Khan Academy is another example of our flat world, a term coined by Pulitzer-prize winning author Thomas Friedman in the book titled The World is Flat.
A simple yet brilliant concept, Salman Khan's initiative has made math learning easy and fun for kids all around the world at the comfort of their home or wherever they are.
Mr. Friedman in his book emphasized about the value of science and technology. He lamented how the kids in the U.S. have fallen behind kids from other countries in this area. The problem, perhaps, is not that the kids are not learning. But why they are not learning?
The education system in the U.S. is complicated and convulted with bureaucratic measures. Unless and until we untangle this mess, the kids in the U.S. will continue to be at a disadvantage of not using their full potential.
Mr. Khan's idea, at least, for now brings the world of learning together. The learning at the Khan Academy is very intuitive and interactive. As an adult, I have learned a lot as I am surviving my micro economics class in my master's program in public policy.
All of us should bask in the glory of this brilliant invention. And learn. The link to Khan Academy and a PSA follow:
http://www.khanacademy.org/
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Public Safety and Technology: an integrated approach to enrich communities and cities
The growth and invention of technology continue to benefit many aspects of our lives. One such area is public safety. Protecting public from natural disasters to terrorist attacks, public safety has become a key policy issue. Both government and private initiatives are underway these days to leverage technology in developing effective public safety measures. Modernizing and updating advanced computer system and utilizing trained professional to protect public have become a top priority for government, NGOs, and private sector businesses.
The following video shows a brief analysis from an IBM expert on the issue of technology and public safety.
The following video shows a brief analysis from an IBM expert on the issue of technology and public safety.
Spectrum: a new frontier of technology and net neutrality
Dr. Lawrence Summers gave an insightful speech on spectrum at the New America Foundation.
The link follows:
http://wirelessfuture.newamerica.net/events/2010/technological_opportunities_job_creation_and_economic_growth
Courtesy: New America Foundation
The link follows:
http://wirelessfuture.newamerica.net/events/2010/technological_opportunities_job_creation_and_economic_growth
Courtesy: New America Foundation
Market System: how it influences our behavior
Let me be the devil’s advocate. Advertisers are a byproduct of the powerful manufacturers. According to Ewen’s 1976 article, the underlying idea of advertising in a market system is to create desires and habits of people to increase consumption. I agree with his theory. Because we live in a market system that voluntarily or involuntarily paralyzes us by limiting our choices to make decisions about what to buy, eat, wear, and so on. Enter advertisers who are the master manipulators of our psyche. But their purpose also focuses on the “education to production” (p. 36). The market system imprisons us. As Lindblom (1982) says that our democracy today is joined hand-in-hand with the market system. Furthermore, to achieve a full democracy, we’d need to eliminate the market system. Arguments abound against Lindblom’s theory.
Polley (1990) used a great quote of engineering of consent. It says that the engineering of consent “is the very essence of the democratic process, the freedom to persuade and suggest. The freedoms of speech … which make the engineering of consent possible are among the most cherished guarantees of the ‘Constitution of the United States’” (p. 89).
It is, therefore, inherent in our system that people are going be informed, educated, and persuaded and that we are limited in our legal and moral capacities to prevent it from happening. As Lindblom aptly added, “Our dilemma or difficulties are extraordinary – and are not clarified for us by the current state of either of market theory or democratic theory” (p. 332).
If market can provide what we need, we ought to accept it but certainly not by compromising our cognitive power and moral stance. If we see something detrimental against our well-being, we have the power in this democratic process to speak up. The very notion of freedom of speeches also empowers us as citizens. While the powerful companies have the leverage of engineering consent, we also have the power to frame issues to claim our well-being.
But, perhaps, we also need to acknowledge, or at the very least, consider, the fact that the “… market system imprisons policy. And we are less free … such are the inevitable consequences of imprisonment” (Lindblom, 1982, p. 336).
Polley (1990) used a great quote of engineering of consent. It says that the engineering of consent “is the very essence of the democratic process, the freedom to persuade and suggest. The freedoms of speech … which make the engineering of consent possible are among the most cherished guarantees of the ‘Constitution of the United States’” (p. 89).
It is, therefore, inherent in our system that people are going be informed, educated, and persuaded and that we are limited in our legal and moral capacities to prevent it from happening. As Lindblom aptly added, “Our dilemma or difficulties are extraordinary – and are not clarified for us by the current state of either of market theory or democratic theory” (p. 332).
