The Absent Silence (2010)
9 days ago
- #censorship
- #José Saramago
- The author recalls searching for a famous José Saramago quote about God and silence but initially fails to find it, leading to paranoid thoughts about censorship.
- Saramago was an atheist critical of religious authorities but not in a confrontational manner like Richard Dawkins.
- The author realizes their search failure was due to incorrect search terms, not censorship, highlighting the importance of precise queries.
- This incident leads the author to reflect on Google's secretive handling of information, comparing it to a library that doesn't disclose its sources or selection processes.
- The author contrasts public libraries, which operate on mutual trust with the public, with corporations like Google, which prioritize profit and secrecy over public interest.
- The piece ends with the author questioning whether Google's executives truly understand the implications of their secretive practices.