Perry, thanks for expressing the crucial message underlying this thread...
i.e. how can we be smart and experienced enough to avoid the pitfalls of
past `revolutionary' innovations...I think why I have so much faith in the
Internet is its fundamental democratic promise.... admittedly not anywhere
near realized yet since so few are using it... but I couldn't drive my own
little train along the railroads, nor can I shout, cry or laugh to my
friends/colleagues or anyone else on TV except under circumstances that are
entirely controlled by the moguls..but the Internet (potentially) allows
individual expression a creative freedom, reciprocity, reach and scope that
seems unparalleled in human history...my idealistic reading of these
tealeaves leads me (personally) towards fostering/supporting wherever
possible the extension of that (new?) human capacity.... and empirical study
of its dissemination and impacts is certainly a factor...
"Dr. Perry Morrison" wrote:
> I think the issues raised under this thread are central to a huge number
> of ICT development efforts. It might be very useful to fund a study
> which examines the impact of major past technological changes in terms
> of equity, distribution of benefits etc. I know such material exists,
> but a focused study that concentrates on the relevance of ICTs would be
> very useful.
>
> Even my own cursory reading suggests that the invention of railroads and
> electricity production were predicted to act as great "equalisers" of
> society. And TV was going to be the engine for cheap, worldwide
> education. In many places the green revolution displaced poor farmers
> who couldn't pay for the technology into the urban slums and many 3rd
> world countries became the victims of multinational agribusiness.
>
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