Following the talk by Zeynep Tufekci and Evgeny Morozov, roundtable 6 began the second session by discussing the benefits and disadvantages of the “Internet Age”. Benefits included interconnectedness and the speed, access, and wealth of information. The major disadvantage discussed was the disconnect between people. As more and more technology is created, person to person interaction drastically increases. Ultimately, roundtable 6 decided we need a good balance of both technology and personal interaction.
The next question posed was: Should there be an age limit for technology? Surprisingly, most people said yes. One delegate used the analogy of teaching math in school and the use of a calculator. In elementary school, your teachers used to make you practice your multiplication tables and do your math problems by hand, despite the fact a calculator could do the work much quicker. They did this because you much understand the fundamentals of math, so that you can learn more advanced math. Had our elementary school teachers always let us use a calculator, many of us would be handicapped by technology.
Next, Arjun Verma, a senior from Tufts University, presented his paper on mobile phones and their potential to end poverty in the developing world. There are more cell phone users and providers in the developing world than the developed world. The potential for growth is huge. Cellphones broaden a person’s network despite a country’s infrastructure or governance. Through the use of mobile banking and money transferring, people can begin to make smarter choices with their money. This idea has already proven itself in Kenya where the M-Pesa program has integrated banking, telecommunications and micro financing.
Roundtable 6 ended the day’s discussion with a brief look at scarcity. Tomorrow roundtable 6 will begin with the presentation of another delegate’s paper.
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