Sender: •••@••.•••
I agree with Kurt that no single authority should dictate content of
the Internet and that no one entity should set prices. The Internet,
although I don't understand every aspect of it, seems to be most
threatened by big conglomerates setting prices too high for access by
all to be feasible. If there are just a few big players controlling
access through pricing, and they can price as they please, the only
way to control them that has been found (that I am aware of) is
government regulation (although boycotts have been known to work in
times past, but don't see that happening here). This is
simpleeconomics. It seems we are in the middle, slammed between that
rock and a hard place: multi-conglomerates and government. The only
choice we seem to have is to choose which one we will serve.
The only thing that speaks to big business is money. The only thing that
speaks to government is a large block of voters. This is simplistic, but
true.
I have always been suspicious of capitalism because it is fueled by
greed; I I am less against government regulation, but can see that it
can get out of control, also. I guess that we are stuck in the
human condition, having to trust that there is an intrinsic good in
all of us. In light of my experience, of who to trust, and I do that
out of my own experience, listening to others,ice and most of all
trusting my gut. This is why, if I follow any one philosophy, it is
that of personal empowerment, while recognizing personal limitations.
My gut tells me that I trust government more than big business. I
could be wrong.
Thanks for listening.
Connie Page
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Sender: "Dorothy K. Dean" <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Capitalism & Monopolies
> Sender: •••@••.••• (Kurt Guntheroth)
>
> Subject: capitalism and the internet
>
> "Free market" capitalism has the same advantage as the internet; distributed
> control. Nobody makes central decisions about load or content on the
> internet. Nobody makes central decisions about price in the market.
----good stuff cut about how government interferes with free market and
that's bad----
Huh? Have you ever heard of monopolies? Like THE PHONE COMPANY before
the government required that it decentralize. I could name many other
examples. You are also assuming complete portablity of goods and
services. While that _may_ be true on the internet, it is certainly not
true in the real world. That's why a tomato in Alaska costs many times
what it does in Georgia at the same time of the year in both places.
Monopolies _do_ exist and there are examples of industries approaching
monpoly status. Just look at what is happening with daily newspapers.
The number is dropping like a rock and more and more are owned by large
companies based in another city. Or look at the book publishing business
. . .
We better guard what we have on the internet with vigor.
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Sender: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: PFF Agenda [cr-95/9/4]
On Thu, 14 Sep 1995, Cyber Rights wrote:
> Sender: •••@••.••• (Kurt Guntheroth)
>
> Subject: capitalism and the internet
>
> "Free market" capitalism has the same advantage as the internet; distributed
> control. Nobody makes central decisions about load or content on the
> internet. Nobody makes central decisions about price in the market.
There is no such thing as "free market" capitalim except in the story
boards of the propaganda that pumps up support for that BIG LIE. What we
have is monopoly capitalism, the current scourge of the world now
destroying everything in its range.
Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <•••@••.•••>
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Posted by -- Andrew Oram -- •••@••.••• -- Cambridge, Mass., USA
Moderator: CYBER-RIGHTS (CPSR)
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