[-empyre-] Re: developing nations and elitists

[Jun-Ann Lam <jaxal@netspace.net.au>]

Melinda,

Could you tell me which developing nations you have in mind? There are vast
differences between all the developing nations.

Having an extensive mobile network is a result of a government's agenda and
budget priorities and these networks amongst other things can exist whilst
ordinary people in any country including developed/ing nations thrash out a
living just trying to survive and feed themselves, maybe their kids. You
will find that few citizens of developing nations can afford mobile phones,
let alone PDAs or laptops. If many people in these developing nations can
afford technology, it is because their country has recently become or is on
the cusp of becoming developed themselves. (read: high GDP, higher incomes
comparatively - and I'm not talking NY investment banker incomes either.)

And let's not limit our scope to developing nations. The US, long a
developed nation, still struggles to connect most of their population. I
don't know the figures off-hand but the "digital divide" was on the Clinton
agenda.

Notwithstanding the problems associated with the terms "developed" and
"developing" and "first, second and third worlds".

Of unethical nations who do watch their people starve whilst building
advanced digital technology ahead of, let's say, sewerage systems and clean
water, their priorities are often criticised by human rights and ethic
groups.

But hey, globalisation is going to save the world right?

JA