What's the difference between a development phenomenon and an economic "deal" or phenomenon?
This is a real question, not a rhetorical one. S. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of tom abeles Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 2:44 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking hi steve I think you are right- Hope is the key But bad policy and false hope is another issue. And a lot of the precious capital in the development arena has this problem cell phones are not a development phenomenon- it's an economic and business deal with political participation tom > Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:46:51 -0700 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net > Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking > > Perhaps, Tom, hope is the only constant we have, the driver and the engine. > Remember Emily Dicinson's "Hope"--it begins > > Hope > > Hope is the thing with feathers > That perches in the soul, > And sings the tune--without the words, And never stops at all, Perhaps > the only universal law worth remembering for our work is that there is > no universal law that works every time. > What works today in Situation A lets us down in Situation B. > > Those of us in the rich countries have some reason to be grateful to > science and technology. Many of us are alive and functioning because > science and technology has cut us apart and reassembled us with metal and plastic parts. > We are cyborgs. > > And there always surprises to confound us. Many technologies get to > Accra and stay there, or diffuse throughout the nation slowly and > painfully. But cell phone: overnight they are everywhere. > > Scott Fitzgerald said something like So we press on, boats against the > current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. Something like that. > > Good to be in touch again. > > Steve > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 12:07 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: digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net > > > 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: > > > > > digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net> 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=&cl > > p=&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 > > > > > Michelangelo> > I > > really > > > > > worked, is mine." -> > Nikola Tesla> >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> > > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE > > mailing > > > > > list> > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net> > > > > > > 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> > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net> > > > > > 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 > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > > > 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 > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > > 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 > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > 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? 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