More POVs on Kenny’s article

A few days ago, I commented on an article by Dr. Kenny in Foreign Policy.

David Brake @ Blog.org adds his comments [via riptari]

Most importantly, while subsidising universal access may be excessive at this stage in the development of the Internet, that doesn't mean that as costs lower the cost/benefit of providing Internet access my be better than the cost/benefit of other aid activities in certain areas under certain circumstances.

Those are very good points. And while I'm not necessarily a fan of the concept "Universal Access", since it's too big, too glamorous, and way too large a goal, David Brake has a valid point. There is nothing inherently wrong with the objective, and the cost/benefit that Kenny makes is faulty already with todays technology, and will rapidly become further from the truth as technology advances.

My issue with "Universal Access" indeed, is not with the cost/benefit, as much as with a general tendency to want to focus on individual, smaller projects rather thabn large global goals. I have the same problem with the Kyoto Accords, or anything else that claims to be able to get a global, coordinated action in place.

My place, and idealism is in individual, smaller scale projects, where I can actually see the difference it makes within my lifetime. Projects that are small enough to reward participants with lot's of social capital, karma, Affero recommendations or whuffie, ie. community projects, based on an interest in making a difference rather than political, policy-level projects.

But that is me!