September 1, 2006

Common Sense

In the good old days a couple bicycle mechanics could invent the aeroplane. Today, sometimes it seems you've got to be a cog in a bigger machine in order to do anything, but that really isn't the case, and it's especially not true when it comes to intellectual sensibilities. We can thank the technology of the internet for dramatically widening our lateral experiences, and making possible the dissemination of critical, original contributions from people at all levels of the vertical hierarchy. Jennifer Van Bergen, a journalist with a law degree, writes frequently on civil liberties, human rights, and international law from her obscure corner of Florida. To me, she's a hero, and I'm sure a lot of other people feel the same way. This one is a bit more of an informal ramble than most, so kick your shoes off, relax, and enjoy. Total runtime of about an hour and twenty six minutes.