09 October 2003
IT and Africa
The intervention of France in the civil affairs of Cote d'Ivoire consists really of an attempt to settle a family dispute. French nationals and businesses have been living and working there for decades, if not a century and more. They could not tolerate a disorderly rebellion causing personal danger, and not only political upheaval.
Advances in information technology have made even the remotest regions of Africa (e.g., Rwanda) part of America's community, too. Distance and barbed wire no longer isolate us from violations of human rights in other societies. The allure of information from the West creates aspirations and expectations in more traditional societies, even without our pro-actively spreading our values. Moreover, IT makes it impossible for us to ignore affronts to those values. And our values seem to compel us to combat those affronts, even when we are unable to assure success.
One of the costs of our enjoying the benefits of advanced technology is responsibility for dealing with violations of our communal values, despite our having lost control on the extent of our community's borders. This may limit our ability to achieve communal goals at home (health care, education, etc.). Unfortunately, walls cannot be high or thickly barbed enough to isolate us in the indivisible world of ideas.
The intervention of France in the civil affairs of Cote d'Ivoire consists really of an attempt to settle a family dispute. French nationals and businesses have been living and working there for decades, if not a century and more. They could not tolerate a disorderly rebellion causing personal danger, and not only political upheaval.
Advances in information technology have made even the remotest regions of Africa (e.g., Rwanda) part of America's community, too. Distance and barbed wire no longer isolate us from violations of human rights in other societies. The allure of information from the West creates aspirations and expectations in more traditional societies, even without our pro-actively spreading our values. Moreover, IT makes it impossible for us to ignore affronts to those values. And our values seem to compel us to combat those affronts, even when we are unable to assure success.
One of the costs of our enjoying the benefits of advanced technology is responsibility for dealing with violations of our communal values, despite our having lost control on the extent of our community's borders. This may limit our ability to achieve communal goals at home (health care, education, etc.). Unfortunately, walls cannot be high or thickly barbed enough to isolate us in the indivisible world of ideas.
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