I Don't Know

I am spoiled.

I am spoiled because I was able to avoid working a day job.

I am spoiled because I think I can have whatever I want (in the sense that I think my ideas about society will become reality).

Shouldn't I enjoy being spoiled?  I mean, why bother thinking about other people who are not as spoiled when I can just enjoy being spoiled and that will be that.

"Weekend is too short."

"I wish I never had to work."

"But then you'd be bored."

"I wouldn't be bored."

"You have to remember that I spent maybe at least 40% of the last 8 years not working."

"So that means you're spoiled?"

"Yes.  But, I wasn't bored."

So, in some sense, I had an appropriate comeback.  I successfully proved that I wasn't (and probably wouldn't be) bored if I wasn't working.  Yet, I opened myself up to the idea that I'm spoiled, which is easy to see because I'm related to the owner.  And just like the idea that I have clinical depression or some other unstable mental illness, being seen as being spoiled chips away at my credibility.  

But, what credibility did I have before to be chipped away at?  And do I really want to have credibility in the first place?  So ... it seems that I am being told in a relatively passive-aggressive manner that I am exerting too much authority in that room.  I must find my humbleness and make sure I do not close the space for others to exercise their need to have authority.

"I believe that all humans should have food, water, shelter, and clothing."  The ensuing discussion must have implanted a sense in some people that I felt I was right and they were wrong.  I probably came off that way in past discussions as well.  Some people seem angry that I can have that stance ... almost as if only someone who's experienced what it's like to be spoiled could agree with the idea of 'spoiling' others by not forcing them to work in order to live.

The following is in response to Tyler S. Clark's recent post about the two Democratic candidates for U.S. president.  Tyler, do you remember the old popularity contest in high school (maybe your high school was different if you don't) where the two most popular students would stand in front of the class and promise all kinds of crazy changes in order to get elected as class president?  They'd promise vending machines, early dismissal, better food in the cafeteria, and other things kids might be interested in.  And then, once they were elected, they'd realize that they weren't allowed to make some of those changes.  From my viewpoint, it never seemed to matter who the class president was because they were ineffectual in making any meaningful changes to my life.

The two Democratic candidates are the two most popular Democrats.  They're promising so many changes that anyone who's familiar with government knows they'll never be able to make them all.  They'll not be able to make even a fraction of them.  My point is, instead of focusing on which one of these corporation-backed candidates gets elected for the Democratic candidate for president, and then instead of focusing on which corporation-backed candidate gets elected President, why not focus more on the local elections and candidates and issues where people in your area are going to be most affected?

It doesn't matter which of the popular (and wealthy) candidates become president because our lives will only be changed minimally.  When Bush stole his way into the presidency, eight years ago, everyone was saying things were going to get crazy, our lives would be ruined.  Some things have changed, new war, housing market collapse, potential economic recession, global warming getting worse, gas prices up, etc...  But overall, people's lives are generally the same as they were prior to Bush being elected.  And in the rare cases where lives have been disrupted (say in the case where a family member died in Iraq or where someone lost their home due to foreclosure) those people often blame the circumstances, not the president, implying that any president would've had to put their family member in danger.

By putting our focus on the U.S. presidential election, we remove our focus from the real life problems around us.  The suffering that takes place due to capitalism.  The oppression that exists because of capitalism.  The exploitation that we're forced into because of capitalism.  The domination over our lives because of capitalism.  And by capitalism, I don't mean business or an indidivual's ability to make money.  I mean an economic system that allows for some to be wealthy and comfortable while others are poor and living on the street.  If the goal of an economic system is to distribute resources to the people within that economic system, then the U.S. economy is failing because it allows for such differences between the rich and poor.  It's making sure some people get many more resources while many others are getting very little to none at all.

All of this does, of course, only make sense unless you've completely bought into the Ayn Rand libertarian "I don't need anyone else and anyone who does is weak" mentality.  If you believe that each individual has the "freedom" to "pull oneself up by one's bootstraps" and get what they need to survive so if they haven't, they're weak/stupid/mentally unstable/etc..., then what I've written above probably doesn't ring true.  If you think someone who's poor is poor because of their own choices or the choices of their family, then not only do you think I'm full of shit, but you're completely unaware of how the economic system in the U.S. actually works.

Don't get me wrong, Tyler.  I think you have some great ideas on your blog.  I think you're trying hard to make everyone happy.  I think you believe that you've found the way, through growing local businesses and focusing on the next U.S. president.  And because you're writing about it, I respect and love you.  However, I don't agree that your 'way' is the right way.  Rather, as writers and bloggers with some amount of reach to others, it is our duty to point out where someone might be getting conned.  So, let me point it out: You might be getting conned (or conning others) by following the hype that focuses on the U.S. presidential election.

