[ExI] Wired: The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society IsComing Online

[Stathis Papaioannou]

2009/5/28 spike <spike66 at att.net>:

> Thanks Emlyn, this is an extremely good article, very thought provoking,
> affirming and dynamic optimism producing.  This online dot communism is one
> in which we are all voluntarily contributing the fruits of our brains'
> labors, and everything is in the ideal form of communism: where
> participation is completely voluntary.  It's too bad the matter world hasn't
> anything equivalent.  A commune isn't equivalent, for outside raiders may
> come in and remove the fruits of the collective labor.  Cuba isn't
> equivalent, because the participants are not free to leave.

There's no reason intrinsic to communism why the participants have to
be forced. The practical reason is that after a while, the citizens
are unhappy with the system, and would tend to change it if allowed.
But those charged with minding the system have a vision of its
goodness and ultimate perfection, and therefore feel they have to
protect it from the evil and the foolish. The same happens with right
wing regimes who see citizens' inclination to change the system to
make it more socialist as evil or foolish, and therefore have to be
suppressed or eliminated.

I guess one difference online is that no-one is in a position of real
power over anyone else.


-- 
Stathis Papaioannou