There is the digital divide, and the health divide. And perhaps those divides are related.
Westerners live longer than those in the poor countries, or so the mortality tables tell us. Western hard and software interests: are they the ones who are promoting the digital divide idea for their shareholders and executives? Is this list part of a Microsoft/Intel conspiracy? And big pharma: are they the ones promoting antiretrovirals for their shareholders? "Western" DDT almost wiped out malaria in parts of sub-Saharan Africa until it was banned--and the mosquitoes and malaria returned with a vengeance. There seems to be little evidence that local medical knowledge can prevent or treat malaria. The bed netting developed in the West, but certainly able to be produced locally, can. What, if anything, is the right thing to do or not do, say or not say, about bed netting and malaria in sub-Saharan Africa? And should the help of the local medicine man be enlisted in the bed netting campaign? Condoms can reduce the frequency of death-dealing AIDS in Africa. Big pharma medications can keep people alive once they have contracted the disease. ICT can bring information about these life-enhancing possibilities to Africa. What do we do, or not do, about life and death in Africa, and who will involve the local medicine man, and how, and what to do if he is not interested but has his own routines? Steve Eskow On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Joe Beckmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > To get back to that medical model, don't under-estimate the medicine man vs > the doctor. Last week's HIV/AIDS Conference in Mexico City "discovered" > that > pre-exposure prophylaxes (PEP) actually work, but framed that "working" in > terms of a daily dose of an anti-viral and/or use of microbicides (which > are > still in testing). There is over 15 years of research that proves fairly > conclusively that PEP has always "worked" about 87% of the time, and that, > in most cases, a single dose of a microbicide before exposure is all it > takes. It is not coincidental that Bush signed a $55billion subsidy the > week > before the PEP announcement, and that lots of big pharma can support any > "solution" that guarantees a daily pill, subsidized, will achieve that same > 87% prevention rate. Bah and humbug. > > Surely, before celebrating the universal solutions of the west, it makes > some sense to look more closely at solutions locally, and explore how some > synergies might accomplish more with less for more people. Promoting > western > medicine means more than promoting western big pharma way beyond the scale > of either need or good practice. Yet when big pharma pays for the > promotion, > and the social research remains unclear, the benefits ought not be presumed > for the high tech solution. > > Just as big pharma has "unexamined consequences," it benefits any culture > to > explore what those consequences may be in crossing the digital divide > without a map for what's to come. > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 3:07 PM, tom abeles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Thanks for this post Steve. Perhaps some insights from a few "gray > beards" > > on the list are needed from time-to-time. > > Let me suggest some other issues: > > > > a) The problem with science is that it works, to a certain extent, for > the > > natural environment. As many have pointed out > > the idea of finding universal laws, programs that can be cloned, etc in > > social systems, the false notion of western Enlightenment, might be > called > > as in Levin's book, "The Tyranny of Reason" > > The political philosopher John Gray (not the Mars Venus person) points > out > > similar ideas in his collection, "Heresies". Yet, in the development > > community > > hope springs eternal, like the milk horse hoping to catch that elusive > > carrot held out by the driver > > > > b) Natural or human created Tsunamies- weather or changing political and > > economic acts, across the oceans can change a small village in a small > > country in Africa at the click of a mouse. > > Many in the development community keep hoping for such a perfect storm, > > like the Cargo Cults, unwilling to accept that life is fragile for all > > creatures on the earth and there > > is no guarantee that on this planet change will not lead to losses. After > > all, most development has a strong polyanna element. Triage is not seen > as > > an option. > > > > c) we are enamored with technology (things and social technology). Thus > the > > problems between the enfranchised and disenfranchised (in all dimensions) > is > > knowledge- > > educate and the rising tide will equalize all boats on the seas and raise > > all ships equally. Hence the problem has been cast as a "digital divide". > > Instead of the US political cliche, a chicken > > in every pot, it is now a smart phone in every home. > > information/knowledge/education, hopefully digitally distributed, is the > > equivalent of the 6-gun in the US west, the great equalizer. It's the > > liberal (or progressive) > > answer to problems created by a conservative past. > > > > Esperaremos > > > > tom > > > > > Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:41:46 -0700 > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking > > > > > > Joe Beckmann's warning about the limits of the "first things first" > axiom > > is > > > well taken--and it's the danger that the "ecology" metaphor intends to > > > avoid. There is no necessary linearity in a web of