Posted by Mark H. on April 15, 2000, at 13:24:58
In reply to Charging for Psychobabble!, posted by Abby on April 15, 2000, at 11:21:22
Dr. Bob, In my opinion, a fee system would be a huge mistake. One of the more interesting bits of information the international non-profit organization I work for is discovering is that world-wide the poor list access to information and ability to express their opinions to others on the internet right up there with clean water, food, shelter, medicine and education. We didn't expect to find that, but we're already beginning to form consortia to address it.
If the web becomes another luxury with a system of fees for use, government taxes, etc., its powerful potential to bring about revolutionary changes in what we know (and therefore what we do) will be lost to a great degree.
As for registration, I fear the same filtering will occur, only at a more subtle level. What questions we ask and how we ask them invariably affect the answers. For instance, a severely depressed, unemployed person faced with a questionnaire about level of education, profession, economic status, etc., "hears" that those criteria are the ones by which s/he should judge his/her own situation and condition. It's entirely the wrong message to send.
I know you just well enough now to know that you put this out for discussion very early in the process, and that you're truly open to hearing a variety of opinions. If my response seems emphatic, it's because I'm dealing with open society and open media issues in my daily life. I don't mean to imply criticism of your asking.
Thank you for providing the opportunity to offer this feedback.
Best wishes,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:30069
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000411/msgs/30109.html