Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00486)

At 01:13 AM 8/30/1998 GMT, you wrote:
>On Wed, 26 Aug 1998 18:02:16 -0500, you wrote:
>
>>At 10:27 PM 8/26/1998 +0100, you wrote:
>>>mkr wrote:
>>>
>>>>Here is some interesting info in today's news. Presents a great
opportunity
>>>>to present theosophy. Is anyone interested and awake?
>>>
>>>What are you suggesting mkr?  The 202 million US adults are here just the
>>>same.  Why do you feel the internet is going to make such a difference to
>>>the 70.5 million or the 202 million US citizens?  It is just another super
>>>highway, a broad path in an ever changing world.
>>>
>>>Martin Leiderman gave a measured reply, and one with which I sympathise,
>>>using words like aura . . . .
>>>
>>>The internet is a souless place for many.
>>>
>>>And regarding an earlier mail:
>>>>The point that is of importance to theosophists is that all the classics
>>>>will be immediately accessible at *almost* *no* *cost* (other than one's
>>>>time) and everyone interested can benefit from theosophy classics. On the
>>>>other hand, some of the classics are already available on the web. But
some
>>>>theosophical organizations are still wedded to print media. How long it is
>>>>going to take for them to understand the possible shrinking *market* for
>>>>printed media which can be sold where as info on the net is free for most
>>>>part.
>>>
>>>It is interesting that so far the opposite is happening.  People are buying
>>>more books as a result of the internet.  Very clever really.  People read a
>>>bit of the book on the Internet, and then want to buy the book.  A good
>>>marketing ploy.
>>>How is it really going to help humanity, spread brotherhood, reduce poverty
>>>and disease in all the kingdoms of nature around the planet, more than
>>>anything else?  The internet can certainly divert attention away from
>>>Reality.  It is only as good as the people that use it.
>>>
>>>Tony
>>
>>Like other tools, Internet is just a tool. What one can do with it depends
>>on one's creativity.
>>
>>The recent success in banning land mines was possible because all the
>>coordination between activists in various countries was done using e-mail.
>>I am sure there are other applications where it is showing its
>>effectiveness as a tool.
>>
>>mkr
>>
>Our little TS office in New Zealand is getting things moving much
>quicker with e-mail. We rely on overseas speakers to come once or
>twice a year and now we can make arrangements much quicker and find
>out what we need to know, overnight. That is a big help down here
>where we are more isolated and out of the mainstream of things. We get
>enquiries from all over about theosophy as it may pertain to NZ from
>our web site. We also have begun using Amazon book site for ordering
>books for our branches and the Auckland Book shop.
>The members on e-mail have a good link with each other via the NZ
>discuss group and most of us meet at Convention so we know each other
>personally too. There is always a downside to most things but one
>needs to use the positive side constructively and sidestep the
>negative as much as possible. I feel that the Internet is a great
>source of information. Sometimes I think it might be overkill but I
>have to decided how much I have time to deal with.
>Cheers
>Bee

I am very glad to see your Section is pioneering in the use of e-mail and
Internet and probably will develop into a model that Adyar and other
Sections around the world may want to copy instead of re-inventing the wheel.

Most branches meet once a week and some may meet more frequently and many
less frequently -- once a week. So any interaction between people
interested in theosophy is mostly once a month. Many branches in the US
shut down or slow down the activities during Summer.

With the e-mail lists, this is changing. Not only the distribution of
subscribers is Universal -- World Wide, the interaction by way of msgs and
responses is going on round the clock seven days of the week. Such an
activity was undreamt of a couple of years ago before the advent of
commercial e-mail.

In addition access to information is almost immediate. No one needs to
visit the local branch library to check out a book, since the book is not
in one's personal library.

Coordination and correspondence relative to organizing/organization matters
do get speeded up and costs less due the e-mail. On the other hand, the
normal luxury one has in using snail mail is very convenient when one wants
to drag their feet and act in the traditional bureaucratic manner. Such
dragging feet cannot help anyone.

All this points out the simple fact, as I already pointed out, is that
e-mail and Internet are just tools. A very skilled person can find very
effective and creative usage if motivated by right motives. The contrary is
also true. I look upon e-mail and Internet just like automobiles. We know a
lot of people get killed by auto. But we all continue to use it for our
transportation which in turn makes us use our time effectively and
efficiently.


mkr