I have to disagree with you at least on the economics part. Before
we get to a singularity caused by nanotech or powerful enough
computers for human-level AI there will be major economic changes
due to the increasing cheapness of computing power and bandwidth.
These changes result in what Wired calls a "Network Economy" (see
Wired 5.09, "New Rules for the New Economy"); we already live in
the beginnings of this, everything on the net is part of it. Article
is here: http://wwww.wired.com/wired/5.09/newrules.html
It makes some interesting points, especially the idea that most
if not all commodities in our world are dipping towards being free.
Anything from a CD player to a modem to a stock quote online gets
cheaper. In the coming years your phone line will dip towards free
as they offer you better stuff(xDSL) for $$$. Reading and becoming
familiar with these ideas can give you a powerful edge- for me,
reading it triggered an idea for a new net-based business that
is starting up on Monday!
As for politics, I can tell you from my experience that since I
ran into the net 4 years ago it has significantly changed _me_.
I think that over the next 25 years or so as the majority of
the planet gains net access (hopefully) there is the potential
for something to happen.
--
The future has arrived; it's just not evenly distributed.
-William Gibson