If market can provide what we need, we ought to accept it but certainly not by compromising our cognitive power and moral stance. If we see something detrimental against our well-being, we have the power in this democratic process to speak up. The very notion of freedom of speeches also empowers us as citizens. While the powerful companies have the leverage of engineering consent, we also have the power to frame issues to claim our well-being.
But, perhaps, we also need to acknowledge, or at the very least, consider, the fact that the “… market system imprisons policy. And we are less free … such are the inevitable consequences of imprisonment” (Lindblom, 1982, p. 336).
Friday, October 15, 2010
Public Transportation: a policy paradox
The 2010 snowstorms shutdown government for four days, almost a full working week. The snowstorm was so severe that some counties even shut down the snowplowing operations.
Someone like me who uses public transportation can only understand the limitation of human intellect and the power of technology against the elements of weather. The effect of not having a public transportation puzzled me more than anything else about our policies on government spending on public transportation.
First, let me explain the effect of lack of public transportation. I live in Arlington, a suburb in the Northern Virginia, and near a major public transportation thoroughfare – Columbia Pike. The weather, instead of dampening my spirit, invigorated me to step outside and take long walks along Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive to see the might and awe of the blizzard.
Furthermore, a keen interest in photography motivated me not to become a victim of the cabin fever. Because of its close proximity to DC and a strategic transportation value, Arlington did not suffer the fate of a county or a city far removed from DC or situated deeper into Virginia suburbs where the blizzard cast its biting effect on people.
Let’s shift gear to politics. The U.S. continues to enjoy a higher gross domestic product (GDP) per person than its European counterpart. The trend has remained this way since 1950 although the European Union has claimed sporadic higher growth rates. But the overall GDP per capita remains in favor of the U.S. Does the higher GDP mean higher quality of life? It is certainly arguable. According to a report by The Economist (2005), the U.S. GDP does not take into account of the quality of life that the people in Europe enjoy.
For example, the U.S. government spends more on roads and infrastructures to compensate for the lack of adequate public transportation, causing people to spend more on goods and services. This spending raises the GDP but not the convenience, nor the benefit of the mass public transportation system. Another factor that contributes to U.S. GDP is the purchases of home security devices. Because of higher crime rates, people in the U.S. spend more on the home security. Gone is the peace of mind (2005).
Could a sound transportation policy have stopped the blizzard and the shutdown? Probably not. But after the blizzard people would have more places to go. More subways, trolleys, and buses would have hummed along the neighborhood streets without shedding an ounce of carbon emission to the environment. I call it a quality of life.
The nature’s fury did not bring the government to its knees. Politics of indifference did.
Someone like me who uses public transportation can only understand the limitation of human intellect and the power of technology against the elements of weather. The effect of not having a public transportation puzzled me more than anything else about our policies on government spending on public transportation.
First, let me explain the effect of lack of public transportation. I live in Arlington, a suburb in the Northern Virginia, and near a major public transportation thoroughfare – Columbia Pike. The weather, instead of dampening my spirit, invigorated me to step outside and take long walks along Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive to see the might and awe of the blizzard.
Furthermore, a keen interest in photography motivated me not to become a victim of the cabin fever. Because of its close proximity to DC and a strategic transportation value, Arlington did not suffer the fate of a county or a city far removed from DC or situated deeper into Virginia suburbs where the blizzard cast its biting effect on people.
Let’s shift gear to politics. The U.S. continues to enjoy a higher gross domestic product (GDP) per person than its European counterpart. The trend has remained this way since 1950 although the European Union has claimed sporadic higher growth rates. But the overall GDP per capita remains in favor of the U.S. Does the higher GDP mean higher quality of life? It is certainly arguable. According to a report by The Economist (2005), the U.S. GDP does not take into account of the quality of life that the people in Europe enjoy.
For example, the U.S. government spends more on roads and infrastructures to compensate for the lack of adequate public transportation, causing people to spend more on goods and services. This spending raises the GDP but not the convenience, nor the benefit of the mass public transportation system. Another factor that contributes to U.S. GDP is the purchases of home security devices. Because of higher crime rates, people in the U.S. spend more on the home security. Gone is the peace of mind (2005).
Could a sound transportation policy have stopped the blizzard and the shutdown? Probably not. But after the blizzard people would have more places to go. More subways, trolleys, and buses would have hummed along the neighborhood streets without shedding an ounce of carbon emission to the environment. I call it a quality of life.
The nature’s fury did not bring the government to its knees. Politics of indifference did.
