What’s the most useful tool since the invention of the wheel? Some may argue differently but most will likely say it’s the Internet. In the early 2000’s a famous and revered person made a speech in which he said the essence of the internet is that it provides an almost unending flood of information, much of which passes in a moment. In a culture that feeds on the short-lived, there is a risk that it is facts that matter rather than values. The internet offers extensive knowledge, but it does not teach values. And when values are disregarded our very humanity is demeaned, and humans easily lose sight of their transcendent dignity. Despite its enormous potential for good, some of the degrading and damaging ways in which the internet can be used are already obvious to all, and public authorities surely have a responsibility to guarantee that this marvelous instrument serves the common good and does not become a source for harm. Those words were spoken by the late Pope John Paul II. I wonder what he would say today after watching the evolution of the internet during the last 15 years?

That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois