12 November 2007

The Promise of the World Wide Web

Got this from a friend over at Facebook. It's really cool, very interesting stuff. You really want to check it out. :)



Overall, I'm very impressed with the presentation. In fact, I'm still reeling from the incredible, amazing experience of watching it unfold the way it did. I really think the Internet, the age of digital information, information technology, or whatever other name it goes by has changed how we process texts and information, how we create and consume knowledge, how we order and make categories--or quite simply, how we read and write. It has indeed the potential to break down hierarchies, topple powerful knowledge regimes, and maybe, even change the world. And I totally believe it has that potential.

But I suppose, at the end of the day, this promise is tied to the issue of access--that is, the promise of the World Wide Web becomes a reality only for those who have access to it. What about thousands of school children in the Philippines who don't even have access to computers, to basic word processing software? How can they possibly hope for the promise of the Internet? What about those poor UP students who can only scrape enough for an hour of Internet use each day, maybe, each week? I suppose, like in all promises, this one comes with certain strings attached, so it cannot be taken at face value. How about you? What do you think?

No comments: