You want peace, Hippies? Go online!
Barrack O. has been president of the United States for almost a year, yet still he didn't solve all of our large-scale problems: there's still hunger, illnesses, wars and injustice – maybe he can't do it that fast. I guess that grave change will not occur until 2012 (no, not the end of the world, but the next US presidential elections). The team of Wired Italy takes a different approach in terms of “who” to believe in: the fundamental changes driven by the internet are far more severe than those triggered by a single person, even if usually referred to as the most powerful man in the world. So Wired Italy proposes that the internet per se should receive the next Peace Nobel Prize.
Mario Portanova of Wired Italy told me about the campaign tomorrow morning. For more details, take a look at the official website internetforpeace.org. At first glance, I found the idea rather weird, but after reading (and agreeing with) the short and concise manifesto, I think this definitely makes sense:
We have finally realized that the Internet is much more than a network of computers. It is an endless web of people.
Men and women from every corner of the globe are connecting to one another, thanks to the biggest social interface ever known to humanity. Digital culture has laid the foundations for a new kind of society.And this society is advancing dialogue, debate and consensus through communication. Because democracy has always flourished where there is openness, acceptance, discussion and participation. And contact with others has always been the most effective antidote against hatred and conflict.
That's why the Internet is a tool for peace.
Internet for Peace manifesto
That's why anyone who uses it can sow the seeds of non-violence.And that's why the next Nobel Peace Prize should go to the Net.
A Nobel for each and every one of us.
If you agree with the above, please help us spread the manifesto – I guess buttons and banners will be available soon (like I mentioned, ifp launched today). For now, you can download this jpeg to express your support:
And do we also all get the money of the prize? And wasn’t – for example – the “Iran Election” just a misinterpretation by western mainstream media? Isn’t the Internet not also the favourite medium vor terrorists and right wing extremists?
Sorry, either this idea is just a bold viral campaign for wirded italy or it sucks – or both?
Of course the net can be used for good or evil… BUT: the advantages outweigh the problems by far I think.
Plus: I’m not generally against viral campaigns and I do like Wired (even though I don’t know the Italian version).