Tuesday, June 27, 2006
The High Tech Wealth Gap, Another Leftist Whining Point
The following is a copy of a response I had given recently to a tech newsletter. Regarding concerns of a "digital gap" occurring between those who have and regularly use computer technology and those with "no access" to it:
Some of the (much maligned) "wealthy" have art collections too -- so. This is most definitely another "class warfare" issue. Every time I improve my status or store of goods, some "gap" occurs somewhere when compared to another person who hasn't yet raised the same notch or gained access to the same product. Again -- so. (In numerous instances, I'm on the other side of that "gap" as well -- so, again).
Most of the poor in the U.S. live better than kings of a hundred years ago. Over 95% of America's poor have color televisions – most of them having more than one (must have chose them over computers?).
As a former public school teacher I have to say that using computers in the classroom is greatly overrated and is often merely used as another -- costly -- gimmick to save the teacher from having to actually teach a subject they often aren't educated in themselves.
The computer and internet are fun, interesting, and useful. So are common radios. Soon everyone will have one and then find some other "gap" that defies intellectual's demands that talent, choices, and toys be "distributed equally."
The concept of free access to information would be useless in a society that enforced equal access to everything -- something that can only occur as an act of coercion.
The only real "gap" is the one in capacity for practical appraisal – and in that, the left continues to "fall behind."
