What separates a child from a man? If there are any doctors in psychology or sociology reading this, sorry for invading on your turf. If I'm wrong for what I'm about to say, please be so kind to leave a comment. In my humble, unexperienced, unworthy, and almost illiterate opinion there is one specific difference: Knowledge. As a boy grows up he makes mistakes, observes events, witnesses joys and tragedies... This all adds up to one central repository. It better prepares him for the next day ahead. This accompanied by some reading and schooling will turn him into a collaborative entity in society. Now, a man, and one preferably with a skill set specific to the area in question, is an excellent candidate to ensure my health, my car, or my money to.
Ummm.... yeah... we knew that. Where is the big discovery? As with many of modern day issues society is facing, the problem lies in it's politicians (don't get me started on Bush's recent rampage). Politicians are making every day decisions about the way you and I will use information technology in our every day lives. The only problem is that the average politician knows as much about technology as a average five year old know about nuclear science. In essence it's just like handing over the steering wheels to children of an area in society that is ever increasing in importance and popularity.
Information technology every day becomes a more integral part of our every day lives. The mere fact that you are reading this text on a blog site or through an RSS feed is the very proof of my statement. It can be as simple as your phone or as complex as the world wide network that keeps track of all your traveling, economic transactions and judicial records. You'll find much better sources then myself which confirm all of this.
But then you'll find stumble upon former politicians admitting they had no idea what they were doing, CEOs of giant companies complaining that the public officials don't even have a fundamental scope of where information technology is today, police raiding an innocent person's home, based on very unreliable information, and my personal favorite a senator with absolutely no idea what he's talking about trying to convince his peers that a tiered Internet is necessary to preserve all of our interests. And this is just the stuff that finds me on a day to day basis. I will admit I don't have a strong interest in political news, even though it affects me directly. What could/would I find if I actually dug deeper? Just the thought is chilling.
I can give you lectures about how we should be choosing our representatives a bit more carefully, or how we should attempt to educate the people we currently have in office. Unlikely to happen. Almost all of them have a severe case of god complex. This phenomenon will continue until one of three things happen:
- The current generation of politicians dies out, and get replaced by information technology aware counterparts. Not because we spontaneously agree on electing computer scientists as mayors, but because the this generation is growing up with information technology as an integral part of their every day lives.
- They find leadership in one regional or global technology savvy leader who by some incredible and impossible means achieves an centric political and pubic role. If this happens, the catalyzer that will convince local officials to follow as always will have to be self gain, making the feat even trickier.
- The MAFIAA and other giant corporations and organizations finally learn (the hard way) that it's not by attacking, but aiding your consumer base that you will find prosperity. On that enlightening day, their lobby will work for their benefit as usual. The only difference is that lobby will be pushing for ideals that masses, the corporations, and politicians can all gain positively from... nah! It sounds to good to be true.
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