Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 17:24:40 PDT From: "mycal's fc email account" Subject: my rant about netgod Warning messy rant follows... With all this talk about netgods and stuff I felt it was time to toss my 2 bytes in. Warning this is a major rant and probibly doesn't make any sense. What is a netgod? Before I answer that question I want to tell you that there is no such thing as a netgod. But evereyone has the ability to be looked at as a netgod. One persons netgod is not anothers. Just like there are many religions, there are many way one could be considered a netgod. Maybe a netgod will be a keeper of information, only to be passed out to his followers... Naa that couldn't happen if information wants to be free. Maybe a netgod will be the net censor, a powerfull entity that can sensor all 3000 newsgroups and mailing lists at one time. Maybe just a guy that everyone thinks is way cool and looks up to. Who knows? Who cares? ahawks, sterling, leary and others are way cool, but gods? Naaa I don't think so. You can worship them if you want, but not I. They are but spoaksmen for the alternative, people that may influance the future. But the question is will we need gods in the future? Is human evolution and knowledge is approacing the point where gods are not necessary? Some people of the world need somthing, so god will continue to exist, but for how long? Will they evolve to the point (if there is a point) where they can beleive in the human race (and theirselves). People don't want to look to people or deep inside for help, they want to look to some higher power. They know how flawed they are. How can they rely on another like theirselvs? To me this is an ancient way of thinking. As humans evolve they learn more and more about the universe, this threaten those who beleve in a god, and those that derive power from god. The result is suppression, oppression and well you know the rest. This has been seen in history, and may happen again soon. Sure this great connectivity gives an advantage, but look around at the general public, not the inet community. At least I have found that they have radically different views. Of course all the better reason for cafe' net and introducing the "Internet mind virus" to as many people as possible. ... To me the whole idea of connectivity on a mass scale and the shareing of information makes us all gods, or maybe it just levels out the playing field. Just like Bill Murrey in ground hogs day. "I'm a god, not thee god, but a god..." because he had information that no one else had. Maybe thats why things like "loompanics", "full disclosure", and parts of the inet are gaining the attention of the gooberment. ... And what about the people on FC, who are they? Are thy just a bunch of people talking about the future and the fringe. Are they people that have experimented and are done, or experimentors experimenting and bouncing ideas. Well my mind is way to messy to sort anything else coherant so I'll stop. Got way to much work to do. I'm a 'suit' but I were shorts 'cause I can get away with it. :') mycal