Comment by jcgrillo

The Microsoft antitrust case, DMCA, and other conversations in government and the media at the time (in particular the notion that video game violence was somehow poisoning the minds of the youths) made a strong impression on me as an 11-13yo interested in computers. And that impression was that people in government and the press have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to technology. And broadly speaking, with some exceptions, it's still the case now. I don't know what it will take for people to start demanding they educate themselves--whether it'll be a gradual tipping point or some abrupt catalyst--but something must give way because the way this is headed won't work.

In high school I was really interested in the antiwar and civil rights movements of the 1960s. Bush invaded Iraq during the spring semester of my freshman year. There were marches and protests, but it didn't really change anything. I remember being really interested in trying to understand why. In any case, none of that got anywhere near the intensity of '68 which is a shame. If it had it might have made a difference.