I saw a recent interview with Elon Musk talking about the Starlink internet connectivity service using satellites. This is a great thing no doubt. But, is it all good? Probably not. Nothing is "All Good".
When the computer age came into full force for me was 1995. It seems very late doesn't it? However, it was Windows 95 that caused the major boom in personal computer sales worldwide, the advent of the cell phone, and all of the spin-offs from those amazing technologies revolutionized...everything. Now with artificial intelligence knocking on the door, we are about to enter an entirely new age for the civilization of the world, and nobody knows where it will lead...but one thing is for sure...we're gonna get there a lot faster than ever before.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It is both and for many reasons.
When I first got my PC back in 1995 I thought I would be able to get much better at promoting myself, staying in touch with people, and leveraging this new technology to make more money. The fact is, I could have, but I didn't, for whatever reason. In a way, I am still stuck in the same mode as I was in back in those early days. It doesn't matter what tools you have if you don't know how or don't use them the right way.
I use the computer as a glorified typewriter, a publishing platform, a place to organize my finances, to store information, and stay in touch with friends and family all over the world. So, I use them every day.
One area that Internet Connectivity makes possible is the spread of information. The problem with it is there is absolutely NO control over the content. Basically, the internet is the Wild West of truth and fact, meaning, you can't tell the good information from the bad. If ever the axiom "Don't believe everything you see or hear" it applies now in spades.
It isn't that I don't think the advantages of the internet far outweigh the dangers, I do, but it is the fact that so many people will believe in a guy hidden in his mother's basement spewing all kinds of ridiculousness before they will believe a scientist about facts long since proven true. It is true that you can get great information and educate yourself online, but it is also true that society tends to tilt towards the lowest common denominator because it is 'popular' and not out of any fact being 'proven'. People agree with what they know as a general rule and will resist anything that contradicts those beliefs to the point of calling it 'evil'. It isn't even a matter of being able to understand something new or higher level, they don't want to and you can't force them to. It's so stupid that I can't even...yet it persists.
The ability to communicate freely on the surface or deep below it makes it possible for groups to form around ideologies completely out of sight. It is so scary to think about.
So, even in this "Fairytale Cyberland" there are demons lurking at every turn far beyond my naive ability to imagine them.
Do I agree with "Freedom of Speech"? Yes, of course, I do, But I also feel that it implies speaking the truth and not lying about something or offering up alternative facts. With "Freedom of Speech" comes the commandment "Thou shalt not bear false witness." You can't have one without the other.
But, who is going to oversee all of that? Or do we just let BS go unchecked? I don't know, it seems rather dangerous to me.