The U.S. Army's Role in Afghanistan: a paradigm shift
The U.S. Army is changing. All battles cannot be won by force alone, argued Rohde (2007). A paradigm shift is taking place where fire power has dominated the military culture. Places like Afghanistan poses various challenges for the U.S. forces that were not quite understood or known before. The local culture must be learned and the locals must me engaged.
Rohde (2007) mentioned that the Army has begun to examine the war in Afghanistan from “human” point of view. “We are not focused on the enemy. We’re focused on bringing down governance to the people.”
The venerable institution has recruited anthropologist and social scientists to replace where M-16s won’t get the job done. These social scientists are responsible for enhancing “military operations and strategy.” For example, the army personnel now work with local tribal councils or jirgas to establish a strategic link between the local community and the armed forces.
The Army is also working to improve the economic conditions of the communities in Afghanistan. According to Atran (2004), poverty is one of the leading reasons among the insurgents and youth to become so-called terrorist.
The Foreign Affairs reported that the Army is no longer focusing on the war in Afghanistan on political and social issues. It is now undertaking to focus on the economic factors, a notion known as “expeditionary economics.”
According to The Foreign Affairs, this theory offers post-war strategy to rebuild war-torn nations and to facilitate international aid to promote economic growth. The economic factor is central to the success of this theory. Atran (2004) noted that the root causes of terrorism stem from poverty, social dysfunction, and inadequate education.
Rohde (2007) illustrated a brilliant example where economic distress is directly related to insurgency. Many widows in Afghanistan’s remote villages are economically distressed. This puts pressure on the sons of many of these widows to join insurgency because of monetary incentives offered by the local insurgents.
The paradigm shift offers a solid bridge between the insertions of social scientists into war zone and resolving economic and social crisis in Afghanistan. This will also help rebuild the war-torn country’s political structure. A recent report by Seth Johns of The Foreign Affairs supports what Rohde describes in his article about Army’s cooperation with the local tribes or jirgas.
Johns (2010) said that building a central government in Afghanistan alone will further destabilize the country. It must be aligned with decentralized form of power among the tribal leaders. The former is a top-down approach and the latter is a bottom-up approach. To achieve balance in Afghanistan’s governance, both must be installed.
Bernard Lewis (1995) concluded in his article nearly two decades ago that “something deeper” is in the works within the roots of Islamic terrorism. The idea of resolving poverty through innovative policy and retooling existing U.S. institutions might have just unearthed Lewis’ unfounded “something deeper.”
Rohde (2007) mentioned that the Army has begun to examine the war in Afghanistan from “human” point of view. “We are not focused on the enemy. We’re focused on bringing down governance to the people.”
The venerable institution has recruited anthropologist and social scientists to replace where M-16s won’t get the job done. These social scientists are responsible for enhancing “military operations and strategy.” For example, the army personnel now work with local tribal councils or jirgas to establish a strategic link between the local community and the armed forces.
The Army is also working to improve the economic conditions of the communities in Afghanistan. According to Atran (2004), poverty is one of the leading reasons among the insurgents and youth to become so-called terrorist.
The Foreign Affairs reported that the Army is no longer focusing on the war in Afghanistan on political and social issues. It is now undertaking to focus on the economic factors, a notion known as “expeditionary economics.”
According to The Foreign Affairs, this theory offers post-war strategy to rebuild war-torn nations and to facilitate international aid to promote economic growth. The economic factor is central to the success of this theory. Atran (2004) noted that the root causes of terrorism stem from poverty, social dysfunction, and inadequate education.
Rohde (2007) illustrated a brilliant example where economic distress is directly related to insurgency. Many widows in Afghanistan’s remote villages are economically distressed. This puts pressure on the sons of many of these widows to join insurgency because of monetary incentives offered by the local insurgents.
The paradigm shift offers a solid bridge between the insertions of social scientists into war zone and resolving economic and social crisis in Afghanistan. This will also help rebuild the war-torn country’s political structure. A recent report by Seth Johns of The Foreign Affairs supports what Rohde describes in his article about Army’s cooperation with the local tribes or jirgas.
Johns (2010) said that building a central government in Afghanistan alone will further destabilize the country. It must be aligned with decentralized form of power among the tribal leaders. The former is a top-down approach and the latter is a bottom-up approach. To achieve balance in Afghanistan’s governance, both must be installed.
Bernard Lewis (1995) concluded in his article nearly two decades ago that “something deeper” is in the works within the roots of Islamic terrorism. The idea of resolving poverty through innovative policy and retooling existing U.S. institutions might have just unearthed Lewis’ unfounded “something deeper.”
