The 'internet as we know it' is off in Iran

[Tomas_4578]

Iranians are still offline, three days after the government pulled the plug on the internet amid nationwide anti-government protests. This is not the first time that Tehran has shuttered online access to stop information from spreading. Apart from blocking people from talking to each other, the blackouts are also radically limiting the amount of information that gets out of the country....


what do you think about this?

[TheGooner]

It's Iran - a fundamentalist state based on human "interpretations" of an invisible, silent and intangible being that (lets admit it) probably doesn't exist.

Am I surprised that the government there decides to shutdown a mechanism that allows rationale discussion - especially if that discussion is considered against the wishes of the local rulers - who are the only people allowed to interpret the will of the invisible and silent god?

No.

Iran is a major oil exporter and a trading partner with such countries as Italy, France, and Germany.The west needs oil - so they will turn a "Blind eye" to this and call it a domestic matter while the oil is still needed. Come 2030 or 2050 when the world transitions away form oil and places like this will turn into a real hellhole.

----------------

I'd question whether THIS should be in the "fun" discussions" ... but fun and crazy are synonyms ... and it's definitely crazy.

[universal4]

LOL Gooner,

I saw this a bit ago and Anthony and I were on the phone at the time and we certainly agreed to move this into the General areas.

I wonder if they will be able to keep their access restrictions as they are, as I would think it would cause a lot of issues within governmental bodies, industry as well as banking systems etc

Rick
Universal4

[Sherlock]

I heard only good things about Iran from people who were there. If I have to choose Saudi Arabia or Iran, from my shallow experience, I would choose Iran. It is probably much less fundamentalistic; people wear pretty casually and in private they do what they want. Also very friendly people and incredible inner security (my friend told me he was scared back in Europe to walk on street after return).

I am planning vacation there, so I hope I will be able to bring better experience.

Maybe someone was there already? I really do not trust anything what is written in media and much less about enemies of someone powerful.

the government there decides to shutdown a mechanism that allows rationale discussion - especially if that discussion is considered against the wishes of the local rulers - who are the only people allowed to interpret principles of the world?

You can apply this to any country of the world. Who has the power is the one who tells the stories. Who tells now that all people are equal? Same power was telling just few decades back that people are not equal.

Every society has a fairy-tales and those fairy-tales are the glue of the society. It must be like that. I am not justifying Iran regime which still probably kills and oppresses the opponents much more than the West. But the truth is that people in any society must wear masks and then have some private life. The taboos are always laughable, when looking at them from distance = from the other culture. I for example fully agree with you that it is absurd, when religion stories are taken as fundamental stone for the state. But I agree with Arabs and other critics of western society, that building the society on beheaded god = atheism, where the crippled god is replaced by empty consumerism, is equally absurd. In the theocracies is maybe punished to question the god in public (in private the people definitely are not that crazy, not everyone is ISIS); but in the west I have an impression that it is being punished even in private if someone thinks he can live without credit card, university, mortgage or even better without overpriced vegan raw food or webinars about Mother Earth.

[TheGooner]

You deliberately edited to misquote? Why?

Yes - I think using the interpreted views of an invisible,silent, and almost certainly non-existent being is insane, criminal and when used to suppress others indefensible.

The real quote :

the government there decides to shutdown a mechanism that allows rationale discussion - especially if that discussion is considered against the wishes of the local rulers - who are the only people allowed to interpret the will of the invisible and silent god?

I get that the world is a big place - filled with 8 billion people who probably don't think the same way I do - but lets at least keep the quotes honest if we want to diatribe off and and present an alternate point of view.

You think that capitalist culture is also strange and "empty". It probably is because it doesn't offer life answers - just living processes - but it's been the best system of living for delivering flow of wealth, and flow of ideas that humans have found so far.

One day we might get to a Star Trek utopia where there is so much wealth that everyone is fed and happy - but given human nature - we will probably just find something else to fight about.

[sweetbet]

I wonder which power is behind the civil unrest in Iran. I wonder if it's the same power that was behind the civil unrest that took place in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria and is responsible for the "The Arab Spring" in general.

[Sherlock]

You deliberately edited to misquote? Why?

Yes - I think using the interpreted views of an invisible,silent, and almost certainly non-existent being is insane, criminal and when used to suppress others indefensible.

The real quote :


I get that the world is a big place - filled with 8 billion people who probably don't think the same way I do - but lets at least keep the quotes honest if we want to diatribe off and and present an alternate point of view.

You think that capitalist culture is also strange and "empty". It probably is because it doesn't offer life answers - just living processes - but it's been the best system of living for delivering flow of wealth, and flow of ideas that humans have found so far.

One day we might get to a Star Trek utopia where there is so much wealth that everyone is fed and happy - but given human nature - we will probably just find something else to fight about.

