Stefik (Score 1)

Its seems Stefik's point of view contains some truth and some hyperbole. Most groups--whether politicians, artists, clergy, or geeks--always overestimate their own impact and importance in the greater scheme of things. It is psychologically agreeable to envision 'my group, my clan' as the driving force in history; this is especially true when 'my people' are driving history into a new age. As such I take most prognostication, and the ideologies behind them, with a grain of salt. I certainly don't find Stefik overly eloquent or insightful. He is no prophet, although it is unfair to judge him on a few excerpts. In any case, many of the comments below have pointed out errors in his argumentation and presuppositions. Still, there is truth in his borrowed words.
There are several aspects of our time that stand at bifurcation of epochs. First, we stand at the coming shift from the literary tradition to the interactive/multimedia tradition. Consider the dramatic long-term ramifications of the shift from the oral tradition to the literary, and the importance of this seemingly trite point becomes clear. Also, as Stefik and others have pointed out, the increasing inability of those in power to manipulate or stifle information marks a paradigm shift in the structure of power relationships. As the saying goes, "knowledge is power," and as Foucault makes clear, power relationships are fundamental to human society. I don't believe the 'coming tide' will wash away that fact, but current structures are beginning to be radically reorganized. It is difficult to see the details, as it is difficult to cut though the informational chaff in search of the new seeds.
I know these are general, even superficial, statements, but we are supposed to be brief, so I'll just shut my cake hole.