interconnections, > and > > no > > > obvious starting point. > > > > > > Those who have watched developments, or in many cases lack of > > developments, > > > in some of the poor countries--who have watched billions of dollars of > > > well-intentioned "aid" result in no visible betterment of human > > > conditions--might understandably question the utilty and the accuracy > of > > > such a notion as "an indigenous capacity to succeed." At times, indeed, > > it > > > seems as if there is an indigenous capacity to fail. > > > > > > The "positive deviants" notions is another usefl idea that can have > > > disastrous results in practice. Those who the intervener sees as > > "positive > > > deviants" might be seen as "negative idiots" by those locals whose > > > cooperation is crucial to the success of an intervention. > > > > > > And even the universally applauded notion of "home grown" and locally > > > controlled development is often a fiction. Quite often the "positive > > > deviants" know that the resources and the skills that the community > needs > > to > > > break out of poverty aren't in the local community: if the local > medicine > > > man could prevent and cure AIDS they wouldn't need non-local doctors > and > > > antiretrovirals. > > > > > > So: all the metaphors, and all the formulas, and all of the homilies > > point > > > us in important directions, and all of them have to be used with great > > care. > > > > > > Steve Eskow. > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:07 AM, Joe Beckmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >wrote: > > > > > > > My only reservation about an "ecology of need" is an implication that > > there > > > > are a sequence of "readiness" opportunities, that it's hard to do "d" > > > > before > > > > doing "a," "b," and "c." There is a need/readiness system, and the > > system > > > > also includes - almost inevitably but not at all obviously - an > > indigenous > > > > capacity to succeed. Social interventions that ignore those "positive > > > > deviants" where success can be a foundation for further success will > > almost > > > > inevitably fail; others, that build on local capacity to enhance > > locally > > > > derived strategies for success, are far more sustainable because they > > have > > > > local sponsors, invested in expanding their efficacy. > > > > > > > > One of the more interesting approaches is a formal evaluation of that > > > > "positive deviance" adapted by the Institute of Positive Deviance at > > Tufts. > > > > http://www.positivedeviance.org/ The Institute of Positive Deviance > > has > > > > begun to ramp up a variety of programs in a variety of social > services > > to > > > > demonstrate this approach. In education, for example, there is > > > > > > > http://www.teacherdrivenchange.org/teacherdrivenchange/2008/07/index.html. > > > > Their model is a slightly more academic spin on the older organizers' > > > > strategies framed by people like Saul Alinsky (well represented here > > > > http://www.itvs.org/democraticpromise/alinsky.html). > > > > > > > > In short, this is anti-imperialism: solutions don't come from one > place > > and > > > > get dropped on another; they've got to be home grown, nursed, and > with > > > > local > > > > support. > > > > > > > > For the Digital Divide this means well documented local change has > the > > > > greatest transportability, since others can see what people went > > through in > > > > creating their own solutions. It is the process that can be > > transferred, > > > > not > > > > it's product. > > > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:46 AM, Jaevion Nelson < > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > Thanks, this is very useful. I really like the last idea of the > > ecology > > > > of > > > > > need. I beleive it is one of the things that are preventing the > > > > > sustainability for nmany social interventions and programmes across > > the > > > > > world and in the Caribbean. For example in Jamaica, several persons > > enter > > > > a > > > > > community provide persons with the opportunity but illiteracy, > > poverty, > > > > > culture, etc prevents the programme from making that exponential > > impact > > > > that > > > > > it had intended to. The result is that within months the programme > > fails > > > > and > > > > > is forced to withdraw from the community. The designers then go > back > > to > > > > the > > > > > drawing board. To be able to understand the ecology of need we > cannot > > > > just > > > > > recognise a problem in a handful of persons and beleive then that > it > > > > > warrants intervention. Proper research must be done at phase one to > > > > > determine the needs of the individuals living wthin a specific area > - > > the > > > > > truth is these programs really need a wholistic approach. You may > be > > > > going > > > > > to reduce illiteracy but you will have to include poverty reduction > > > > > components such as school feeding programmes, uniform allowances, > > travel > > > > > stipend, etc. > > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > Jaevion Nelson > > > > > Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator > > > > > Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network > > > > > www.jamaicayouthadvocacynetwork.org > > > > > > > > > > Asst. Programmes Officer > > > > > Violence Prevention Alliance > > > > > www.vpajamaica.