Internet; ethical implications on global on information distribution (1 Viewer)

[HU-210]

A somewhat long title, but the subject sadly does not lend itself to a unified term. Now, I'm not one to condemn the internet on any basis, myself using it on a quite, as I perceive it, aware level of its advantages and disadvantages, I do wish to ask what other people feel about the ethical implications of the distribution of 'internet nodes', ergo the access points to internet.

These nodes do not only restrict itself to the western world, where the content is largely regulated, but also African nations. The poor people of this earth (speaking of material wealth) have access to the internet, and find their the material wealth with which we surround ourselves. Computer Games, music, videos, mp3-players, there is a huge community on the internet dealing with the capitalistic acquisition of wealth, and seeing how more websites seem to spring up everyday, and the familiarity of some (who doesn't know ebay/amazon?) it's difficult to believe that this is a passing trend.

Ergo, these poor people find themselves in a position with large access to the things we have, or what they perceive we have (myself I don't have a cellphone or mp3-player, and I perhaps naively presume I am not the only one). In any case, we have a large amount of people to whom we show, through electrical windows what we are having for Christmas. Our intervention has lead to their wanting a part of our wealth (which is not that hard to imagine), and it seems an irreversible act (we can't go into Africa guns-blazing removing the internet, can we?).

What do you feel about this 'issue'? After all, 'we' sustain the internet and this phenomenon by watching websites, watching adds companies pay for, and perhaps buying things over the internet.

Mr U

 

[128shot]

HUH?


What do you mean?

 

[HU-210]

With the internet, people of less wealth can become, and become jealous of us, envious of us and the things we have. Is that fair, for us to profess our materialism in front of people who have nothing?

Mr U

 

[128shot]

With the internet, people of less wealth can become, and become jealous of us, envious of us and the things we have. Is that fair, for us to profess our materialism in front of people who have nothing?

Mr U

yes, because they don't have to look.



Naturally, I don't see a real problem here.


then again I'm a capitalist...

 

[HU-210]

yes, because they don't have to look.

Hmm.. Myself I am too a capitalist, but I do believe that freedom comes with responsibility. Most certainly, western civilisation brought the internet to Africa, and we have given them the ability to watch, but not have. The only real possibility of accumulating wealth is to move to the western world. Do you than encourage such a trend?

Mr U

 

[128shot]

Hmm.. Myself I am too a capitalist, but I do believe that freedom comes with responsibility. Most certainly, western civilisation brought the internet to Africa, and we have given them the ability to watch, but not have. The only real possibility of accumulating wealth is to move to the western world. Do you than encourage such a trend?

Mr U

sure-We need more people, actually.


Infact I wouldn't mind all the mexican immigrants if they would just come here legally.

 

[HU-210]

Hmm.. Yet, do these mexican migrants achieve the status of wealth that they wish to accumulate. We are selective and aware of the 'relativity' of the commercials. We do not take them seriously. We know not everyone can afford that new mercedes S class. However, people on an international level are not aware of this, and receive unrealistic expectations from this.
Freedom, in my eyes, comes with responsibility, and I wonder how people deal with this responsibility, knowing that they are supporting a system that inspires large amounts of people false expectations, and as a result, unhappiness.

Mr U

 

[The Real McCoy]

I think, like all issues, it's a 2 sided coin. Naturally many who view our lifestyle over the internet become jealous or angry but at the same time, many become inspired and motivated to improve their conditions. I go to a community college and there's quite a few students who moved here directly from African countries. In my contemporary world issues class, I was paired up with a guy from Kenya for a project and he was telling me about how excited he was to be here in America... he was extremely difficult to understand though...

Personally, I believe that the pros far outweigh the cons of the internet.

 

[Kandahar]

Yes, of course.

If Africans are logging on to the internet and see how life is in America versus how it is in Africa, they might become jealous or angry. However, it can be a proactive jealousy or anger if they see how bad they have it and demand that their governments play nice, so that they too can one day achieve wealth.