[958] in Depressing_Thoughts
Open expression
dkk@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (dkk@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Mon Feb 19 21:45:26 1990
The most open forum I have ever seen was the "Gritch Book" at Random
Hall's front desk. People would write deep, 5-page essays on the
meaning of death, MIT and everything. Debates and arguments would
take place. People also drew pictures, wrote reviews of bands and
movies, and scrawled Random musings. That was all before The Dean's
Office got involved. The Dean's Office didn't like what it saw in
Random.
There was personal conflict. There was expression of individualism.
There was a non-conformist force that The Dean's Office didn't like.
They reacted by confiscating the collection of a couple of years of
Random Hall history. They banned the Gritch Boook. They told us we
were *not* *allowed* to keep writing materials in public areas (around
the house lounge). We were *banned* from communicating with each
other in a medium that resembles this forum, plus "graphics." What a
wonderful way to help students "find themselves."
"Excuse me Dean, I'm lost... Hey, why are you taking my map away!"
I accept that, any day now, Usenet and/or Internet access might go
away for any of thousands of users in the corporate world. It gives
me some comfort, though, that our "small community" will survive since
it is run by us (discuss, in particular).
If books were banned, there would be an uprising. What would happen
if computer networks were banned? From what I've heard from some
people at Berkeley during the earthquake, the most likely effect would
be severe depression and withdrawal... (sensory deprivation tank...)
