile in Paris, but nothing can compare to walking through the area where Dostoevsky wrote Crime and Punishment and being immersed in what I once considered an alien culture.
Thanks to this experience I have begun learning the Russian language and plan to visit Vladivostok. If more Americans would open their eyes and minds instead of being mindless sheep following our ignorant leaders to the edge of the cliff, the entire world would be a better place.
I now get my news exclusively from Russian and European news outlets. Even though they are sometimes slanted in their coverage, especially Russian news regarding the Georgia/Abkhazia conflict (I believe the US is backing these problems on the side of Georgia), the news is still more relevant to me than the garbage being fed to American viewers of CNN and FOX news.
- ROBERT (U.S.) June 20, 2008, 09:50
- The Internet is a great tool to communicate with other countries to reinforce that we are all the same. For examples. I don't like to gossip its not my nature but what the heck. Some new neighbors move across the street and the first thing my mother said look our new neighbor is a walking art gallery.I agree the guy had tatooes all over his. body. His son just came back from iraq and wheres a belt that says (one nut)on the back. We are still trying to figure out what that mean. Is he crazy or what. The mother told me today that she went to the doctor to find out her test results and the doctor asked her do you want to hear the good news first or the bad new. She said the good new first of course. So the doctor said the test result finds that your going to die in 30 days. So she asked if thats the good news what the heck is the bad news. The doctor replys we got the test result a month ago.
- Homer June 2, 2008, 07:57
- I enjoy your report program about the nomad and Buddhist Russia Nation recently... Did never know much Russia keep such good program...
- Steve May 31, 2008, 21:44
- Our culture is alive and well, thank you very much.
While I do agree that the internet poses some very real problems..especially for children...I feel that the advantages far outweigh the negatives. In the US, like many other nations, ISP's come with parental control features. This allows the parents to decide which content their child may view. As one who is generally opposed to big government taking over the responsibility of parents, the idea of an internationa Big Brother approach is frightning.
Democracy Sceptic April 13, 2008, 13:59
I wish to add to my earlier post and additionally deal with other comments made since. I agree that a state’s regime can, and does set out to influence its citizen’s perception of other nations to parallel its own current policy within that sphere of influence. Similarly, privately owned television/ radio broadcasters can be used to reflect its owners preferred path of reporting and analysis.
So far, the advantage of the internet is that it is independent of any particular government / vested interest influence. That is demonstrated by the diverse and sometimes bizarre postings from all ages, cultures, religions, politics etc. I believe that the internet is still in its infancy in global terms and still has much growing to do. Countries like India, China and others will come on stream in huge numbers in the coming years. North American and western European youth are the forerunners of internet use, their culture (or should I say non culture) for good or evil is well established.
I believe that internet abuse has a unique ability to pollute vulnerable people’s minds and I’m concerned that if it is unchecked, many countries not wishing to have its citizens exposed to it will use this as an excuse to intercept huge swathes of internet content. That is why I feel we need an international organisation like UN to have a multi-national panel of internet content classification (not censorship). The classification process would require internet content to be readily identifiable. Headings and sub headings i.e. Music – Arabesque- European Classical- Hip hop – Shawm etc. Another classification would be: Politics – Current - Anarchy -Democracy -Dictatorship- Parliamentarian etc. Website owners would have greater legal responsibilities for the way that they administer their sites.
This would enable users to find their area of interest more readily and would identify those regimes that had chosen to block certain classifications of internet content nationally. Multi-lingual software could be developed to stop interactive “chat” input, for example ensuring “Sexual – Explicit” content couldn’t be input into “Children’s Friendship” content. Parents could also use this system readily to block their children from viewing selected content. I’m sure that the advance of computer technology coupled with international cooperation could achieve this objective.
Unfortunately the huge cost of this would have to be borne by the internet users, but the actual cost would diminish as more and more users came online. If this is not done, I have no doubt that many countries/ regimes will eventually introduce their own controls that will very from mild to fanatical.
- keith May 28, 2008, 22:39
- why does russia and europe have this eternal debate,we are the same peoples and have much to share,it seems to me that just when we are getting together something comes along and spooks the whole thing.when i was in the ukraine the russians there seemed to have the same sympathys as me,so put politics to one side and move closer,zdarovia !
- DaniYah May 16, 2008, 07:38
- Breaking down CIA polonium dirty bomb lies, for instance?
- Sevodnya_Net May 9, 2008, 12:01
- I wonder if the posting of links to ones blog is the cyberspace equivalent of getting the holiday photos out (!!)
The great thing about the internet however, is that, from the safety of ones computer many miles away, one can safely decline the offer without embarrassment.
