The latest WikiLeaks

[Chris]

[Blake]

I was thinking in light of this that the internet really changes things completely when it comes to politics. Before governments could see themselves as stand-alone self serving entities that answered to no one. While that, of course, is never completely true the mindset rings truer the more powerful the empire is. In that sense, the internet functions in a way like God. Governments don't want to be held accountable for their actions, communications and attitudes, but the internet is capable of reporting all. As we see with the wikileaks case, it only takes a single individual with some moderate access to uncover the methods and attitudes of the foreign policy of the world's greatest superpower. The internet can force a level of accountability political theorists and entities have not ever counted upon in the history of civilization. What would happen if this became a trend among other governments? What if random disgruntled employees around the world started showing the hands of their governments to the best of their ability? How does that change international politics to be able to see in the "minds" of the people you're engaging with?

In some sense, I hope this makes the idea of virtue and integrity more important in politics. Maybe as people realize more and more the power of the internet to influence the decisions of politicians and nations we'll see a moral revolution in the conduct of political relationships. When citizens are able to go to websites and develop friendships with perfect strangers on chat rooms, youtube, facebook, and bulletin boards at some point their governments have to take into consideration these connections being made. I'm not sure nuclear war is possible in the Internet age. This may be the second Babel.

[Chris]

[Jim]

B: I was thinking in light of this that the internet really changes things completely when it comes to politics. Before governments could see themselves as stand-alone self serving entities that answered to no one.

J: Is that why we never have elections?

B: While that, of course, is never completely true the mindset rings truer the more powerful the empire is.

J: If you’re referring to the U.S., name a few of the colonies other than military bases or elements that choose to be under the U.S. umbrella, like Puerta Rico.

B: In that sense, the internet functions in a way like God. Governments don't want to be held accountable for their actions, communications and attitudes, but the internet is capable of reporting all.

J: Strange analogy! God didn’t want to be held accountable for the misery of his creation, so he didn’t send Christ to make it right. Is that it? Think a long time before you decide that the Internet should report ALL. Should the enemies of this country through the Internet know precisely at all times where every U.S. soldier, missile submarine, fighter-jet, naval ship, operatives of the CIA, FBI, DEA, NSA, missile facilities, and all other protective devices are?

B: As we see with the wikileaks case, it only takes a single individual with some moderate access to uncover the methods and attitudes of the foreign policy of the world's greatest superpower. The internet can force a level of accountability political theorists and entities have not ever counted upon in the history of civilization.

J: No! It only takes a traitor and his kind of warped mind. Hopefully, this will be corrected. The gossip of diplomats is virtually meaningless, especially in view of the fact that most of the world hates this country anyway (Obamessiah’s apologies notwithstanding) and among the back-channels of the other countries there probably are malicious references to this country that would make us all shiver. The tragedy perpetrated by this jackass lies in the fact that he may have endangered lives and that’s something for which he should be held strictly accountable, as well as all those fellow traitors who helped him. The wikileaks guru is busy fighting rape and sexual molestation charges in Sweden now, where he has servers, but nobody can find him.

B: What would happen if this became a trend among other governments? What if random disgruntled employees around the world started showing the hands of their governments to the best of their ability? How does that change international politics to be able to see in the "minds" of the people you're engaging with?

J: I don’t know if you’re church connected, but if you are, would you favor those disgruntled folks around your church stabbing you or your members in the back “to the best of their ability,” exposing your “mind” for all to see?

B: In some sense, I hope this makes the idea of virtue and integrity more important in politics. Maybe as people realize more and more the power of the internet to influence the decisions of politicians and nations we'll see a moral revolution in the conduct of political relationships.

J: You’ll see a revolution but it won’t be moral. Virtue and integrity are just as non-existent on the Internet, if not more so, as in government. Think manmade climate-change. It’s been all over the Internet for years even though it’s a total fraud.

B: When citizens are able to go to websites and develop friendships with perfect strangers on chat rooms, youtube, facebook, and bulletin boards at some point their governments have to take into consideration these connections being made. I'm not sure nuclear war is possible in the Internet age. This may be the second Babel.

J: I don’t do youtube, facebook or twitter, although this may be a chat-room. I don’t know if it is but friendships with never-seen perfect (or imperfect) strangers…egad! The papers are full of the immoral revolution of these entities. One thing is certain…nuclear war is possible in any age from now on and you can take that to the bank. The Internet would be more likely to cause it than not. Speaking of Babel, would that be twitter or facebook?

[KeithE]

[Blake]

[Jim]

[Blake]

Jim, what I ACTUALLY think is that based on your posts you have serious idolatry issues in your life when it comes to your politics and your country.

[Jim]

[ET]

While there may be some benefit toward more accountability, I believe it will be more than offset by an almost certain lack of discretion and general carelessness of the leakers and will lead to just as many problems.

Will the leakers have any accountability if their actions lead to some crumbling of an international agreement or cause some loss of life because they released documents while hiding behind a claim of "'transparency" and were totally clueless about the implications of their actions? I doubt it.

[KeithE]

[ET]

[KeithE]

[ET]