A Digital Bill of Rights? - Questions For Corbett

Summary

In this Q&A episode, James Corbett answers questions about Japan’s residency rules, online research, a proposed Digital Bill of Rights, children’s reading, and the hiatus of New World Next Week.

Japan’s residence-card requirements

Corbett says recent changes appear mainly aimed at people applying for permanent residency, business-manager visas, and other statuses, so they do not currently affect his own permanent-resident status in the same way. However, Japanese law requires foreign residents to carry their residence cards, and he notes reports that violations could potentially put permanent residency at risk.

He recalls how watching Gandhi—and seeing resistance to identity-card requirements in South Africa—made him reconsider his own acceptance of carrying such a card in Japan. He cautions that reports about Japan from abroad are often inaccurate or exaggerated.

How to become a better researcher

Responding to a 17-year-old who wants to improve his research and critical-thinking skills, Corbett praises the effort to seek guidance. He recommends watching his demonstrations on verifying quotations and conducting online research, as well as his episodes on research tools and information resources.

His general advice is to practise checking claims, evaluating sources, and cross-examining information. Research methods vary depending on the question.

The proposed Digital Bill of Rights

Corbett describes the document by Courtney Turner and Patrick Wood as a model amendment intended for state constitutions in the United States. He says its preamble adapts language from the Declaration of Independence and presents rights as inherent rather than granted by government.

From his perspective as a voluntarist anarchist, government is not inherently incompatible with voluntarism if people freely consent to it; imposed rule without consent is the problem. He sees the proposal as a response to the growing role of digital technology in everyday life, but questions language that could be read as accepting digital systems as unavoidable. He argues that a digital-rights framework should also protect people’s ability to access government services and information without digital devices.

Children and “trash” reading

A parent asks whether children reading low-quality or propagandistic books is better than reading nothing. Corbett says that, generally, reading—even material he considers trash—is preferable to not reading, and stresses the importance of literacy and critical thinking.

Rather than tightly controlling everything children read, he recommends discussing the material with them and helping them learn to question claims and recognize different perspectives. He sees this as part of helping them become independent thinkers.

New World Next Week hiatus

Corbett explains that the show has been paused while co-host James Evan Pilato deals with computer and camera problems, as well as family matters. Pilato’s other Media Monarchy programming is continuing, but Corbett cannot say when the joint show will return.

During the hiatus, Corbett proposes reviving his older solo program, Sunday Update, if enough Corbett Report members express interest.

Presenters and contributors

• Presenter: James Corbett
• Co-host of New World Next Week discussed in the episode: James Evan Pilato
• Questioners: Meowking, Danny, Alex (identified in the subtitles as AW), Andrew, and Light is the Answer
• Other people connected to topics discussed: Alyssa Hawk (interviewer in a past interview with Corbett); Courtney Turner and Patrick Wood (authors of the proposed Digital Bill of Rights)