George Carlin just wouldn't be George Carlin.... you know?

The Internet has been a network of communication and connection for as long as humans have used it, and has brought people closer together. The Internet gives us the opportunity to access free limitless amounts of information instantly, and it is the act of "Net Neutrality" that lets us do this. The issue at hand is the fact that major cable and Internet providers want to end the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet are promoting this idea (Save the Internet), which would ultimately be ending net neutrality.

Net neutrality protects the consumer's right to use any equipment, content, application or service on a non-discriminatory basis without interference from the network provider (Save The Internet). The Internet providers simply want to destroy this foundation or basis so that they can ultimately decide which websites will be loaded at a high speed, low speed or no speed at all (not giving public access to certain sites). What websites like SaveTheInternet.com are trying to say is that the providers are instilling a certain discrimination into the Internet. They are trying to decide for themselves which websites are "important" or "worth" giving access too.

The fact that human beings actually came up with this ludicrous idea is straight up appalling. If you think about it, the Internet is really the only thing in our society that is completely free and uncontrolled (except in Communist countries, R.I.P. Chinese Net Neutrality). It almost seems as though some capitalist millionaire noticed this and said, "well would you look at this... nobody controls the Internet... well that's not acceptable. Alfred? See that the Internet is controlled". It's like plucking a flower that made it through a forest fire (too poetic...?).

It's simply glutinous to try and control the Internet, because there's absolutely no need to. It isn't as though someone started the Internet and made rules from Day 1. It has been a publicly shared network for as long as it has existed, and now someone wants to jump in and regulate things? Vannevar Bush should be rolling in his grave.

This is not even mentioning the gigantic shift that would occur in the business world. Imagine being a multi-million dollar company, or even someone like EBay, and you get a call from Verizon, "Hey there, just letting' you know you're not going to be able to have a website anymore... happy Thanksgiving." EBay without a website is like George Carlin without swearing or making fun of people... just a man with long hair and a microphone. The company would go bankrupt faster than you could think of their favourite curse word, and the job loss would be immense. It would create a massive obstacle in the business field that thousands of companies would have to work around.

It just doesn't make sense when you think about it; the mass histeria that would be caused just so popular Internet providers can control their internet? It just isn't worth it. How it makes sense to them is beyond comprehension, even if it does make them more money, they're people too and they use the same internet. I really don't think that this will happen, however if it does I truly long for the day when Mr. AT&T comes home to his slightly bigger house and slightly fuller toupe, and goes to try and find the video of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction and he realizes he can't... well that's hilarious, I don't care who you are, irony like that can't be beat.

Work Cited

Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture. New York: Penguin Books, 2004.

Save the Internet. “Net Neutrality”. Free Press Action Fund.15 Nov 2008.

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