Lynne Kiesling
The attention paid to the “net neutrality” debate is reaching a crescendo. In addition to the posts here over the past month and the links contained therein, see these sources:
- The Wikipedia entry on net neutrality; a commenter asked earlier for a general overview, and this one’s OK
- Greg Mankiw’s entry on the subject, including links to the Lessig-McChesney oped and Litan’s paper
- Hahn/Wallsten paper from AEI/Brookings Joint Center, which gives a nice overview and pays attention to the nuance and complexity of the issues.
- Kyle Dixon responds to the Lessig-McChesney oped at PFF
- Adriana’s overview of her vloggercon remarks; she also does a nice job of reflecting the complexity of the questions
- This Slashdot thread links to two CNN commentaries (one from Craig Newmark, one from Mike McCurry); I often find the Slashdotters’ comments on the subject to be a bit histrionic and not grounded in good analytical foundations, but there are some good ones peppered throughout this thread
- Tyler Cowen’s comments on the matter
Another resource to add to these sites is my coalition’s website,
http://www.handsofftheinternet.com
Thanks
“I often find the Slashdotters’ comments on the subject to be a bit histrionic”
You keep using that word (histrionic). I do not think it means what you think it means.
“and not grounded in good analytical foundations”
Oh. Interesting. Can I see the control theory model behind your preference to leave things to anti-trust regulation and tax policy so I can compare it to your control theory model of the net neutral plan?
From the Oxford English Dictionary:
histrionic
A. adj.
1. Of or belonging to stage-players, or to play-acting; theatrical; dramatic.
1759 DILWORTH Pope 91 The favourite passion of the histrionic tribe. 1774 WARTON Hist. Eng. Poetry lii. III. 285 In consequence of his love and his knowledge of the histrionick art, he taught the choristers over which he presided to act plays. 1867 Cornh. Mag. Jan. 31 He can also boast decent histrionic talents.
2. Theatrical in character or style, ‘stagey’; also fig. ‘acting a part’, hypocritical, deceitful.
1648 J. BEAUMONT Psyche xx. (R.), The crisp’d, perfum’d, belac’d, befooled Wights, Jetting in histrionick pride I saw. 1679 HOBBES Behemoth (1840) 363 The Presbyterian preachers..by a long practised histrionic faculty, preached up the rebellion powerfully. 1784 COWPER Task II. 563 Foppish airs And histrionic mumm’ry, that let down The pulpit to the level of the stage. 1889 Globe 7 Mar., Yesterday’s histrionic proceedings.
That is precisely what I meant. I could add melodramatic.
I uh, was making the point that a) you used histrionic twice in a day or so to describe positions you don’t agree with on net neutrality, and b) describing /.’s arguments or anyone’s arguments as histrionic is mainly a way to dismiss those arguments without having to discuss their propositions, logic, or actual experience in telecommunications. (You may wish to consult a new thesaurus.)
Frankly, I find you to be a “hysterical woman”, and I prefer the “rational” arguments of Brad DeLong, a “man” who understands the nature and “business” of economics.