Could the Internet Go Bankrupt?

Could the Internet go bankrupt?

Not morally. Not bankrupt of useful content. But could it disappear or get crippled by economics?

Do you know?

It's amazing how many pervasive services in this country are controlled by huge institutions which are little understood by the vast numbers of users of those services.

When the huge lending institutions start crumbling, funds dry up. This affects you immediately if you're trying to get a loan, but otherwise it's just "so what?"

Until you know that your employer needs to borrow money, and if it can't, you are out of a job. Or until you know that your state government needs to issue bonds, but if no one is buying, you won't get that bridge repaired.

So, what institutions would have to become financially troubled in order to put a crimp in the Internet?

Anyone?

You want people in the country to care about this financial crisis? What if we showed them that ESPN.com and Google will not be accessible?

Is that possible? Shoot, I don't know. But all of these bits flying around the world are carried by some company's assets and stored by some other company's assets. And you can bet your monthly ISP-provider bill that your ISP can't keep the whole Internet working.

Isn't it amazing that the financial crisis which is upon us was not the result of terrorism, but rather institutional and cultural greed? There's an irony there.

"Irrational Exuberance" indeed.

Debate tonight: He who wins is he who sounds like he can pull us out of this and ensure it doesn't happen again.