The Digital Divide: misnomer
This entry over at the Riptari Filter:
Riptari Filter: The Search for life on Mars
Makes some interesting points, comparing "bridging the digital divide" with "Searching for life on Mars".
Ethan made similar points in friday's lecture at Harvard. Namely that the goal of "Universal Access" which has been touted broadly in development circles, is not only naive in the extreme, but is also counter-productive. It sets impossible goals, and takes focus away from real problems with real solutions.
A village that get's screwed by middle-men when selling their crop is a real problem, and a communication system that gives them access to market information is a real solution.
The lack of access to good tertiary education in Africa is a real problem, and an African Virtual University is one possible answer.
In contrast, the fact that not everyone in the world has Internet access is not a real problem. It may be a symptom of some larger problem, but in and of itself it is not the issue.
I've never liked the term "Digital Divide", but even more importantly, i've never liked the tendency to focus always on the "Big Picture".
Peter Thomas, is of course correct in his analysis that getting Internet access to everyone in the world is a hopeless goal, unrealistic and not even necessarily desirable. Looking at the world as a massive unit is bound to be a problem. I'm interested in specific projects. In individual cases in which there is a need for ICT's on the ground, and in which I can provide a better solution than most other people.
In that single situation where I can help provide a cheaper, better connectivity solution than might be available in the local market. In that one situation I might be able to save a bit of money in a specific project. Money that can then be put towards educating the users, or improving the local language applications. It may be a stretch, but not nearly as much as the whole "Universal Access" shindig.
To paraphrase a scene from "The Matrix"
Boy: Do not try and mend the Big Picture. That's impossible. Instead only try to realize the truth. Neo: What truth? Boy: There is no Big Picture. Neo: There is no Big Picture? Boy: Then you'll see that it is not the Big Picture that mends, it is only yourself.
