Nationalism, Humanity, Tsunamis, and the United States of America
So one of the social-news websites I frequent has been plagued with posts of ignorant Facebook status updates that people have been posting since the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of days ago.
Calling such posts “ignorant” is an understatement. Posts, like the one posted above, are outright xenophobic and how a complete disregard for humanity. Many (seemingly American due to their justifications) are saying that the tsunami is payback for the bombing of Pearl Harbour; ignoring the fact that the events of Pearl Harbour took place 70 years ago (an entire generation) the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan killing over 150,000 people.
I embolden the word “people” because those posting comments like the one pictured above seem to not comprehend this. I watched a movie (not by choice) called ‘Babies’ a few days ago. While the movie would have been just as effective as a 20 minute Youtube-feature, it showcased something more effectively than I’d seen before in a film. While there are cultural differences throughout the world, the movie showed that all children start out the same and that it’s afterwards that they begin conforming to cultural norms. Whether this be mannerisms or religion, these are picked up as a person grows, but initially, ignoring class and location, the film highlights that everyone is the same.
Alas, despite the fact that we’re all people, some seem to not mind if thousands of humans on a small island in the Pacific are wiped out, or if children die in a bombing half way around the world, or if men, women and children are being slaughtered by their government. While I am not saying that the world should necessarily unite in mourning after every major disaster, no person should actively be wishing horrific catastrophes to harm their fellow species.
Much of this lack of empathy seems to come from blind-Nationalistic tendencies. The belief that because you live in the boundaries of a certain political institution’s jurisdiction that you’re better than those who live under another’s is completely ridiculous. The belief that one specific country is a “God-blessed nation”, and that all others are in-effect inferior is not only naive but delusional. This nationalistic propaganda only serves those in power to unite those they rule over, and create further divisions between those who live in one political jurisdiction from another.
It’s quite sad how there exists in the world individuals who feel that their fellow man is of a lesser worth than himself due to another’s colour, culture, or ethnicity. For we are one people, not necessarily under a single god or creed, but united under the banner of common humanity.
Maybe a day is yet to come when all of Earth’s people will realize this.
!950s vs. 2011: Some things never change.
The youth of the Arab world, until yesterday considered a “demographic bomb” waiting to explode in religious militancy and Islamo-fascism, is suddenly revealed to be a demographic gift, providing precisely the vigour and imagination that for generations the people of the region have been told they lacked. They have wired - or more precisely today, unwired - themselves for democracy, creating virtual and real public spheres were people from across the political, economic and social spectrum are coming together in common purpose. Meanwhile, in the US it seems young people are chained to their iPods, iPhones and social media, which has anesthetised and depoliticised them in inverse proportion to its liberating effect on their cohorts across the ocean.
Indeed, the majority of young people today are so focused on satisfying their immediate economic needs and interests that they are largely incapable of thinking or acting collectively or proactively. Like frogs being slowly boiled alive, they are adjusting to each new setback - a tuition increase, here, lower job prospects there - desperately hoping to get a competitive edge in a system that is increasingly stacked against them.
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Bell and the CRTC
What overturning the CRTC’s “Metered Internet” decision will mean for us
The Conservative government addressed growing public concern yesterday over a recent CRTC ruling on Usage Based Billing, (a metered internet).
For those who don’t know, UBB would mean that consumers are monitored on their bandwidth (web usage) and are charged extra money if they go over their “cap” (anywhere between $1 to $5).
Like watching Youtube videos? Well, that’s going to end up costing you. Enjoy keeping in touch with loved ones over Skype? You’d better have deep pockets as all that web usage can add up quickly. Bandwidth caps as low as 25gb per month mean that users will be much more stringent at adopting new websites and services into their daily routine.
A recent CRTC ruling (Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission) allowed for wholesale internet providers like Bell to essentially force independent internet providers like Teksavvy to implement a similar metered internet scheme. Teksavvy and other providers who rely on Bell’s network to serve their customers said that this decision limited the ability of these companies to differentiate themselves from the service provided by Bell.
Now the Conservatives are looking to overturn the CRTC decision forcing independent ISPs to implement this UBB scheme. They’ve overruled the commission before, and judging by talks with the media, look eager to do it again. Unfortunately, simply overruling the decision will not be enough to affect many Canadians who have limited choices.
Even if overruled, Bell, Rogers, and other internet giants are still able to serve UBB schemes to the public. While economically, one would think that competition from companies like Teksavvy would force them to abandon such measures, the companies are often the only service provider available in many communities or there is only one alternative. Those customers who are concerned over UBB in provinces like Ontario will likely go elsewhere, but Bell will continue such practices if it is advantageous to do so due to a lack of competition in other provinces such as New Brunswick.
If we want UBB practices to be defeat across the country, we cannot rely on the oligopoly of Shaw-Bell-and Rogers to simply shrug their shoulders and remove the caps. We need a CRTC ruling wholly against such practices, or an amendment to the Telecommunications Act declaring it outright illegal, (preferably the latter).
New Years Resolution: Soda
Starting January 1, I will not drink soda carbonated beverages for at least two months, continuing on a more casual basis afterwards, i.e. Occasional use while out and no purchasing 2L bottles.
I’ve never had a big problem with soda intake, but over the past few months its definitely increased for me to a point where I feel its necessary to stop it completely.
Time for more milk!
U.S. Government begins censoring the global Internet: Is Wikileaks next?
PSA: The U.S. Government has begun censoring the internet for all citizens around the globe, regardless of nationality.
The U.S. government has seized the domain names of 70 websites after complaints had been filed against them. The government went to ICANN, the body that is essentially in charge of the oversight of global domain names. This means anything with a “.X”, they are in charge of managing. What is scary is that ICANN is in charge of the globe’s ISPs, meaning that because the U.S. government used the organization to seize those websites, the U.S. government is effectively censoring the internet for all users across the glove.
To be fair, the websites that were seized by the U.S. government were of an illegal nature due to copyright infringement. Alas, Wikileaks could be considered of similar stature as leaking government documents is certainly not legal. Also, not all nations necessarily recognize copyrights held in the U.S., so censoring the globe is rather extreme.
This is a scary move for all who use the internet, as now the U.S. government has set a precedent of being willing to censor the internet for all countries.
First they came for the torrent websites…
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