The rapid onset of technology is something that
the ruling classes are still grappling to come to
terms with. Obama advisor and geopolitical theorist,
Zibignew Brezinski said,
“For the first time, we are dealing with the political
awakening of humanity”.
Indeed, he is right. The internet has enabled more
people than ever before to educate and politicise
themselves, over and above what has been served
to them by the un-enquiring and self-censoring
corporate media. The bungled attempts by the
Obama Administration to arrest this political
awakening in a Chinese-style regulation of the
internet (under the pretense of protection of
intellectual property) by means of the proposed
SOPA ( Stop Online Piracy Act) & ACTA (AntiCounterfeiting Trade Act) legislation represented the
first attempts by a Western power to exercise control
over cyberspace.
A particular irony about recent global developments
is that, as democracy has being systematically
attacked, curtailed and suppressed in traditionally
democratic Western societies, the Arab Spring meant
that democracy finally blossomed throughout the
Middle East and North Africa with revolutions
against political dictators.
The massive displays of people-power in Tahrir
Square inspired the Occupy movement in the West
which railed against political corruption, the banking
system and a new breed of capitalism that had lost
all conscience. Scenes of police cracking heads of
peaceful protestors became widespread. Coupled
with those emanating from Greece and its austeritycrippled populace, one viewing these unfolding
events could be forgiven for thinking that Western
society hangs in the balance between liberty and
democracy on the one hand and tyranny on the other.
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