Information

Philco Predicta 1950's

Every once in a good while there are just blank days.  The type of day where everything is turned inside out, not from anything horrific, just imbalanced. Whether it is from sleeping in too long, or a change of schedule from the usual flow, a seizure seems to strike.  Not a literal one, just an interruption of being able to connect one thought to the next.

The stream of consciousness that normally is omnipresent, that directs how each word is written, designates the rhythm, goes missing.  Perhaps this isn’t a bad thing.  If anything it creates a discomfort, which is always welcome from time to time.

Laying on the bed last night flipping through channels, we talked about the idea of choice.  The night before S had watched network television and was still reeling from the mind numbing experience it had been.  Five or six months ago we had picked up a Roku box, looking for an alternative to cable.  We understood that there were limitations, yet it was worth the tiny one time cost. What we discovered is that an astounding world of information and choice can be had each and everyday.  Stewart Brand was right, information wants to be free.

But what does that mean?  I think the obvious explanation is that despite some corporations best efforts, controlling content is a fruitless battle.  The ability to dictate what the public wants, when they want it, and in what format it maybe delivered in, is now officially dead.  Information wishes to be consumed, to be seen, not to be controlled.  Just as was discovered by the US government with the exposure of Wikileaks document dumps that brought to light all manner of chatter and gossip about entities and state heads the world over, the resounding result was a welcome public.  When we are lied to by our own government, we can either accept it or fight for the truth, no matter how painful or embarrassing the results maybe.

The more information that is available for individual selective consumption the better.

wbh