Once again, I am sitting here thinking through the facets presented this
week and feel compelled to come out of the shadows to express my
previously unexpressed thanks to the thought provoking postings of so
many of you. The most recent postings from Craig are much appreciated by
me - I am now mulling over the contents of Netfuture in terms of how does
this relate to me as an individual and as a mother; how does this relate
to my work, my community and those who live in rural Renfrew County and
to society in general.  I have chosen to live in sparsely propulated and
under-resourced area, where opportunities for intense philosophical and
ethical debate are perforce limited, let alone access to the "net". This
list and the insights of so many offer me a quick daily "fix" that is
accessible (at work only, as there is no local internet service available
to my home phone exchange).  As someone who is still teaching herself how
to use this New Techno stuff, I especially appreciate pointers to other
web sites.

The questions are complex - is the potential for "good" or "harm" to
humanity more significant due to the exponential growth and unstoppable
quality of this growth?  Is it that nothing is all good or bad, but
rather potentially either and usually both at the same time? How do we
work to emphasise the positive aspects - for me it in how we live our
lives as individuals, demonstrating commitment to the common good in our
decisions - whether that means how we choose to consume goods (where are
they made, under what social conditions, what are the environmental
practises of the corporation selling,...) how we treat those with whom we
interact, how we raise our children, how we choose to engage ourselves in
political processes; or how we contribute positively to our
communities...

I appreciate the potential benefits - the idea of a worldwide community
where the need for war diminishes (and xenophobia disappears as we
experience our common ground on the earth) and concern for the
environment grows as information and connectivity enhances our links with
one another.

At the same time, having long been a scifi reader I dread the thought of
world where "slivers" are "imbedded" so integrally into our lives that
there is no individual freedom, where freedom of thought is impossible
and all is controlled by one state/corporation. Although I haven't read
it for years, I remember being profoundly affected, as a teenager, by
John Brunner's "Stand on Zanzibar". When I start to think of having no
choice but to be "hooked up" I feel Ludditism coming on...

Well as is pretty apparent I am still processing...once again thanks!


Joanne King, Community Resource Centre, Killaloe   [log in to unmask]