As countries around the world struggle with the advent of technology and the usefulness of its applications, one of the areas to receive attention is on the political front in general and the management of electoral rolls and the overall voting process in particular.
For example, here in the states, electronic vote counting and its inconsistent paper trails is a subject of much debate; while in Poland, the issue for the election commission is one of whether or not to allow voting via the Internet as a means of increasing participation, especially among younger voters.
While many arguments can be made about the security of such a process, it seems that one politician opposes net voting based on a different set of reasons: that Internet users tended to be folks that watch "pornography while sipping a bottle of beer."
"I am not an enthusiast of a young person sitting in front of a computer, watching video clips and pornography while sipping a bottle of beer and voting when he feels like it," Former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski stated on his party's website, adding that Internet users are "the easiest group to manipulate, to suggest who to vote for."
Kaczynski, who once ruled Poland alongside the president, his twin brother Lech, admits to not having a cell phone or bank account, so his views of the typical Internet user are to me at least, a bit suspect.
The point to all of this is that regardless of the arena, there will always be 'haters' as well as misinformed – and misguided – individuals that seek to impose their will on others. While this is an unfortunate truth, right-thinking people know not to stereotype people and to keep an open mind – whether the issue is porn or politics.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to sip some beer and surf some porn...
