The Networked Economy
Q:What opportunities if any, do you see for yourself in the networked economy? How do you construct your sense of identity in cyberspace?
A:I understand the importance and value of a networked economy in todays business world. If a company or business is to keep ahead of the pack it requires online presence and promotion, along with an internal system of communication amongst staff, in order to achieve consistent team effort and desirable results. Having said that, I have always found business methods, be they industrialized, or systems based, a rather distasteful and dehumanizing experience.
Economics is generally based on greed and power structures that I don't support, and I shall continue to avoid entanglement in modern economic practices as much as possible.The focus of the type of question exemplified above, although applicable to many writers, is actually an affront to persons such as myself. In fact, the entire module presentation is a regurgatation of obvious viewpoints. It felt like trying to get a fresh taste out of yesterdays bubble gum. I certainly find many opportunities for myself in a network of like minded people, but those opportunities are not economically motivated.
The networked economy has potential to do good for the peoples of the world. It also has the potential for negative effect. Now, I am no soothsayer, but bearing in mind the modern history of humanity and its ability to organize society into an economic structure favorable to all, I would think the networked economy has about as much chance of positive outcome as I do of becoming king of the world. I give the networked economy a big two thumbs down. It is simply an enormous pyramid scheme, and has been that way since Bill Gates and the dawn of the internet.
If the reverse were true, we would be experiencing by now the global benefits of reduced poverty, equality for all, environmental improvement, etc. We are in fact seeing the opposite, and for those with opposing views based on sentimental hope, I don't accept post dated cheques. What we are seeing is increased greed, war, and a plethora of dehumanizing and alienating experience. In the words of a vocal capitalist advocate, Donald Trump, "Greed is no longer considered one of the seven deadly sins. It is enviable."
The networked economy speeds up so-called knowledge and information transference. Unfortunatly, when used inappropriatly, it also speeds up the greedy mentality of the 'fortunate few' who clamber up the networked food chain in dog eat dog fashion. It is true that those favored by birthright or economic circumstance can take advantage of the networked economy for personal and extended interests, but is that really adequate trade off for complicity in the rape and potential genocide of an entire planet. I stand accused, as guilty of complicity as anybody else, but don't wish to get involved at a later date, waving placards in the street when things don't pan out in accord with the imagination of our dunderhead leaders. As Francis Moore Lappe mentions in the book "Diet for a Small Planet", "Those with the most information concerning societies basic problems are those so schooled in defending the status quo that they are blind to the implications of what they know."
I once read an archival news article, written in the 1930's regarding the potential future, based on the automobile fueled lifestyle. The author claimed that a time would come when we would all reside in our country estates and glide to and from our city office jobs on a daily basis. Instead we got peak hour and road rage. Television was soon to become the new dawning of global awareness and equality. Instead we got spoonfed so-called reality where a dozen undesirable layabout lustbuckets bicker and drink free beer that arrives through a hole in the wall. Even newspapers nowadays are owned and manipulated according to political allegience, determined to defend personal financial interests above bipartisan reporting.
And I am supposed to jump up and down and say "yippee! the networked economy is here at last, what a wondrous and glorious time to come." Phooey to that I say! Yes, cyberspace can be a forum for great and beneficial change and opportunity, but that would probably involve teaching people how to live in accord with the laws of nature, and who has time for that, we have networking to do. So, like everybody else, I shall probably fasten my seatbelt/straightjacket, ready myself for a G-force induced eating of my own words, and take off into cyberspace. Onward and upward we go.
A:I understand the importance and value of a networked economy in todays business world. If a company or business is to keep ahead of the pack it requires online presence and promotion, along with an internal system of communication amongst staff, in order to achieve consistent team effort and desirable results. Having said that, I have always found business methods, be they industrialized, or systems based, a rather distasteful and dehumanizing experience.
Economics is generally based on greed and power structures that I don't support, and I shall continue to avoid entanglement in modern economic practices as much as possible.The focus of the type of question exemplified above, although applicable to many writers, is actually an affront to persons such as myself. In fact, the entire module presentation is a regurgatation of obvious viewpoints. It felt like trying to get a fresh taste out of yesterdays bubble gum. I certainly find many opportunities for myself in a network of like minded people, but those opportunities are not economically motivated.
The networked economy has potential to do good for the peoples of the world. It also has the potential for negative effect. Now, I am no soothsayer, but bearing in mind the modern history of humanity and its ability to organize society into an economic structure favorable to all, I would think the networked economy has about as much chance of positive outcome as I do of becoming king of the world. I give the networked economy a big two thumbs down. It is simply an enormous pyramid scheme, and has been that way since Bill Gates and the dawn of the internet.
If the reverse were true, we would be experiencing by now the global benefits of reduced poverty, equality for all, environmental improvement, etc. We are in fact seeing the opposite, and for those with opposing views based on sentimental hope, I don't accept post dated cheques. What we are seeing is increased greed, war, and a plethora of dehumanizing and alienating experience. In the words of a vocal capitalist advocate, Donald Trump, "Greed is no longer considered one of the seven deadly sins. It is enviable."
The networked economy speeds up so-called knowledge and information transference. Unfortunatly, when used inappropriatly, it also speeds up the greedy mentality of the 'fortunate few' who clamber up the networked food chain in dog eat dog fashion. It is true that those favored by birthright or economic circumstance can take advantage of the networked economy for personal and extended interests, but is that really adequate trade off for complicity in the rape and potential genocide of an entire planet. I stand accused, as guilty of complicity as anybody else, but don't wish to get involved at a later date, waving placards in the street when things don't pan out in accord with the imagination of our dunderhead leaders. As Francis Moore Lappe mentions in the book "Diet for a Small Planet", "Those with the most information concerning societies basic problems are those so schooled in defending the status quo that they are blind to the implications of what they know."
I once read an archival news article, written in the 1930's regarding the potential future, based on the automobile fueled lifestyle. The author claimed that a time would come when we would all reside in our country estates and glide to and from our city office jobs on a daily basis. Instead we got peak hour and road rage. Television was soon to become the new dawning of global awareness and equality. Instead we got spoonfed so-called reality where a dozen undesirable layabout lustbuckets bicker and drink free beer that arrives through a hole in the wall. Even newspapers nowadays are owned and manipulated according to political allegience, determined to defend personal financial interests above bipartisan reporting.
And I am supposed to jump up and down and say "yippee! the networked economy is here at last, what a wondrous and glorious time to come." Phooey to that I say! Yes, cyberspace can be a forum for great and beneficial change and opportunity, but that would probably involve teaching people how to live in accord with the laws of nature, and who has time for that, we have networking to do. So, like everybody else, I shall probably fasten my seatbelt/straightjacket, ready myself for a G-force induced eating of my own words, and take off into cyberspace. Onward and upward we go.
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