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Notes -
Mostly this. It's the same schtick the MSM were doing all the way up to the invention of the Internet. Can't get angry about what you don't know. The annoying thing about it is that for a brief moment the Internet showed us what a truly free media landscape could look like, but this is why they had to clamp down.
I sometimes compare all this to some anecdote, quote, and perhaps even a completely made up story that never happened, where some bloke back in the day said that with the invention of the airplane all wars will end, because who will be able to stop people from travelling around the world, and realizing that humanity is one big happy family with no reason to fight each other outside of elite interests. I'd like to take that poor naive fool into the future and show him that not only is air travel possibly the worst option if you want to go somewhere without being harassed by authorities, but also what wonderful weapons of war do airplanes make! Then I wonder if every single media innovation didn't unfold this way. Cable? Plain old TV? Radio? Freakin' newspapers? Did they all go through the cycle of "woo! look at new thing! look at all the freedom" -> "tubes for pure unadulterated regime propaganda"? If so I only wish for AI optimists to stop and take a note.
Re: your second paragraph:
From the philosophical perspective, technology simply enhances humanity's capabilities, it's still up to us to actively choose to embrace liberty, honest communication, the pursuit of wisdom, and brotherhood among all men. I, for one, will not yet forsake that dream.
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Am I typical minding when I say that even without the way airplanes developed you mention, the effect should be precisely the opposite? I was all for liberalism and tolerance before the internet showed me female and black inner worlds, now I'm fully on board of the repeal the 13th and the 19th train.
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