Saving Energy At Home: advice from an expert
Saving environment has become a everyday mantra these days. YouTube recently posted an interview with Energy Secretary Steven Chu. He discusses various ways we can make our home enery efficient.
Here's an YouTube video of that interview:
Here's an YouTube video of that interview:
SSSHHH, Be Quiet: a new requirement for technology
We are surrounded by sounds in our daily lives. Some, if not most, of them are outright noisy, a category that over burdens our lives.
What can be done to reduce the noise level? Will it be economically and technologically viable, cost efficient? Will it leave us at peace, meaning will it maximize our utility of having a serene environment around us? Who will pay for the ultimate cost? What will be the trade off for us and the businesses?
The following article appeared in The Economist on this topic.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/10/noise_reduction
Courtesy: The Economist
What can be done to reduce the noise level? Will it be economically and technologically viable, cost efficient? Will it leave us at peace, meaning will it maximize our utility of having a serene environment around us? Who will pay for the ultimate cost? What will be the trade off for us and the businesses?
The following article appeared in The Economist on this topic.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/10/noise_reduction
Courtesy: The Economist
Improving DC Metro's School System: post-Chancellor Rhee era
Chancellor Rhee is leaving after a tumultuous three something years to improve DC's school system, an improbable task to turn around a system rife with bureaucratic inertia, inefficiency, bad teachers, inflated budget, and nasty DC politics in any amount of time.
On one hand, the DC school system needed someone as committed as her to do something for the kids. On the other, the very DC politicians who brought her would not let her stay to do her job.
She is smart, witty, ambitious, and hard-core. What's wrong with that? She did not want to mix politics with the future of the kids. But this is Washington, DC. A city where politics supersedes everything else. Even as critical and tender an issue as the future of the kids.
On the eve of her departure, a report came out today in The Washington Post about how to improve DC Metro's school system. It is an interesting and insightful study about economic integration as a tool to improve the performance of the students. But this is just a study. Policy decisions would come later. Much later after Chancellor Rhee has left town.
Here's a link to this study:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/14/AR2010101407577_pf.html
Courtesy: The Washington Post
On one hand, the DC school system needed someone as committed as her to do something for the kids. On the other, the very DC politicians who brought her would not let her stay to do her job.
She is smart, witty, ambitious, and hard-core. What's wrong with that? She did not want to mix politics with the future of the kids. But this is Washington, DC. A city where politics supersedes everything else. Even as critical and tender an issue as the future of the kids.
On the eve of her departure, a report came out today in The Washington Post about how to improve DC Metro's school system. It is an interesting and insightful study about economic integration as a tool to improve the performance of the students. But this is just a study. Policy decisions would come later. Much later after Chancellor Rhee has left town.
Here's a link to this study:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/14/AR2010101407577_pf.html
Courtesy: The Washington Post
The Chilean Rescue Operation: more stories
The following is a list of more rescue stories of the Chilean miners from The Washington Post.
Main story page:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2010/10/chilean_miner_live_timeline_of.html
Photos:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/08/23/GA2010082303325.html?hpid=topnews
Live Coverage:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2005/04/12/VI2005041201139.html?hpid=topnews
Story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/12/AR2010101206452.html?hpid=topnews
Interactive timeline:
http://www.dipity.com/washingtonpost/Chilean-Miner-Rescue_1
Courtesy: The Washington Post
Main story page:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2010/10/chilean_miner_live_timeline_of.html
Photos:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/08/23/GA2010082303325.html?hpid=topnews
Live Coverage:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2005/04/12/VI2005041201139.html?hpid=topnews
Story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/12/AR2010101206452.html?hpid=topnews
Interactive timeline:
http://www.dipity.com/washingtonpost/Chilean-Miner-Rescue_1
Courtesy: The Washington Post
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Chilean Rescue Operation: more stories
The following is a link to more stories, images, and videos from MSNBC.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38834902/displaymode/1247?beginSlide=1
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38834902/displaymode/1247?beginSlide=1
Cybersecurity in the U.S.: challenges and policy implication
I have been reading and thinking about this topic, which poses a real threat to the national and economic securities of this country.
The threat itself is not so imminent. But what is worrisome is the magnitude of such a threat if it materializes. The potential danger for the U.S. is its inability to identify effective plans required to combat cyberthreats. Technical means are less of a concern in this regard. But the bureaucratic inertia is.
Another issue is global agreement on the boundaries of information- and technology-sharing efforts by the participating countries to tackle cyberterrorism.
There are host of other issues. And they need to be scrutinized before a smart malware like Stuxnet cripples our infrastructure.
