Less than one year ago a little known U.S. politician with a funny name was able to win the presidency partly through his adept use of the Internet.  Many saw this as the natural evolution or convergence of media and political organizing.  The “new” media would help launch and organize movements and protests around the world.  Then there is France.

In a piece in the Sunday New York Times, Scott Sayare describes a France political system still grappling with acceptance of the impact of the Internet and social media.  Reading the article it is hard to imagine what planet these folks are living on.

Our favorite quotes:
“The Internet is a danger for democracy,” … Jean-François Copé, parliamentary chief for the governing party, the Union for a Popular Movement.
“I find we’re entering a strange society … We can no longer say anything, we can no longer do anything. It’s absolute transparency — it’s the beginnings of totalitarianism!”  Henri Guaino, one of Mr. Sarkozy’s closest counselors.

Guaino and Cope’s comments are typical reactions of minds that simply can’t adapt to new ways.  It is classic Luddite thinking.  For some reason we don’t seem surprised that it is coming from French politicians.  Someone needs to explain — in French, of course — to these folks that this “Internet” thing is not reversible.

The “cheval” has left the “grange”.  The “genie” has left the “bouteille”.

What were they thinking?  Whatever it was it wasn’t part of this century.