By living in the United States, a country that is by no means lacking in technology, we often think about and see only the positive side of innovations in postmodern forms of communication such as the Internet, e-mail, MTV, and CNN. However, the truth is that in many countries throughout the world, a large portion of the population does not have access to innovations such as the Internet, and TV, in some cases even radio. While the lack of access to such forms of communication may not seem to be that big of a deal, the reality is that the lack of access to such forms of communication is harmful to many traditional and native cultures.
The digital divide refers to the fact that there is a gap throughout the world between those who have access to digital and information technology and those who have limited or no access to it. The reality of the situation is that as technology advances, the gap between those with access and those with not is growing bigger and bigger. Without access to forms of postmodern communication like the Internet, and e-mail many traditional and native cultures may simply be left behind and suffer economically and socially. Because we have constant access to news, and are informed almost instantly about world events, we think little about the huge advantage this gives us. By having access to these forms of communication, people are able to plan, and act in ways that will help avoid situations that can be potentially harmful to society. Additionally, access to post modern communication allows for the rapid advancement of technology and society as a whole.
Without access to these forms of communication, native and traditional cultures may find themselves falling even further behind on the world stage. As the last to hear of world events, catastrophes, and also without the ability to quickly disseminate information that would be beneficial to the public, countries lacking these forms of communication may never be able to keep up with the rest of the world and subsequently their economies may suffer. While it is important to keep moving forward, it is also important to be cognizant about the huge divide and potential harmful effects the lack of postmodern communication may entail for native and traditional cultures.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Amir Khan
Sarah Sheppeck
vsavenier
Greta Niu
Kirk Douglas
Salon.com
Comments
By helping to build technological infrastructure in third world countries, we are actually helping ourselves at the same time. If the entire world is on the same wavelengths, then it will be easier to really act as a global community. Technology could lead to better economies in undeveloped nations, and then more countries could hold global responsibility. For example, if every nation was connected by email, then think about how much more efficient Haiti relief planning would be: President Obama could send out a mass email to all the other leaders and each nation would be a part of the relief effort (ok, I understand that a group email in this situation is a bit unlikely). Even if it is not possible to help develop technology to help other countries, we must be wary of the fact that we are a technological superpower, and we must not get ahead of ourselves—it’s dangerous for us, and everyone else.