No matter how much we try there will always be the haves and have nots of virtually everything. This is definitely true with technology. However, one unifying piece is the internet. With the internet, many technologies can have access to information and power that they are not isolated from.
There have been talks about a universal wireless technology that will work for everyone and is not dependent on towers or hard-line connections.
If I had the power to help to decrease or erase this divide, I would put my efforts towards the universal wireless internet. This would allow all citizens on the earth regardless of location or piece of technology, the ability to access information and connect to each other. This could help countries in places like Africa, or any other places without infrastructure, the ability to connect to others.
In some ways this has already occurred. With social networking, the fall of Egyptian president Mubarek was able to be exposed, where in the past this information would have never been able to get out, and the people would not have been able to organize (or at least the same way).
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of how I see it too. That is that cell phones with internet access have pretty much covered the globe and given a majority of the world access to information. Two issues: 1) We still have a long way to go to get at least every household access; and 2) Even if the information is available there is still an issue with literacy.
In most of the countries where dictators or alike are in power, the populace gets there information through mouth to mouth propaganda. I think that a lot of the finger pointing of the world's ills, directed mostly at the United States whether deserved or not, would die if we can just get these people to think for themselves and have FULL access to information. This means not only electronic access but ability access too!
That sounds great! My question would be...what do you think are the effects of being this connected? I met someone who was on a trip to Africa and came in contact with a tribe...she inadvertently introduced some of them to a mirror and she thought that the life consequences of that are grand. I often think about what I would look like without a mirror. I am not saying that these tribal members might not have seen their reflection before but seeing and being connected to something might make us all similar in some way?? Have you seen this? http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html
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