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2022-11-22 This proves that 'even the Internet is no match for power'. [長年日記]

I read "Democracy in the 22nd Century: Elections Become Algorithms and Politicians Become Cats" by Yusuke Narita.

I found the proposal in the book, "Algorithmic Automation of Democracy" -- which I read as "Unconscious Policy Making Systems" -- is interesting.

I previously wrote a column about the anime BEATLESS.

This "automation of democracy by algorithm" may be more easily understood if you read the function of the political hIE "Mikoto" that appears in BEATLESS.

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I have recently been writing a column about the "new democracy" and I am frustrated because I don't 'feel like I get it' when I read the Cabinet Office material.

For an engineer like me, "automation of democracy by algorithm" and "Mikoto" are more compelling.

Because a systems engineer like me can visualize in my mind the "blueprint" of such a "democratic system".

However, I can't say with confidence that 'this system is good'.

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We (the generation of engineers) take pride in the fact that we have embedded the "soul" of "protocols" in the communication medium called the Internet.

I think there was also a belief that the Internet would create a truly free, fair, and equal democracy

We could not have imagined that we would create such an atrocious democracy - one that would widen income inequality, push populism, become an incubator for radical terrorist groups, and become a tool for criticizing political opponents and inciting the masses.

The biggest shock is the reality that the Internet, which is supposed to guarantee free communication and speech, has easily come under state control (speech control is now possible).

This proves that 'even the Internet is no match for power'.

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As far as I have been able to find, there is not a single reference (book, article, etc.) that mentions this atrocious democracy before the advent of the Internet.

"Algorithmic automation of democracy" is a wonderful system, but perhaps there is something more than that lurking in it, something horrifying.

However, this is only an emotional sentiment of a senior engineer who believed in "the coming of a great democracy through the Internet" in the past, only to be betrayed and frustrated by it.

So I think it is correct to go through my delusions above.

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As a book very similar to "Democracy in the 22nd Century: Elections Become Algorithms, Politicians Become Cats."

There is a "third wave" by Alvin Toffler.

He wrote "democracy in the 21st (x22nd) century" and contained a wonderful and highly accurate forecast of the future.

However, the book is devoid of stories of

- abject income inequality,

- politicians who flatter the masses,

- terrorist recruitment sites,

and

- a vulgar ex-president who immediately cries "rigged election" in response to unfavorable election results.