New Media Developments

The thirty predictions that Frances Cairncross makes regarding new media trends seem to have a common theme of giving people an opportunity to share their ideas regardless of their nationality, education, age, or occupation...basically all of those socioeconomic status factors. For better or worse, these three stick out:

1. Improved Connections: While improving network connections doesn't seem as progressive or dynamic in comparison to some of the other predictions, having Internet access would be a huge step forward towards industrialization for some still underdeveloped nations. And also, it would be nice to send e-mails home when I'm in rural Khumjung, Nepal this summer (feel free to ask about it).
2. Rebalance of Political Power: This is the reason why I put "for better or worse" before making this list. While the emergence of the Internet has the potential for giving people more access to news, discussion, and alternative views, which is always a positive in making political decisions, there is also the bad. Of course, there will always be 'smear campaigns,' and spinning, but we now have to also put up with mass e-mails filled with outright libel, and with no way of finding out the source of them. No, Obama is not an extremist Muslim, and no McCain did not "rat out" his fellow soldiers during his time as a POW. The problem is that I highly doubt that the people willing to believe these e-mails are going to go research the candidates. On the up side, the people who believe these e-mails probably won't know how to use a computer.
3. Less Need for Immigration and Emigration: No, I'm not a xenophobe. I love the melting pot that is America, but if Cairncross is right, then I think it would be terrific if foreigners could receive good wages and educations from their native homes. I can imagine that it's never nice to grow up thinking that you must move away to become successful. I guess I could say I'm kind of familiar with the feeling, living in Moss Bluff. Believe me, you're not getting rich there.