So here I am on February 18, 2008 in the early morning, writing about the digital divide years and years after many others started talking about it and its consequences.  Today, I had my first 'real'  realization of how little I know about technology and where I actually stand on the digital divide line.  

The digital divide is a term social scientists use in order to describe the impacts of technological innovation on society.  The idea is that technology is getting so specialized, expensive, time-consuming, etc... that certain people will be able to learn and successfully use the technology while others will find it difficult to get started and perhaps fail to take advantage of the new technology altogether.  The reasons for one falling into one or the other group varies depending upon one's social milieu.  A commonly thought example of this, which is usually based on one's age, is the old saying about not being able to program a VCR. 

Some social scientists see this phenomena as being a part of the cultural lag idea where the culture of society is always lagging behind the knowledge and abilities of that society, causing a necessary and natural conflict.  Others, like myself, understand that the digital divide is created purposely in order to further keep people from coming together and organizing for positive social change.

My Situation

In my case, I wanted to help developers create new social networking software.  I wanted to help because for the past few months, I've been searching for my voice on the Internet.  I don't want to be anywhere near Rupert Murdoch and his MySpace.  I don't want anything to do with the ultra-Libertarian influences and greedy owners of Facebook.  And Google with Blogger and other online applications is quickly spreading its reach to all corners of the Internet in 1984-authoritarian style.  Of course, there's the king of kings, Microsoft, who not only controls a lot of information flow on the Internet, but also has a strong grasp on a large percentage of personal computers.  So, I found a grassroots development community who's working on something different, something that might allow people to interact easily via the Internet but without the advertisements, the profit-making motives, and the data collection.  But I couldn't help them (yet) because I don't have the skills and/or knowledge.

I've always considered myself to be comfortable and knowledgeable about computers.  I've been using them since before the Internet, where I would dial into bulletin boards and try to hack open modem lines.  So, I thought I'd be able to learn what I needed in order to help the above effort.  I found out, however, that in order for me to learn what I need to just get the software installed on my computer, I would have to spend hours and possibly days figuring out details of another operating system (Linux).  And since I cannot set aside that time at this point in my life, I am unable to get it installed and therefore, unable to help.  Because I am used to being able to do what I want with computers, I am now aware (painfully!) that my computer use now has limits.  I am aware that technology is moving faster than I am able to keep up.  I am aware that I am moving closer to a technology user and further away from a technology maker.  I am now aware that I am on the downside of the digital divide.

This new awareness gives me a taste of what it might be like to interact with computers for the first time in 2008.  The overwhelming feeling I felt with the above must be similar to the overwhelming feeling someone might feel who's learning how to type, use the mouse, or navigate around their computer.  The people I work with in my day job who struggle with new technology might also feel a good amount of stress when they are forced to learn new software and how to interact with new technology.  In the past, I've asked the question, "How can someone not understand how to use a mouse?"  Now, I know.  Some Linux developers are probably thinking the same about me and how it's possible that I don't know how to install Linux.  I now have an experiential understanding of the digital divide.

What Should I (We) Do? 

To a Libertarian, or someone who believes that improving oneself is the key to improving the world, all I would need to do is seclude myself for a few weeks (months? years?) until I am skilled on what I need to be skilled about.  If everyone did this, then everyone would have the skills they need.  So, I guess, I could do that and hope that others will do the same.  But, what if this isn't the way things really work?  What if groups of people are treated differently so it becomes difficult or even impossible for them to learn the skills the people in these groups need? 

Another route I could go is to try and close the divide by offering any free time, energy, and computer knowledge that I have to people who have less ... for FREE.  I've recently joined a local time bank.  The online time bank is a technological way of trading one's time for services needed.  I've offered to do stuff and those people will give me hours out of their accounts in order to do those tasks.  And then, I can take those hours that I've earned and give them to someone who is willing to teach me more about the technology I need to learn about.  So, my request for help is up there.  I also have offers to help people with basic computer/web stuff.  And now I wait.  

...I wait some more...

...and a little more ...

...still waiting...

While I'm waiting, I remember that the time bank is only going to include people who have the computer experience necessary in order to feel comofortable with that system.  I know that the time bank cannot be helpful on its own in order to close the digital divide.

So, what will close this divide?  I imagine there are many people in the U.S. and throughout the world that would like to do more with technology but cannot because of their own personal and social limitations.  How can I get to some of these people and help them bridge that divide?  I have a few answers to this question that I will share later.  Any thoughts on this are, as always, much appreciated.