If you know me, then you know that I get REALLY excited about the Internet. Why? Because it is a vast open marketplace of ideas. And it’s finally starting to live up to its potential.

My friend Alasdair introduced me to Bloglines a couple months ago, and I’ve been addicted to it ever since. RSS feeds and aggregators are changing the way people consume information, democratizing the generation and distribution of content in a simple powerful way.

Throughout the course of history, more efficient means of communication have consistently led to great leaps of progress for humanity. Language was obviously the first step…words replaced gestures, allowing humans to band together more effectively, and share their higher-order needs. Thousands of years later (1450), the printing press revolutionized mass dissemination of information…which propelled Luther and the Protestants, and the Renaissance.

I believe that the Internet is just now beginning to fulfill its promise as a massively more efficient means of information sharing. What will change as a result? Hard to say, exactly, but power structures will certainly be realigned. Organized religion will gradually be replaced by rational thought. Corporations and governments will be forced to work harder to deliver compelling messages to their constituents. Money will become less important in politics.

A vast open marketplaces of ideas will flourish, and Truth will be set free.

Please, Chris, tell us how to participate in this kingdom of conscience!

• Learn about RSS feeds
• Join Bloglines or Google Reader and start subscribing to RSS feeds. See below for my current list of subscriptions, if you want some ideas. Rather than relying on CNN and the New York Times exclusively for your news, check out alternative sources.
• Subscribe to blogs. A great way to search for interesting blogs is on Technorati.
• Publish your own blog. Share all that knowledge in your head.
  • Blogger from Google is probably the simplest way to get started.
    
  • Or check out this detailed list for other options.

Good description on this topic: From A VC

UPDATE: Here’s my blogroll from Bloglines.