This quote is from his lengthy one-on-one interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cfNKKUDcV4) with the Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli on June 2nd. The purpose of this program was to explain Erdogan's ways to people and promote/show his side, it produced just the reverse reaction due to his callous comments.
The one-sidedness of the Turkish TV stations is appalling: Altayli characterizes the protests as "mostly vandalism" and gives the PM a platform to explain his side, without providing that to the other side. While CNN International was transmitting live from Taksim, CNN Turkey had a documentary about penguins! Currently there's a petition (http://www.change.org/petitions/cnn-international-must-pull-...) on change.org to ask CNN to revoke its naming agreement with CNN Turkey, it has reached 40k signatures.
Right, well, how can we debate the voice of reason? He's right! The world is black and white. I hereby invoke Godwin's law to declare that anyone who orders police brutality against largely peaceful protesters is Hitler reincarnated.
In the case of Erdogan you may not be that far off. Turkey is interesting country - the army there was the guardian of the secularism inherited from Kemal Ataturk.
That is almost dismantled by now with the involuntarily help of the EU. Erdogan came after free elections and after that Turkey is moving in some very dangerous waters. Add instability in Syria into the mix and the semi civil war with the Kurdish minority.
"There is now a menace called the printing press. The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, movable type is the worst menace to society." -- some fucking Pope or other.
To be fair an Ottoman Sultan banned Ottoman script from being printed, effectively banning the printing press across the Ottoman empire and pretty ending the Ottoman golden age, starting it's descent.
The irony of Tayyip Erdogan's Neo-Ottomanist dreams is not lost on me with this statement.
Anyone who feels like menacing Turkish society by helping provide unfiltered Internet access could do a lot worse than set up a Lahana[1] node. Discussion here[2].
His actual quote about news spreading through social media is near the middle of the article.
"There is now a menace which is called Twitter," Erdogan said. "The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society."
This is very easy to say. Politicians are just reflections of who we all are.
And imho they have the hardest jobs on the planet today.
There isn't a course on Khan Academy, that they can take, which tells them what to do when uncontrolled chain reactions are set off by Social networks. The results will always be messy.
And to then say if they just did the "right thing" all will be well, isn't being very realistic. When the "right thing" for different sections of society is so different.
He's not wrong. The internet is an enormous threat to existing societal norms, power structures, and even governments, there's no doubt about that. However, he is wrong in believing implicitly that the existing status quo should be defended. The internet has the potential to empower disruption, and in it's short history it has proven to excel primarily at disintermediation. However, for people who support the ideals of liberty, of governments that are consensual and responsive to their people these trends are not alarming, indeed they are salutary. But for rulers who rely on oppression, propaganda, etc. these things are scary.
I somehow don't think he was referring to Facebook addiction and social alienation resulting from "virtual friends", which is about the only time I would agree with someone who says social media is "hurting society".
Shame, I actually do believe some social media (hi, Facebook!) are a danger to society. In this specific case, it's not social media specifically but large scale communication in general that is a problem for him.
Social media is a danger to top down society unless the platforms reside in said top down society then they're more of a danger to the people using them to try to change that society, as China seems to understand.
Whenever two factions within a Muslim state clash, one or both will eventually accuse the other of being Israeli stooges. The same charge is also commonly levelled at any external criticism of a Muslim state or faction. It's the Muslim world's equivalent of Godwin's Law.
[+] [-] Jun8|13 years ago|reply
The one-sidedness of the Turkish TV stations is appalling: Altayli characterizes the protests as "mostly vandalism" and gives the PM a platform to explain his side, without providing that to the other side. While CNN International was transmitting live from Taksim, CNN Turkey had a documentary about penguins! Currently there's a petition (http://www.change.org/petitions/cnn-international-must-pull-...) on change.org to ask CNN to revoke its naming agreement with CNN Turkey, it has reached 40k signatures.
[+] [-] nettdata|13 years ago|reply
http://i.imgur.com/DkdgGnQ.jpg
[+] [-] swombat|13 years ago|reply
Right, well, how can we debate the voice of reason? He's right! The world is black and white. I hereby invoke Godwin's law to declare that anyone who orders police brutality against largely peaceful protesters is Hitler reincarnated.
[+] [-] venomsnake|13 years ago|reply
That is almost dismantled by now with the involuntarily help of the EU. Erdogan came after free elections and after that Turkey is moving in some very dangerous waters. Add instability in Syria into the mix and the semi civil war with the Kurdish minority.
[+] [-] lutze|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] _b8r0|13 years ago|reply
The irony of Tayyip Erdogan's Neo-Ottomanist dreams is not lost on me with this statement.
[+] [-] _b8r0|13 years ago|reply
[1] - http://lahana.dreamcats.org/
[2] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5810091
[+] [-] muyuu|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pinars|13 years ago|reply
"There is now a menace which is called Twitter," Erdogan said. "The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society."
[+] [-] eatitraw|13 years ago|reply
Not only they think that "government == society", but also they think that "their government == society".
[+] [-] mindcrime|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Sven7|13 years ago|reply
And imho they have the hardest jobs on the planet today.
There isn't a course on Khan Academy, that they can take, which tells them what to do when uncontrolled chain reactions are set off by Social networks. The results will always be messy.
And to then say if they just did the "right thing" all will be well, isn't being very realistic. When the "right thing" for different sections of society is so different.
[+] [-] X4|13 years ago|reply
Politicians brought the world corruption, violence, massmurder, genocide and they kill our Earth. It will end with us or them, but it needs an end.
[+] [-] grannyg00se|13 years ago|reply
Like "entrenched group of ruling fascists", for example.
[+] [-] jongraehl|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] skylan_q|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] InclinedPlane|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Jare|13 years ago|reply
The wrong is in wanting one such kind of society for his country.
[+] [-] smegel|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] flyinRyan|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blendergasket|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Uchikoma|13 years ago|reply
(If you want to make this into defending Erdogan, just don't)
[+] [-] late2part|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] shmerl|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bilbo0s|13 years ago|reply
but it kind of got the politics all mixed up.
Erdogan is supporting the Syrian rebels against Assad, for instance. And, of course, Iran is supporting Assad against the rebels.
It would have been better with Putin, Assad, and Achmed.
[+] [-] eli_gottlieb|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cynwoody|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] oddshocks|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cboppert|13 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] OzzyB|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] simonh|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] eli_gottlieb|13 years ago|reply