All good stuff, but how any of this contributes to the breaking down of barriers defeats me :-)
- Russ May 5, 2008, 16:49
- The internet, like most tools, has the potential of becoming an instrument for the common good, but it is just as much at risk of being taken over by big-money interests and misused in their relentless greed-driven pursuit of personal power and profit. I think that the internet's chances of becoming one of the most important tools in promoting true democracy and enlightenment are pretty good as things stand right now. But this is by no means assured in the future.
So a system of internet content classification as a means of general orientation proposed by Sceptic would be a very good thing. But I'm sceptical about having the UN run such a system, because the UN - like the World Bank, the IMF etc. - is controlled by the USA and its corporate elite. And the world has seen since the neocon takeover in the 1970s, and especially in the past 7 years, how far the US has veered off course in just about every respect. Sadly, people like Jake are still in the minority in that country, so there is little hope for progress breaking out there anytime soon.
So perhaps the classification system should be subject to a democratic international control system along the lines of the Wikipedia, with the classifiers gradually building up their reputation based on wisdom and good judgement and themselves being subject to continual public scrutiny.
- DaniYah April 27, 2008, 06:54
- Skeptic-
It would be insane for the same people who make the world media content that is already so despised by the majority to be involved in any such "classification" of Internet content.
The fist time you made a comment on this topic, your perspective seemed to be made via a broken time machine. You said that the Internet "will", I quote again "will" corrupt the minds of young people. What century were you coming from then? Hasn't the Internet already corrupted the minds of young and old alike, removing senses of innocence and respect? or is it that you haven't seen enough of the corruption to be satisfied, yet want to block out the rubbish fighters?
Anyone reading your proposal could feel a bit grossed out.
And I have a proposal for you: create your own intra-net, where you and your friends can practice whatever understanding of morality that you consider proper, under the "classifications" you deem fit.
The rest of the world will do fine to shred the existing garbage propaganda that the CIA worked so hard to make appear eternal.
- Jake April 23, 2008, 20:31
- ...well, the internet at least has enabled me to read these comments from people on the other side of the world, for what that's worth.. Bottom line is that we are all human beings with similar strengths and weaknesses and dreams...As I watch the planetary problems arising regarding food and energy and resource depletion,etc etc- I see that we had better stop this nationalism and bickering and start to solve some of our common Human problems...As an American who lives simply and conscientously, I am troubled by the corruption within my own government and the abuses of corporations, yet I know that the average person anywhere in the world just wants to have a decent life-so the political and business leaders do not necessarily represent Them. Seems to me that it is human nature to wait until a crisis is upon us before initiating real change, so maybe the rising cost of oil is finally forcing everyone to examine their own waste and greed and find more sustainable choices. ..that is, if we don't all start wars with one another because we were too shortsighted to plan ahead....tough questions...just be assured that not all Americans are gluttonous pigs nor do many agree with the politicians..It merely seems that bickering and self interest have crippled cooperation and innovation-which is why this election is so critical for the future.
- Democracy Sceptic April 13, 2008, 13:59
- I wish to add to my earlier post and additionally deal with other comments made since. I agree that a state’s regime can, and does set out to influence its citizen’s perception of other nations to parallel its own current policy within that sphere of influence. Similarly, privately owned television/ radio broadcasters can be used to reflect its owners preferred path of reporting and analysis.
So far, the advantage of the internet is that it is independent of any particular government / vested interest influence. That is demonstrated by the diverse and sometimes bizarre postings from all ages, cultures, religions, politics etc. I believe that the internet is still in its infancy in global terms and still has much growing to do. Countries like India, China and others will come on stream in huge numbers in the coming years. North American and western European youth are the forerunners of internet use, their culture (or should I say non culture) for good or evil is well established.
I believe that internet abuse has a unique ability to pollute vulnerable people’s minds and I’m concerned that if it is unchecked, many countries not wishing to have its citizens exposed to it will use this as an excuse to intercept huge swathes of internet content. That is why I feel we need an international organisation like UN to have a multi-national panel of internet content classification (not censorship). The classification process would require internet content to be readily identifiable. Headings and sub headings i.e. Music – Arabesque- European Classical- Hip hop – Shawm etc. Another classification would be: Politics – Current - Anarchy -Democracy -Dictatorship- Parliamentarian etc. Website owners would have greater legal responsibilities for the way that they administer their sites.
This would enable users to find their area of interest more readily and would identify those regimes that had chosen to block certain classifications of internet content nationally. Multi-lingual software could be developed to stop interactive “chat” input, for example ensuring “Sexual – Explicit” content couldn’t be input into “Children’s Friendship” content. Parents could also use this system readily to block their children from viewing selected content. I’m sure that the advance of computer technology coupled with international cooperation could achieve this objective.
Unfortunately the huge cost of this would have to be borne by the internet users, but the actual cost would diminish as more and more users came online. If this is not done, I have no doubt that many countries/ regimes will eventually introduce their own controls that will very from mild to fanatical.
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