the protective umbrella

Public discussion of social issues is the process leading to the formation of public opinion which directs the actions of government in a democratic society. Thus, the blogosphere has been often heralded as an important instrument of democracy, as it makes for direct, universal and instantaneous access of the citizenry to public discussion.

While this is generally true for both a Prot and a Cath democracy the end consequences are very different in each of such democracies. Since Cath people are for the most part unable of independent thinking their massive participation in a public discussion produces mostly noise, an immense amount of noise which not only adds nothing to the discussion, but actually subtracts from it, as the few opinions worth taking into account are totally submerged by noise.

Thus, public discussion in a Cath society, blogosphere included, is a sterile exercise that leads nowhere. After more than a year and a half of active participation in the blogosphere, my own estimate is that, among all bloggers and commentators, no more than 5% are able, or in the process of being able, of independent thinking. Needless to say, these tend to be rather unpopular people.

As for the other 95% they produce mostly noise - actually, multiple, factional noise - for they are usually affiliated with some faction or group in sociey and cannot think or act except under the guidance and the protective umbrella of the group.