Google is the Next Roman Empire: Shudder

Joe Lewis writes on Web Pro News about the coming of the new Roman, er, Google, era.

“You can’t read a blog or visit a technology news site without seeing the company’s name referenced at least once, if not several times, throughout an article. Just last week, media coverage of the Google acquisition of YouTube reached feverish proportions.

People just can’t seem to get Google off of their minds.

In fact, the terms “Google” and “World Domination” are becoming more commonly associated together these days among bloggers and tech journalists alike.

The reality of the situation is that Google is becoming a mythical, almost omnipresent force in the online realm. The sheer scope of the company’s influence inspires comparisons to the birth of a new empire.

The staple of a prominent dynasty is the ability to control access to and distribution of vital resources to the masses. The Roman Empire constructed a detailed infrastructure for travel between territories while also developing aqueduct systems within the framework of their cities.

Ultimately, this allowed Roman leaders to exert significant power by controlling access to both water and transportation.

How does this translate into the digital age? People want information; it’s an invaluable resource. Whoever controls access to that information will inevitably wield tremendous power in the age to come.

Google acts as the road to information in today’s realm, and collects the tolls in the form of paid search advertising.