Just thought I would like to join the fray:

On Sun, 17 Nov 1996 16:23:16 -0500 Sam Lanfranco
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:


> As one of the founders of CLICK4HP I would like to observe that the recent
> comments on the potential for information and communication technology
> (ICT) to further marginalize the already marginalized (as well as help
> marginalize academics, social workers, health professionals and others
> others who thought they had made it into the middle class) take on a very
> different color depending on where they (the comments) come from.

Indeed - if one is techno-savvy one tends to be
techno-optimist, if not, one views the technology with
fear and attempts to demonize it. I'm sure that the monks who wrote books
by hand were a bit put out by Gutenberg's press.

Liz Rykert raised the notion of looking back on
history and as he who shall not be named once wrote:
History happens twice, the first time as tragedy, the
second time as farce (excuse slight inaccuracies but
my 18th Brumaire is at home not at the office - now
why is that?).

There are a number of prior examples of
new technologies that promised many things
such as disruption, change, democracy, autocracy,
emmiseration and enlightenment. The telephone and
television are perhaps the best parallels to the  new
internet technologies. Have you asked how the
telephone affected health promotion?

Technology is to some large extent politically neutral
(there I've said it) - it does not care what your
social status is. (I do not wish to raise the question
as to how or whether the development of the means of
production affects social relations - that could come
later :-> )


This is not to discount the class nature of society,
on the contrary, it is clear that the privileged
classes have better access to enabling technology than
do the not-privileged classes - so what's new?

(Aside: Does anyone else find the term "information
poor" a banal cliche? The adjective is entirely
redundant - if you're rich you have easy access to
information and vice versa)

> Academics are quick to point out (a) that this can widen the gap, and (b)
> we shouldn't be seduced by technology.

> Those on the margins on the other hand, see ICT as a
territory for
> advances, and a territory where they will have to fight their old enemies.
> They make the same list of concerns as 'we the more privileged' then they
> set about to (a) try to level the playing field a bit (ignoring it is not
> an option), (b) learn how to use it to their advantage, and (c) prepare
> for the battles that will be enjoined in these virtual territories.

Both the above points of view are wrong - 1) it will
not have a qualitative effect on the rate at which the
gap widens becuse the exansion of the net for
electronic commerce requires a general expansion of
access and 2) only a minority of those on the margins
see ICT as a territory for advances - the rest are
waiting for it to be delivered to them as was
television (ever marvelled at the number of
televisions in 3rd world slums?)

> One might be lead to believe - watching academic
discussions in the
> electronic venue - that we cannot see its role as a social workspace
> - Maybe we think the purpose of studying history, or current events -
> is to have a 5 second sound-clip opinion that always ends with "..watch
> out!". Some long-dead thinker suggested that the purpose of studying
> anything is to make or change it, history included.

There are also those who think that this latest new
technology has some magical quality. The lesson of
history is that the less privileged will always have
champions who can access new  enabling technologies on
their behalf and that this access is most often
dwarfed (and most often marginalised) by the access of
the privileged. Perhaps as an example you could
compare the quantity of bytes devoted to labor-l with
the quantity devoted to the management of one large
trans-national.

> Our work with untouchable groups inside and outside India is to work with
> them to change history. Anyone who is unaware of what is going on at those
> front is allowing the local newspaper and TV to be their window on a world
> while their skills and training tell them they should take a more
> demanding stance.

The distortion of subjectivity works both ways.

> The answers may not be "blowing in the wind" but there are many who see
> the stakes too high to leave the electronic venue to others.

I should apologise - I do not wish to discount the
importance of using new technology in progressive
political campaigns but I do want to counter the
thread of techno-optimism that believes that the net
will somehow usher in a new age of enlightenment.


> The Distributed Knowledge Project (DKProj) which is the nominal 'home' for
> CLICK4HP, DATPERS, LABOR-L and about 30 other such lists has as its motto:
> "Knowledge for All" It also believes that expert knowledge only works when
> it is tempered by local wisdom. It sees this venue as both an opportunity
> and a challenge. On to the making of history, both large and small.

Knowledge must be distributed for it to be of use and
these lists are extremely important to that end but
the takeup rate of the technology required to access
it is weighted towards the privileged (although as
discussed above there will be significant expansion
into lower income areas in future). It is not weighted
towards the progressive or the reactionary.

Having said all that how will the Internet affect HP -
generally speaking the internet technologies will
affect the frequency of exchange/transaction - single
to single, single to many, and many to many.

This will increase pressure on HP professionals to
increase interaction with clients, peers and target
audiences.

There will be be an expansion of material/broadcasting
into the new space as target audiences drift towards
occupying those spaces.

There will be intensified competition between
knowledge centres as access is deregionalised.

More resources will be devoted to regionalising
campaigns - focussing on customised messages and
programs for regional/social groups increasingly
homogenised by global culture.


Disclaimer: my own opinions borrowed from here and
there on the net

---------------------------------------------------------
Craig Silva, Electronic Outreach Program Officer
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne Australia
e-mail: [log in to unmask], Tel: 61 3 9345 3211
Post: PO Box 154, Carlton Sth Victoria. 3053. Australia
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