The quote was not marked by you and I double marked the change for a reason. I will leave it at least for now like that, but the reason is there to think about.

It makes no sense to talk about god, capitalism or socialism as about concepts. It is endless blabbering about things which for everyone mean something else. But all those ideas create certain societies.

So to make it short the the postmodern "capitalistic" society will have to prove durability. For example the system of so called "communism" was nice for many people, it really was. The people think about it even after 30 years. The problem was the same, the sustainability. Yes, it was great to have water, electricity, housing and food almost for free. It was a ****** quality, but for non-competitive people it was not bad. Until it lasted.

I love this "capitalism". Stupid, desperate people, who are losing their energy drop by drop and in the end they go and gamble. I really can not complain. The problem however, is how this has to survive, because this wonderful capitalism with human face is becoming more socialistic than the "communist systems", because the real people are ... people. I do not hate consumerism because I hate to consume. (I love Coca-Cola, I like to drive fast cars and I fly long haul all the time). I just feel the obsession with consumption, where the emptiness after god was simply replaced by credit card, is a totally destructive idea for the mind, people and society based on it.

If you ever leave 1st world, you might be surprised how many people think exactly this (but indeed they live in their own fairy-tale, that is [maybe always] self-destructive too). I remember one old guy I met in Rio. I told him about my family and how people in Europe live, he nodded and just said "This is because you left Jesus". I am really far from being religious, I just had conflict with one utterly stupid orthodox Christian family. But what you probably do not get is that God and Religion are even more distant than USSR economy of 80s' and Marxistic ideas or capitalism of Adam Smith and "capitalism" of first world. You are imposing on other people your belief of what you think their belief is.

Going back to Iran. I am sure it is not what we are supposed to think.

[Sherlock]

I wonder which power is behind the civil unrest in Iran. I wonder if it's the same power that was behind the civil unrest that took place in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria and is responsible for the "The Arab Spring" in general.

I guess the power is called hunger or belief that they can eat better, even when they are not that hungry. I just returned from country where started revolution at the day when I arrived and it was like that. And that country was much richer than the quoted ones.

[TheGooner]

I just feel the obsession with consumption, where the emptiness after god was simply replaced by credit card, is a totally destructive idea for the mind, people and society based on it.

Well I guess that's one of those personal feelings for YOU. I'm not obsessed by consumption - indeed I have problems spending money due to my background which does NOT involve coming from a monied country. My lifestyle does not match my wealth.

If you ever leave 1st world, you might be surprised how many people think exactly this (but indeed they live in their own fairy-tale, that is [maybe always] self-destructive too).
...
But what you probably do not get is that God and Religion are even more distant than USSR economy of 80s' and Marxistic ideas or capitalism of Adam Smith and "capitalism" of first world. You are imposing on other people your belief of what you think their belief is.

I have lived in half-a-dozen countries - and racial background and upbringing was in socialist Yugoslavia before the breakup - and left and found a better life - and I've returned after the wars to see the effects of nationalism (death - famine and worse poverty - go figure!)

Having said that I acknowledge that I've deliberately avoided the worst areas of the planet, most of Africa (although spent some time in Egypt), most of Asia (apart of flying hubs), South America and also the poorest Pacific Island banana republics. I call it common sense - I just don't need my psyche impacted by it.

So I find the lectures on Marxist ideas, or capitalism, communism, socialism etc. as if you're the only one with physical experience or knowledge of it rather off putting - and while you may well feel you are correct - nothing I've seen in my experiences suggests you are.

Allowing free human spirit and markets is the best idea we've come up with so far IMHO - but it's a material system designed for a mind that can seperate economics from spirituality.

Iran's leaders cannot. They need total control because allowing independent thought automatically will cause breaks in a locked system.
Iran will come up with totalitarian solution (shut the internet) because they see no other option. It's brainwashing.

Now this may NOT be GOD's fault - after all it may be being done incorrectly in GOD's name ...
But how can we know - SHE hasn't said a bloody word to any human ... Ever.

(so I'm not blaming GOD - just the liars, cheats, thieves and charlatans that claim to know her will )

[DaftDog]

where the emptiness after god was simply replaced by credit card

How can rejecting a false belief leave an emptiness? Well, if it did I filled "the emptiness" with knowledge and reason, and doing the right thing because I wanted to and not because I feared retribution from some god. Enjoy this life and don't be in such a hurry to reach the next promised one that may not exit.

Do not pass by my epitaph, traveler.
But having stopped, listen and learn, then go your way.
There is no boat in Hades, no ferryman Charon,
No caretaker Aiakos, no dog Cerberus.
All we who are dead below
Have become bones and ashes, but nothing else.
I have spoken to you honestly, go on, traveler,
Lest even while dead I seem talkative to you.

- Ancient Roman tombstone