Write Observation by telling us about whether you think that the Internet is good for democracy. Keep in mind what Socrates says about the ability of the common people to really know what they are talking about.
Consider the Pros: everyone can speak up; people can argue with each other; everyone’s opinion can be heard, and argued against; popular opinion can form quickly on some urgent topic of the day.
Consider the Cons: people with the worst character can be the “loudest” on the internet; people can be manipulative, for their own benefit; even intelligent people can get swarmed and “refuted” by many ignorant people; emotions, not reason, spreads through the internet the fastest; popular opinion shifts quickly from day to day and month to month.
So tell us: Do you feel optimistic that democracy is helped by the Internet? If so, tell us why, despite the obvious problems. If you are not optimistic, tell us about the specific features of the Internet that hurt democracy.