The following is an article by Ilan Berman on this topic which appreared in Forbes.com blog.
http://blogs.forbes.com/ilanberman/2010/10/11/adrift-in-cyberspace/?boxes=Homepagechannels
The threat itself is not so imminent. But what is worrisome is the magnitude of such a threat if it materializes. The potential danger for the U.S. is its inability to identify effective plans required to combat cyberthreats. Technical means are less of a concern in this regard. But the bureaucratic inertia is.
Another issue is global agreement on the boundaries of information- and technology-sharing efforts by the participating countries to tackle cyberterrorism.
There are host of other issues. And they need to be scrutinized before a smart malware like Stuxnet cripples our infrastructure.
The following is an article by Ilan Berman on this topic which appreared in Forbes.com blog.
http://blogs.forbes.com/ilanberman/2010/10/11/adrift-in-cyberspace/?boxes=Homepagechannels
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Chilean Miners Are Home Free: a video from YouTube
The miners, all 33, are home free after 69 days trapped 2300 feet below earth's surface. Their ordeal is going to be a stuff of legend for a long time to come. But their perseverence and will to survive transcends human limits.
Welcome home! Here's an YouTube video of the rescue mission:
Welcome home! Here's an YouTube video of the rescue mission:
The Rescue Video: the Chilean rescue operation
The following is a collection of the rescue videos of the trapped miners in Chile from MSNBC (as of this posting). More videos from other sources will follow.
MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39632101#39632101
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39632101#39652966
All of the above video courtesy: MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39632101#39652966
On psychology of the trapped miners:
All of the above video courtesy: MSNBC
The Scale and Scope of Technology
Scale of the automobile industry in the U.S.
The early automobile creations were a result of individual curiosity and creativity. But personal creativity gave away to the need for technologically advanced car. Enter Ford and General Motors (GM). Both companies introduced two fundamentally different, yet economically convergent, business strategies to define the way businesses should be run. Ford introduced the idea of mass production while GM introduced mass marketing.
Four ideologies that continue to define and refine technology. They are: scale, values, system, and externalities. Ford’s success of mass production in the U.S. market, I’d argue, has been intrinsically related to a value system – the way American people saw and thought about cars – that exemplified the U.S. U.S. U.S. America U.S. and Europe should manifest further research on the success of mass production of Ford.
GM used mass appeal to persuade American people to buy cars. The introduction of General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) is an example of creating credit system to help consumers to buy cars. Both philosophies paved the way for the U.S.
Automobiles and the Food System in Modern America
In the movie, “Food, Inc.” Michael Pollan, the author of “Fast Food Nation” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” said in a very matter-of-factly fashion that the nation’s food industry is a “world deliberately hidden from us.” His statement hit the very core of the business ethics of our food industry. The powerful food industry much like the auto industry depends on a system that relies on controlling the variables of their business operations to make profits in billions at the expense of the consumers.
Control is key to mass production. Ford immortalized the concept. The food industry mastered it. In the process, we see that the movie distinguished between a farm and factory. Farms have become factories of mass production. The waitresses on roller blades served hamburgers. No more. Human creativity gave in to the assembly line production, reducing creativity to a single, monotonous, and repetitive work. The purpose was to cut cost, reduce labor, and employ less-skilled workers.
Today, McDonald’s Corporation is the largest buyer of beef, pork, and potatoes in the U.S. McDonalds has become a pop culture and an identity. In the outside world, McDonald’s hamburgers conjure up images of America
Carole Morison, a chicken farmer said bluntly that the chicken farmers are “like being slave to the company.” The company implies to one of the four biggest meat producing companies that control 80% of the meat supplies.
Unintended consequences of the business practices of these corporations are enormous. On one hand, undocumented workers pay the ultimate price of being caught, detained, and deported. On the other, disease like e-coli costs human life. Both consequences extend beyond the domestic policy arena. Immigration policy has long been an issue to control and legalize undocumented workers who enter the U.S.
The organic farmer Joel Salatin (Food, Inc.) summed up the cheap food we pay at the fast-food restaurants. He described the cheap food as “mystic of cheap food.” The unintended cost of poor health and degradation of environment are simply too high. He laments that the food industry lost its “accountability” and “integrity.” And he urges that the “controlling mentality” of these large corporations must end.
Hassan (2005) mentioned that the farmers are no longer the producing “food.” They are, instead, producing “raw materials” for the big corporations.
Devaluation of what we believe in and what and how we eat is on the rise.
