The monthly Costco magazine, The Costco Connection, always has an “informed debate” page where a question is presented and the members’ “Yes” and “No” responses, with comments, are printed. It is more like an uninformed debate. Some of the comments are almost as entertaining as the feeble letters to the editor in my local county newspaper.
The February 2011 issue contains the following question: Does WikiLeaks serve the public interest? Not only is it a bad question to begin with (for its reference to the “public interest”), but the “No” responses are quite revealing. One comment, from Kimberly Nall Spieldenner from Victoria, Minnesota, states: “Secrets are necessary to protect. I don’t feel a need to know if it’s for my protection. I have to trust authority.” The faithful submission of the masses to the powers that enslave them really never surprises me. It’s just always good to remind others that the totalitarianism of the masses enables and endorses the totalitarian state.
The January 2011 issue has this question: Should Internet openness be ensured by regulation? Again, a poorly-phrased question (regulation does not ensure openness; it creates selective barriers), but here is one “Yes” comment that is worth repeating. From James Dunn of Liberty, Missouri: “We the people own the Internet. Its first use is to serve us, not make money for Internet content providers.” I wonder of Mr. Dunn (from Liberty, MO nonetheless!) has any concept whatsoever of private property and the risking of one’s capital for entrepreneurial purposes, or if he understands the basic notion of producing services/products for profit in order to sustain further investment in the business for continued and improved services that consumers desire to have?
Unfortunately, these people do represent your average non-thinking, American nitwit shaped by public school socialism and an unrelenting sense of entitlement that is inculcated and nurtured in American culture. Now — I don’t even want to think about an “informed debate” Walmart style…
