A reader points me to a story in Wired.
The prevalence of gun crimes in Chicago is due in large part to a fragmentation of the gangs on its streets: There are now an estimated 70,000 members in the city, spread out among a mind-boggling 850 cliques, with many of these groupings formed around a couple of street corners or a specific school or park. Young people in these areas are like young people everywhere, using technology to coordinate with their friends and chronicle their every move. But in neighborhoods where shootings are common, the use of online tools has turned hazardous, as gang violence is now openly advertised and instigated online.
My guess is that this sort of story will freak out conservatives. But my guess, and this is somewhat supported by anecdotes in the story, is that social media will not turn out to be a long-run boon to the forces of barbarism.
Note that much of the description of gang behavior favors Mark Weiner, not Michael Huemer.
Really? If conservatives are freaked out by stories like this they reveal their preference by moving out of places like Chicago — and not by demanding more gun control (guns, another technology that should have scared them stiff) and/or regulation of the internet. I would argue that as far as this stoy can illustrate, progressives reveal their preferences much more along the Civilization/Barbarism line, except they define the labels in a classical Greek fashion: civilization as government (polis), and barbarism as outside of government.
Contrarian approach: Since the development of nomadic cavalry, technology that favors highly mobile and decentralized forces always works against civilization in favor of barbarism. Just ask Rome! (I do not actually believe that…agree with Dr. Kling)
Isn’t it great that youth is showing entrepreneurial spirit, starting their own organizations, using technology to their advantage and challenging existing, entrenched enterprises? With increased immigration, the business landscape could become even more diverse.
Just think about it. Immigrants would not only bring just manpower but also introduce new ways of doing things. And probably have pre-existing international contacts to facilitate trade. Chicago could become the next Tijuana.