Technological Choices, Sponsors, and Politics
I find the role of sponsorship is a fascinating topic to discuss and argue the sponsors set the tone of what and how technology should be used.
In much of what we do in our daily lives revolve around decision-making processes, from personal to politics. The sponsors of technology are not just a group of people; they are members of a “club,” as Mel Gibson says in the movie Who Killed the Electric Car. Their club holds power and influence to control their agenda. Their power and influence are deep-rooted in political arena. They dictate their interest, both subjective and objective. Subjective interests are “social arrangements and policies” that impact people’s lives and objective interests are actions that meet people’s needs (Stone, 2002).
A recent article in last week’s The Washington Post caught my attention. The article is about the next generation vending machines. The National Automated Merchandising Association (NAMA) is positioning some of hi-tech these vending machines in none other than the Capitol, the epicenter and source of power and influence of the sponsors. These hi-tech vending machines are outfitted with i-pod like interface to select products from a large number of choices.
A congressional staffer Erin Ward was quoted as saying "The Association of Truck Stop Operators' pie reception was up there,” (Hesse 2010). Companies are flocking to where their products have the greatest source of positioning power. It’s nothing wrong. Innovation is the prime source of employment. As companies mature, their relative strength to provide employment goes down. But the point of this example is how sponsors are making sure that their products do not undercut their intentions and intended consequences.
The sponsors have become much too powerful to dictate the market. They are also incredibly resourceful and effective. They have also become highly “accessible” to the government. Furthermore, these groups have considerable power and significance in policy debates (Gormley and Balla 2008).
Controlling Technology: the "good," "right," and "us"
The Super Bowl commercials draw just about the same anticipation among the viewers as the event itself. The Super Bowl no longer hosts a football game. It fills consumer appetite for commercialism by displaying an array of jazzy brand new hot-off-the-press advertisements for various everyday products that consume our lives. Big sponsors (i.e. big corporations) shell out millions of dollars for a mere 30-second spot.
During the last Super Bowl, Pepsi decided to spend its money elsewhere – in charity advertising. According to The Economist (Feb. 13, 2010), the cola giant started a new campaign called “Refresh Everything,” a grant-giving initiative to charities of choice of people through online voting. The grants range from $5000 to $250,000. This is a classic example of cause marketing for Pepsi, which is attempting to “win customers by ostentatiously doing good” (p. 68).
Hans (1973) talked about Kant’s Categorical Imperative (CI). The essence of CI is the universal acceptance of morality. According to Hans, the theory argues the universal morality through reasoning. And reasoning leads to “include future Wholeness of Man among the objects of your will” (p. 44). Reason provides a high degree of accuracy and completeness. Kant provided three maxims of CI: first, we do the morally “right” thing without any precondition; second, we should do what is “right” and that our act should be the “ends” toward others and not the “means” and third, the morale of our act should be universal (Wikipedia).
The argument here is between “right” and “good.” Kant’s CI suggested that “right” should be the norm over “good.” A “right” act is morally higher than a “good” act because a “right” act focuses on others whereas a “good” act represents self-interest (Wikipedia). Hans (1973) mentioned that Kant’s CI was an individual-oriented theory where a person consider his or her action as universal if he or she acted on the basis of the moral maxims (p. 44). Furthermore, Hans argued in favor of Kant’s idea of “all.” He mentioned, “The new imperative invokes a different consistency: not that of the act with itself, but that of its eventual effects with the continuance of human agency in times to come” (p. 45).
Propaganda and Masses: the art and power of persuasion
The power of propaganda to move the masses is a fascinating topic. Edward Bernays, who was the nephew of Sigmund Freud, mastered his uncle’s theory of mass behavior, which implies that people have uncontrollable inner forces. Bernays took it to heart and single-handedly created human “desires” and “needs.” He deftly manipulated the psychology of people – that we like to be seen as what others think of us.
His power of propaganda liberated women in early 1900s through the campaign of “Freedom of Torches.” The businessmen used his ideas of human appeal after FDR was re-elected in 1936 to defend their interest against FDR’s notion of social actions and government power. The result was a successful World Fair. To promote the fair, Bernays used the message that democracy only survives in capitalism. GM used massive parades of cars cross country to promote not just cars but manufactured needs and desires of people.
Jospeh Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, adored Bernays’ ideals and FDR’s New Deal. He orchestrated the unity of mass through effective propaganda messages and techniques. Despite the atrocities and painful consequences of his brutal actions, Hitler’s use of propaganda to unite people remains a captivating issue.
