[governance] Cerfing the Web, or Serfing the Web? (Understanding Google's Internet Evangelism against Internet Access Rights)

[Paul Lehto]

On Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 8:30 AM, McTim <dogwallah at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Unfortunately, as I see it, Vinton Cerf is leveraging and thus
> bastardizing
> > his status as a "Founding Father" of the Internet in service to Google's
> > bid to dominate future cyberspace as its own fiefdom and Lordly domain.
>
> oh ffs, seriously?
>
>
> That was precisely my reaction on reading Vint Cerf's New York Times op-ed
on January 4, 2012.  "Oh, FFS, seriously???" (additional emphatic
punctuation added) For any who don't know that abbreviation (and I only
learned it not too long ago, innocent that I am) FFS stands for an emphatic
exclamation of disbelief using a meaningless intensive (aka a swear word)
as its middle word, which meaningless intensive is otherwise known in some
circles as the F-Bomb.

McTim, I seriously do realize the sense in which my language above can,
especially out of context, seem over the top.  Yet, as you know, the
"founding father" of the Internet name and such are all long-standing
pre-existing rhetoric adopted by Mr. Cerf and his fans.

It is of course up to each person to determine if they wish to allow me the
poetic license to extend the monikers to "Lordly domain", but I can "see
it":   Google surveys its operating system "Creation" for internet
existence, and finds that it to be Good, All Good.  Google preaches that we
may all live more abundantly through the Words of Google.  It sends forth a
chief evangelist named Vint Cerf, who is called a Father or Founding Father
of the Internet.  etc etc etc

Now that Google is expressly preaching that they believe we all want Google
to "tell us what to do next" it is not too much of a stretch, IMO, to go
from "evangelist" of the Internet to Lords of the Internet.  (If you're
still saying "Oh, FFS" then please apportion the blame for over the top
rhetoric between Google and myself as you deem fair and just, and I'll
accept that allocation.  ;)   )


-- 
Paul R Lehto, J.D.
P.O. Box 1
Ishpeming, MI  49849
lehto.paul at gmail.com
906-204-4026 (cell)
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