Birds of a feather
[ by Charles Cameron — in this case, Trump / Clinton ]
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Friend of a friend or two Corey Robin on FaceBook — as quoted by Michael Degerald — pointed up an illuminating DoubleQuote between Trump and Clinton, which I’ve dropped into my usual graphical format:
Whatever diagnosis you might be inclined to make of one of these two persons on the basis of their quote, perhaps you’d like to consider affixing it to the other one likewise..
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It’s that old liberty / security paradox, chestnut, koan or trade-off again, isnh’t it?
December 14th, 2015 at 4:52 pm
It seems to be a trend
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/07/opinion/eric-schmidt-on-how-to-build-a-better-web.html?_r=1
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“As with all great advances in technology, expanded Web access has also brought with it some serious challenges, like threats to free speech, qualms about surveillance and fears of online terrorist activity. For all the good people can do with new tools and new inventions, there are always some who will seek to do harm. Ever since there’s been fire, there’s been arson.”
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I’m typically supportive of medieval levels of justice for anyone advocating terrorism, but here’s where I start to wonder about the details:
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“It’s all too easy to use the Internet exclusively to connect with like-minded people rather than seek out perspectives that we wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. This sort of tribalism masks the need for common values and strong leadership. Societies are built one value, and one bargain, at a time. And it’s important we use that connectivity to promote the values that bring out the best in people.”
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I’m not sure about his society, but mine isn’t built brick after brick but it’s a constantly shifting system of values with the whole greater than the sum of the parts. If Eric Schmidt wakes up every morning and separates the good virtues his users can share and bargain that day from the bad vices they’re forbidden from using, we’re not going to end up with any kind of society but a vassalage of sheep that will be even more likely to get slaughtered.
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All this tough talk about suppressing free speech is all well and good, but it’s an exercise in the best way to stuff the genie back into the bottle. Kind of like repealing the 2nd amendment, it sidelines the best weapons against granular threats, the other users in the sand pile.