Here’s a link to a brilliant documentary called “The Triumph of Will.” It shows the persuasive power of Hitler’s propaganda.
On Lindblom: markets and politics
Charles Lindblom in his book “The Market System” pointed out that “governmental activities are necessary to make a market system flourish” (2001). It’d be hard to argue with his claim. The politicians and business people share a common principle: control. The politicians seek re-election and business people profit. Both parties convey their messages to public for a singular purpose: to persuade. We see and hear often of the products “new and improved.” Yet we hardly know what so “new” and “improved” about those products (Lindblom, 2001, p. 214). Politicians point their fingers, saying “I will not raise your taxes,” only to seek our votes. Throughout the history, Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao used effective propaganda techniques to control the masses (2001). And in most cases public hardly understood or knew the power of their messengers. They submitted to their messages subconsciously, without any preconception and judgment.
And the elites simply take advantage of that.
Often the intent of the politicians and marketers is to confuse people through misinformation and “obfuscation.” Lindblom wrote, “Elite attempts to control mass antedate the the rise of the market system and the rise of democracy” (p. 223). He went on to invoke our Founding Fathers’ intention to control the masses. One of the reasons elites, the politicians, exert their influence and control on masses is to distinguish themselves from the mass. They see the mass as disadvantaged. They preach virtues like inequality, loyalty, trust, faith. According to Lindblom these messages are nothing but a “formula for mass deference to elites.”
The marketers and business people induce the masses to buy more. The implicit message is “save less” (Lindblom, 2001, p. 215). The purpose, Lindblom, of their message is to protect their “own wealth” (p. 215).
As we see in the in the video “Century of the Self” Edward Bernays exploited the uncontrollable inner desire of the masses. But we can also argue that people are capable of making rational decisions. George Gallup, as we see in the video, argued for this thought and he disagreed with Bernays. Public brought the tobacco companies to their knees.
We are not as powerless nor are we as ignorant as the politicians and the businesses think. We are, perhaps, just naïve.
Survival of the Fittest: the Chilean miners emerge from below
The Chilean miners (12 so far as of this writing) have emerged from their entrapment below the surface. Their ordeal for the last two months has captivated the world. The mission to save them has already become a stuff of legend, having been compared to the Apollo 13 mission, and has received (reportedly) movie rights to Hollywood. President Pinero of Chile might have very well saved his presidency. The media have discovered something to sell for a while.
But at the core of all these are the miners. How has the event changed them? What psychological impact this event will have on them? Will they remain the same – the average blue-collar poor miners? Or will they become awash with their new-found celebrity? Can they handle the media? Can they manage their finance from the offers of movie rights and other sources? Can they escape the envy of their family and friends?
What will become of them six months from now when the excitement subsides?
These miners deserve compassion and support in their post-fame lives just as the support they are getting now. They are not rocket scientists. They are poor miners with very little formal education. But that does not mean they deserve any less. They don’t need pity and patronizing.
They just need to get their life back.
Watch the rescue video of the first six miners:
Source: The Washington Post
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Climate: a hot policy topic
Climate is a hot policy topic. What do we do to reduce pollution and carbon emission? At what cost? What are the alternatives to fossil fuel? Which alternative would have the best possible outcome relative to cost? A lot progresses have been made during the last 10 years -- efforts by industrialized nations to cut emission, private entrepreneurships to mass produce electric cars, public education about recycling. But a lot more need to be done. These progresses encompass one key accomplishment -- change of our behavior. But we need to do more and learn more.
The following two sites provide resourceful information on climate issues.
The following two sites provide resourceful information on climate issues.
An interactive website on carbon emission by different countries.
Source: The Washington Post
A website on climate policy issues. Users will have access to many articles and research papers on climate policy.
Source: RealClimateEconomics.org
Technology As We See IT
This week's IT news are on the following two areas.
