I have said before that there is something deeply personal about the blogosphere, it allows communication which is both public and intimate. This post, from the first US soldier to die in Iraq this year, written in anticipation of his death can only have a profound impact, whether you agree with his opinions or not. My thanks to Dave for the link.
It speaks to the voice social computing provides to those who might otherwise be voiceless.
Comments (2)
Assuming of course, that they have access to the internet, which, currently 85% of the world's population does not have. So we are hearing the voices of a scant 15%.
I can't remember all the details, but there was once a US election in which a poll indicated that party A would take by some margin. Party B took it by a significant margin. It turned out that the poll was taken by telephone at a time when they were not commonplace and the majority were owned by those who voted for party A.
I worry, as we collect in our virtual circles and talk about the future, that we are in danger of making the same mistake.
Posted by Karyn Romeis | January 6, 2008 12:58 AM
Posted on January 6, 2008 00:58
Dave,
Thank you very much for the link. Less the discussion on who we see and know on the web, I think this brings home as well as anything the price being paid, mostly anonymously. Papers that print photos and names of those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan are criticized for politicizing the deaths (which may or may not be the case). Our President has yet to greet a single casket or attend a single funeral of any of the 1,000s who have died. We don't even hear of those who have died if we don't look for them intentionally. My position on the war has been made clear on this blog, but I also served in the US Army and find this situation to be a true disgrace. This is a sad way to treat people who are, to a very great degree, good and decent people. Truly sad.
Wayne
Posted by Wayne Zandbergen | January 7, 2008 4:57 AM
Posted on January 7, 2008 04:57