Punch Drunk on the Internet?

I recently read an article by the Guardian Unlimited's Andrew Brown which has me thinking. In it, he proposes that the Internet will be to today's journalists the equivalent of drink to an alcoholic, that it will dampen minds and become simply a regurgitation of already expressed thoughts and ideas. But most frightening, he suggests that the Internet will interrupt the creative process, leaving no space for the meditative process that frequently takes place before a writer sits down to write.

I agree with him on this point: the Internet is incredibly distracting. It offers up an endless array of oddities, news, gossip, visions that were previously unavailable to most people. Its allure is hard to resist. And it isn't especially conducive to contemplation or deep thought.

But while this is true, it's also true that the Internet offers unlimited possibility for expression. Never before have so many had the opportunity to express their thoughts, views, art. You've got something to say? Start a blog. You want to be a filmmaker? Make a short film and post it on You Tube. Want to write a book? Publish it as an e-book on your own website or through a site like Lulu.com.

Is the Internet a dangerous addiction or a door to a wide world of possibility? A little of both, perhaps. But if we can manage to keep it from being cluttered with one-page ad sites hawking Viagra, then it might just be the great equalizer, offering more people than ever before the chance to shine.