Internet Insanity

The internet is incredible. It supports good and evil - and everything in between.

In my opinion, television led the way to the current condition of the internet. It also went through a "test period".

I recall many years ago (1961)when the head of the FCC (Newton Minow) made his famous"vast wasteland" speech to America's broadcasters. It follows:


        
          "When television is good, nothing, not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers is better.

But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite each of you to sit down in front of your own television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland."

You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly commercials — many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you'll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it."^[

This statement was ridiculed in every boardroom that had an interest in profiteering from a captive audience. And the beat goes on. The internet is following the same path. Like TV - it is more profitable as a billboard and sales aid.