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Jaevion Nelson (Jae) > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:36:26 -0700> From: > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: > > > > > [email protected]> Subject: Re: [DDN] Google > Insights > > - > > > > > social networking> > The intervener--all of us who want to > > help--studies > > > > the > > > > > culture and the need> before choosing a path. Before choosing a > > > > technology.> > > > > > > Where there is a "digital divide" there are often--usually--other > > > > > divides.> For example: there may be no Internet in the area to be > > served. > > > > Or > > > > > there may> be Internet but many of the intended beneficiaries have > no > > > > > electricity.> > Or they cannot read. Cannot read what is on the > > computer > > > > > screen, whether it> is in English or Twi.> > That is: there is an > > > > "ecology > > > > > of need." If the good-hearted social> entrepreneur does not have a > > > > complete > > > > > map of the territory of need, it is> almost certain that he or she > > will > > > > > blunder.> > Steve Eskow> > > > On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 4:57 AM, > Taran > > > > > Rampersad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> > > This post from the > > Trinidad > > > > and > > > > > Tobago Computing list may be of interest> > to some. It > demonstrates > > > > > geographical distribution of social network> > use. It is a nice > > > > datapoint, > > > > > I think.> >> > Richard Jobity wrote:> > > > > > > > > ********************************************************************> > > > > > > > > > Computing - General Discussion on Computing in Trinidad and Tobago> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > ********************************************************************> > > > > > > > > > http://royal.pingdom.com/?p=336> > >> > > With the help of Google > > data, > > > > we > > > > > have looked at 12 of the top social> > > networks to answer a > simple, > > but > > > > > highly interesting question:> > >> > > Where are they the most > > popular?> > > > > > > > > > > >> > > The social networks we included in this survey were MySpace, > > > > > Facebook,> > > Hi5, Friendster, LinkedIn, Orkut, Last.fm, > > LiveJournal, > > > > > Xanga, Bebo,> > > Imeem and Twitter.> > > Popularity by country > (how > > we > > > > got > > > > > the data)> > >> > > Google Insights for Search makes this quite > easy > > for > > > > > you. For a search> > > term (for example "MySpace"), it will > > highlight > > > > the > > > > > regions where that> > > search term is the most popular. Google > calls > > > > this > > > > > "regional interest".> > >> > > This "regional interest" should give > a > > > > good > > > > > indication of which regions> > > (in this case countries) a social > > > > network > > > > > is most popular in.> > >> > > Google also provides a nice heat map > of > > the > > > > > results. We have included> > > the heapmaps for all the social > > networks > > > > > below.> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.google.com/insights/search/#cat=&q=imeem&geo=&date=&clp=&cmpt=q > > > > > > > > > > > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.google.com/insights/search/#cat=&q=facebook&geo=&date=&clp=&cmpt=q > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> > --> > Taran Rampersad> > Presently in: San Fernando, > > Trinidad> > > > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > http://www.knowprose.com> > > > > > > http://www.your2ndplace.com> >> > Pictures: > > > > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/knowprose/> >> > "Criticize by > > creating." — > > > > > Michelangelo> > "The present is theirs; the future, for which I > > really > > > > > worked, is mine." -> > Nikola Tesla> >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> > DIGITALDIVIDE > > mailing > > > > > list> > [email protected]> > > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide> > To > > > > unsubscribe, > > > > > send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] the > > word > > > > > UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.> >> > > > > > _______________________________________________> DIGITALDIVIDE > > mailing > > > > list> > > > > > [email protected]> > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide> To > > unsubscribe, > > > > > send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the > > word > > > > > UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > > > News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get > it > > > > now! > > > > > http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in > > the > > > > body of the message. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Joe Beckmann > > > > 22 Stone Avenue > > > > Somerville, MA 02143 > > > > 617-625-9369 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > > [email protected] > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the > > body of the message. > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the > > body of the message. > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Got Game? Win Prizes in the Windows Live Hotmail Mobile Summer Games > Trivia > > Contest > > http://www.gowindowslive.com/summergames?ocid=TXT_TAGHM > > _______________________________________________ > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the > body of the message. > > > > > > -- > Joe Beckmann > 22 Stone Avenue > Somerville, MA 02143 > 617-625-9369 > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > [email protected] > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in > the body of the message. > _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
