The revolution is coming. I am not certain precisely when, but I can assure you that it has already begun. I’m not talking about the war in Iraq. I’m not talking about the end of embarrassing public displays by the political candidates’ daughters. Nor am I speaking of the return of Keanu Reeves for another overly contrived, quasi-existential cyberdrama. I’m talking about the collapse of greedy conglomerates and the rebirth of man: a savvy consumer and a global thinker.

Once upon a time, many teraflops ago, Netscape Navigator served as the sole portal for all of those entering cyberspace. Its reign didn’t last long. Microsoft, seizing upon the successful design of a lesser company (as it so often does), developed and bundled its Internet Explorer Web browser with all of its future Windows operating systems. Not surprisingly, the program was incorporated so intimately that users had no option to remove it. Thus, for years Microsoft would rule the Internet with an iron fist.

But Netscape did not perish. It emerged from the ashes creating Mozilla, which recently began distributing its new Firefox program: an open-source web browser touting all the advantages of Internet Explorer without the airliner-sized security holes.

For you nontechnopunks out there, “open source” means not only is the program free to the public, but so is its programming source code. Consequently, just as within the scientific community, Mozilla is open to the scrutiny of dedicated professionals, security watchdogs and the general public without fear of legal action by bullying corporations and the politicians that blindly back them. Additionally, open-source efforts tend to be just that: open. The consumer has the ability to democratically mold and perfect the product as he or she sees fit.

Mozilla and Firefox have exploded into cyberspace. Internet Explorer, which once detained nearly 90 percent of Web surfers, now commands a mere 33 percent, according to some estimates.

Another intriguing case of consumer dissatisfaction is the rise of Google’s new GMail Web e-mail service. When Google released invitations to beta test the service, technophiles worldwide flooded eBay, paying up to $100 to join.

GMail’s main draw is one gigabyte of online storage space, nearly 500 times the storage offered by leading free e-mail providers, such as Microsoft Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail. Swarms have converted to Googlism and have left Microsoft and Yahoo! scrambling to woo back customers.

So what exactly am I trying to get at? I am glad you asked. I believe the United States, indeed, most of the Western world, is plagued by covetous corporations and an equally self-interested political system that is at their teats.

I often wonder if Microsoft executives have ever seen a car stop suddenly in the middle of traffic to change lanes and then watched the ripple of brake lights emanate for miles behind, as a pebble dropped into a dusk-lit pond. I question if they have ever reflected on the fact that a 17-year-old with a personal computer and a phone line can bring the airline industry to its knees in a matter of hours.

Such centric thinking and consuming greed can only lead to the downfall of Microsoft, the Recording Industry Association of America and the rest of their kind. Meager planning, personal interests and corporate groupthink have profound ramifications that quickly emerge on a global scale, and the common consumers are leading the revolt.

Perhaps it is a little too optimistic for a cynic such as myself to imagine that silly humans could think outside of themselves for even a few moments to see that they are simply components of a much larger system, to collaborate for a greater good. Nonetheless, I’m willing to do my part and see where this train comes to rest. Until then, you can be certain I will be quick to tell you precisely what you can do with your mission statement.

Sean Corcoran welcomes comments at [email protected].