The Internet has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, again.
Last year, to the surprise and ridicule of many, the internet was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. It lost, however, to a Chinese human rights activist by the name of Liu Xiaobo.
Considering the impact that the internet has on the world today, it's no surprise that it has been nominated once again. This year the internet received 241 nominations which beat last year's 237.
So who exactly does the nominating? Members of international parliaments, previous winners, and political science professors submit nominations but the winners are determined by the Norwegian Nobel Committee's five member panel.
The internet has received nominations from notable groups such as the Russian human rights group Memorial, the European Union, WikiLeaks and African human rights activist Sima Samar.
Since the internet itself can't be narrowed down to a single person, this type of nomination could cause a bit of controversy. However, it is undeniable that some wonderful things have happened thanks to the internet this year.
Several weeks ago the world was taken by surprise as an Egyptian dictatorship was toppled by a social media revolution. Although the internet has its share of bad, it's hard to overlook the good that has come from the internet.
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize of 2011 will be announced later on in October and will also be given 10 million Swedish Crowns which is equivalent to $1.5 million dollars. So who will claim the prize if the internet wins?
Do you guys think the internet deserves to win? Let us know in the comments below.
Amazing isn't it? The pinaccle of human peacemaking is a weapon so terrible it can annihalate an entire country.
Si vis pacem, para bellum (If you wish for peace, prepare for war) - Vegetius
But back on topic, the internet is nothing. It is a soul-less compilation of machines (This is my PC. There are many like it, but this one is MINE!). By all philosophical means, "peace" is an interpretation of denying animal instinct. Survival, and all it entails, cannot exist without violance, direct or indirect. To quote Darwin "Adapt or die." To me the masure of a good person, a good life form is the tanacity to survive. Survival only comes from a passion for life, and machines can't do that.
By this logic, peace means death. Humans are concidered the only truly sentiant beings on this little rock, and we are the most efficient killers. So then what is peace? How can we reward anything with the capacity to live for peace? And before you answer, aren't martyrs looked down upon in western society?
Sorry, I'm in a preacy mood this evening. Didn't mean to offend anyone.
I understand your sentiments, but I feel they are based on the conception that people have no natural morals. I believe civilization would not have been able to survive in any amount of progression if there wasn't some inherent good in all of us. Peace is not merely living in competition with your instincts, rather it is living in harmony with them, and everything around you. Chaos is exactly what you are talking about. We live in an age where a tenacity for survival is becoming unneeded, rather a tenacity to progress perspectives, and understanding will allow one to truly excel and allow a peaceful productive overall happy existence. the world is not this dark brooding place where you have to constantly be ready to take some phantom opponent out. Getting back to the topic at hand, the internet may be merely a tool, but without it there are many positive things that could not be done. The internet receiving the Nobel Peace prize is more of a symbolic representation of the progress of people all over the world than giving a prize to a nonliving entity.
It's only limited by your imagination.
Oh yes, how amazing was that? A social media revolution indeed..no banking cartels behind it; no private, off-shore interests. No biased media coverage creating - as opposed to reporting - news. Yes, it's so hard to not recognise the perfect world in which we live, isn't it. I'm so glad the politicians and the corporations don't influence what we say and do on the Internet, and they they champion the American Constitution, the Bill of Rights..our freedoms, our right to political dissent. My God what a completely perfect world it is.
The Egyptian dictatorship wasn't toppled by a "media revolution." It was toppled by thousands of people willing to make a stand for something they believe in; giving anything but minimal credit to a bunch of bloggers and pundits is ridiculous.
Im pretty sure it had a lot more do to with who would have won if he didn't.. There are times when one side is just way to wrong to be pres that the other side just has to win.. Look at bush vs Dukakis. It just couldn't have turned out any other way.
Anyways i don't see the issue with this nomination put the money into something that can help people if the Internet wins.