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The Military The Internet

Beware the Internet 314

frost_knight writes "Washington Post opinion writer Robert J. Samuelson writes 'If I could, I would repeal the Internet. It is the technological marvel of the age, but it is not — as most people imagine — a symbol of progress. Just the opposite. We would be better off without it.' It is his belief that the dangers of the Internet outweigh its benefits." The reason? Cyberwarfare of course.
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Beware the Internet

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  • by discord5 ( 798235 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @05:20AM (#44163251)

    If I could, I would try to convince the Romans of the past to stop building roads. The reason for this is that I've discovered that since the advent of roads, there has been such a phenomenon as road-side bandits, highway robberies, and even standing armies using this newly found infrastructure to lay siege to our vast empire.

    Ever since the Romans came along and deprecated our glorious and superior dirt infrastructure, we've been carelessly hooking up critical systems to this "road"-system: tax-collection, food transportation, even up to the point where we are now moving cattle over these infernal cobblestones instead of using the much safer glorious dirt infrastructure. We've hooked up entire towns, cities, even castles and palaces to this infrastructure we can barely contain and are surprised when those of malicious intent use it to our disadvantage.

    Back in the good old days of our vastly superiour dirt infrastructure we had no such troubles with malcontents, criminals and foreign armies. It was a pleasant land of peasants toiling about in our magnificent dirt.

    In conclusion, the Roman empire was a detriment to all of society. While seemingly introducing a convenient mode of transportation, and making all of our society dependant on our infrastucture, they clearly have introduced this concept with the intent of ending civilization as we know it. I therefor call out to you, citizens, fellow countrymen: Tear down these "roads" that threaten us all! Go back to rolling around in our glorious dirt, and burn down anything even remotely Roman (even if it contains water, such as aquaducts, don't even get me started on those).

  • by mythix ( 2589549 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @05:23AM (#44163269)

    I which he got his way, then I wouldn't be able to read his stupid opinion...

  • by RogueyWon ( 735973 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @05:25AM (#44163277) Journal

    Having read TFA, I am forced to conclude that if I could, I would repeal the printing press.

    See, the printing press gave rise to mass publishing. Mass publishing gave rise to newspapers. Which in turn led to the Washington Post. Which in turn led to the ability of somebody as atrociously stupid as Robert J. Samuelson to find a mass audience for his idiocy.

    Or is that not going far enough. If we're going to be truly safe, do we need to repeal writing?

  • by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @05:25AM (#44163279)
    uid 50431 calling people old... lol
  • by geirlk ( 171706 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @06:21AM (#44163485)

    In all truthiness, what's socialists got to do with tinfoil hats? It's the right wing teabaggers that wears tinfoil hats.

    Socialists wear organic copper threaded wool hats.

  • by K. S. Kyosuke ( 729550 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @07:09AM (#44163609)

    After all, as post-modernists tell us, there really is no "truth" anyway, it's whatever you choose to believe anyway.

    A long time ago, I've chosen to believe that post-modernists are a figment of my imagination.

  • by c ( 8461 ) <beauregardcp@gmail.com> on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @07:13AM (#44163621)

    Otherwise, you're trying to figure out how to make the real world more like the Internet (minus goatse, natch).

    I was under the impression that it's the TSA's mandate to make the real world more like goatse, but otherwise I agree with your point.

  • by IndustrialComplex ( 975015 ) on Tuesday July 02, 2013 @09:04AM (#44164353)

    Last I checked my biology text book, the Internet was not one of the requirements for life.

    Last I checked my biology text book, it gave me a one time code and directed me to the publisher's website. Unfortunately, the code was used so I can't confirm your claim.

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