Gore’s Advisors

Your article (Aug. 25) on Vice President Al Gore’s Silicon Valley advisory group raises some questions in my mind. As a retired engineer, I have often wished that our politicians were more conversant with technology than they typically are. However, this article disturbed me. Gore’s enthusiasm for the “information superhighway” kind of technology is well-known, but I think there is danger when there is too much coziness between a politician (who may very well be our next president) and any specific industry.

These Silicon Valley types are going to promote the interests of their industry over the interests of the country as a whole. While it is true that they are revolutionizing certain aspects of our society, it is also true that there is a huge amount of hype in that community, some of which is true and a lot of which is just puffery.

In the last analysis, no one can eat gigabytes or use them for shelter from the elements, so it might behoove our politicians to temper their enthusiasm in favor of a more balanced approach.

CHARLES E. HENDRIX

Pacific Palisades