My fears go a little beyond just the cooption of the tech by those currently in power. The flip side of the fear is that the tech will empower a new segment of society, people like you and me, who will then become a new entrenched power structure. That new power structure will get set in contrast the old elites that manage to adapt. Old school Marxian/Hegelian dialectics all over again. The more things change...

There is a level where this is great, I'd love to see Dean ride the tech to the white house. And more to the point this change over empowers me, you, and our peers. An oligarchy with me in the power network is great for me on a selfish level.

What gets me afraid is how willing those people who are going to gain tremendously from the use of tech to shift the balance of power are to utilize the rhetoric of democracy. People are drinking their own Kool-Aid and believing the lies they push to get into power. This is not a revolution for the people, its a revolution for the people who use computers well. A power grab, not a move towards true democracy.

As for _Code_, I'm a huge fan. Great book.