| A weird thing happened yesterday as I walked | | | | The man was visibly upset and said that the Internet |
| through my university campus. A young man | | | | was not a good place for people to exchange ideas |
| approached me from a political organization that | | | | and have conversations. I laughed and replied that |
| obviously was canvassing for new members. This is | | | | the Internet is very young and how could he judge it |
| nothing new as there are always people attacking | | | | so harshly in such a black and white manner? He |
| me for one cause or another. I am very interested in | | | | ironically sounded a little like the fascists that he |
| the ways in which life and human society works | | | | disliked so much when he retorted that no great |
| especially in the realm of spirituality and morality. | | | | ideas had ever come from people on the Internet, |
| However, I have to admit that I've never really | | | | and for that matter, a 'real' conversation between |
| gotten much out of politics, or economics which | | | | people had to be conducted face to face. Well, I |
| politics seems to be mainly focused on. For some | | | | could have mentioned that on the telephone you |
| reason I got into a conversation with this fellow and | | | | cannot 'see' anyone's face, but I thought I'd try to |
| the resulting experience affected me profoundly. | | | | explain my position on the matter a bit more |
| I don't know if his political group is relevant to this | | | | positively. |
| article but I will mention it is based around a U.S. | | | | I told him that the Internet was just a simple tool of |
| Democrat named Lyndon Larouche. The guy was | | | | communication that was bringing individuals closer |
| telling me in detail about how the present world | | | | together. You can see someone across the world |
| economy based around George Bush's American | | | | with a web cam whilst hearing his or her voice |
| system is destined for failure and causing much | | | | perfectly. I then mentioned that the Internet was |
| trouble in the world. This I agreed with | | | | doing exactly what he felt was necessary for society |
| wholeheartedly as I can't condone or imagine | | | | to flourish in the future; it is giving voice to individuals' |
| spending huge amounts of energy on killing people in | | | | ideas like never before in human history. The guy |
| a war as being a positive act. | | | | was then really starting to lose his cool and was |
| He also mentioned one of my favorite human rights | | | | getting quite upset. I then thought I'd mention the |
| activists: Martin Luther King Jr. The guy was saying | | | | idea that the Web was dissolving the concept of |
| that under current conditions the ruling fascist 'Empire' | | | | national borders as anyone could talk to anybody else |
| is suppressing individual thought and creativity and | | | | freely with the simple realization that all people are |
| that the masses of the world had become mindless | | | | the same. People are no longer forced to think of |
| cattle. He said that the key to evolving a new morally | | | | other nationalities as separate 'types' of people that |
| upstanding world society we will need individuals to | | | | one should steer away from. |
| once again think for themselves and change the | | | | By this time the guy had become very irate and said |
| current economic structures that control life on earth. | | | | vehemently that there is nothing wrong with having |
| He used a lot of big economic-type terminology so | | | | separate nations. He then contradicted himself and |
| some of what he said went over my head, but I | | | | agreed with me by saying that the 'Empire' only |
| generally took the guy to be a nice, intelligent person | | | | wanted to 'divide and conquer' and split countries into |
| who believed passionately about what he did. He | | | | even smaller entities that could then be taken over. I |
| gave the impression that people like King are the | | | | replied softly that that process inevitably produced |
| great transformers of beliefs in society, and that only | | | | more unnecessary borders between fellow humans. |
| truly awakened souls will be happy when they die. | | | | The main point that stuck with me after the |
| I try not to take myself or life on Earth too seriously | | | | conversation ended was the fact that it was the |
| as this has caused many problems for me in the past. | | | | mentioning of the Internet as a positive medium for |
| However, I do think that life and love are very | | | | communication and enlightenment that so severely |
| important ideas to focus on when one is growing | | | | upset the guy. I guess no matter how knowledgeable |
| spiritually. I decided to sign the group's list and get a | | | | about the world and sure of yourself that you are, if |
| little bit more information so as to really make up my | | | | there are things that you are still unaware of, or in |
| opinion about these matters that I know so little | | | | this case close-minded to because of some irrational |
| about (economics and politics). Here is where the | | | | fear; like a link that snaps in a chain, so will your |
| story goes strange. I wrote down my name and my | | | | peace and calm will be shattered by ignorance and |
| email address and the fellow asked if I'd put down | | | | anger. |
| my phone number as well. I said that as I am a | | | | Spirituality and morality can be discussed on many |
| writer I don't like being interrupted by the phone | | | | different mediums...Politics and economics must be |
| ringing and that I'd rather communicate via the | | | | the same. |
| Internet. This is when the trouble began. | | | | |