3D TV
http://www.icasit.org/ecommerce/3dtv.html
http://www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/enginuity/issue1/article5.html
http://www.3dglasses.com/whats3d.htm
http://news.cnet.com/Forget-the-glasses-3D-monitors-ready-now/2100-1041_3-6081242.html
Disaster preparedness/recovery
http://www.itstrategycenter.com/networkcomputing/Threat/preparedness/preparing_for_disaster/
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/disaster.cfm
http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1313
http://www.disaster-resource.com/
3D TV
http://www.icasit.org/ecommerce/3dtv.html
http://www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/enginuity/issue1/article5.html
http://www.3dglasses.com/whats3d.htm
http://news.cnet.com/Forget-the-glasses-3D-monitors-ready-now/2100-1041_3-6081242.html
Disaster preparedness/recovery
http://www.itstrategycenter.com/networkcomputing/Threat/preparedness/preparing_for_disaster/
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/disaster.cfm
http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1313
http://www.disaster-resource.com/
Snippets: news on technology
Snippet # 1
The New York Times, October 12, 2010
Topic:
Green technology
Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/science/earth/12wind.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
Description:
Google and a New York-based financial firm have invested $5 billion to develop “windfarms” in the Atlantic Seaboard area to produce renewable energy. The initiative could pave the way for developing a sustainable windpower technology. One highlight of this initiative is its global outreach. A Japanese firm has joined the project by undertaking a 10 percent stake of the $5 billion investment. The project is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of electrical power. Because this initiative is new, several experts are anticipating bureaucratic delays in implementing this project.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because projects like this set an example of the benefits gained from sustainable and renewable energy in the long run to reduce carbon emission and pollution in the atmosphere.
Snippet # 2
Wired, September 27, 2010
Topic:
Green technology (electric car)
Link:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/ff_tesla/
Description:
The article describes how Mr. Musk has transformed his idea of developing electric cars for the masses. Once again, the story here has footprints of global cooperation. With the help of Toyota, Mr. Musk has now a massive factory to produce electric cars. Without it, producing electric cars for the masses would have been impossible because the size and scope of the project are simply too big. Mr. Musk’s idea is threefold: one is to produce electric cars; two is to produce luxury lectric cars to compete with brands like BMW and Mercedes; and third is to mass produce electric cars.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because it tells about the coming-of-age evolution of the electric cars. When the idea of producing electric cars for the masses was crushed in the early 90s, hope seemed to fade out about the future of the electric cars. But they are back.
Snippet # 3
Wired, September 27, 2010
Topic:
Developing countries
Link:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/st_essay_pennies/
Description:
The article describes what can be done to help the developing countries without spending a lot of money. The basic necessities do not cost much in many developing countries and they can be produced at a low cost while maintaining their quality. For example, water filter in India, an essential tool to prevent diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, can be produced and delivered to people at a low cost. But the challenge is to maintain quality and low-cost production. Despite the road blocks, many new entrepreneurs are mass producing basic necessities to the developing countries to save and improve lives.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because it illustrates a story about how the industrialized countries can help the developing ones without spending a lot of money. But the quality cannot and should not be compromised. Because the people in the developing countries deserve better.
The New York Times, October 12, 2010
Topic:
Green technology
Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/science/earth/12wind.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
Description:
Google and a New York-based financial firm have invested $5 billion to develop “windfarms” in the Atlantic Seaboard area to produce renewable energy. The initiative could pave the way for developing a sustainable windpower technology. One highlight of this initiative is its global outreach. A Japanese firm has joined the project by undertaking a 10 percent stake of the $5 billion investment. The project is expected to produce 6,000 megawatts of electrical power. Because this initiative is new, several experts are anticipating bureaucratic delays in implementing this project.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because projects like this set an example of the benefits gained from sustainable and renewable energy in the long run to reduce carbon emission and pollution in the atmosphere.
Snippet # 2
Wired, September 27, 2010
Topic:
Green technology (electric car)
Link:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/ff_tesla/
Description:
The article describes how Mr. Musk has transformed his idea of developing electric cars for the masses. Once again, the story here has footprints of global cooperation. With the help of Toyota, Mr. Musk has now a massive factory to produce electric cars. Without it, producing electric cars for the masses would have been impossible because the size and scope of the project are simply too big. Mr. Musk’s idea is threefold: one is to produce electric cars; two is to produce luxury lectric cars to compete with brands like BMW and Mercedes; and third is to mass produce electric cars.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because it tells about the coming-of-age evolution of the electric cars. When the idea of producing electric cars for the masses was crushed in the early 90s, hope seemed to fade out about the future of the electric cars. But they are back.
Snippet # 3
Wired, September 27, 2010
Topic:
Developing countries
Link:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/st_essay_pennies/
Description:
The article describes what can be done to help the developing countries without spending a lot of money. The basic necessities do not cost much in many developing countries and they can be produced at a low cost while maintaining their quality. For example, water filter in India, an essential tool to prevent diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, can be produced and delivered to people at a low cost. But the challenge is to maintain quality and low-cost production. Despite the road blocks, many new entrepreneurs are mass producing basic necessities to the developing countries to save and improve lives.
Why do I like it:
I like this article because it illustrates a story about how the industrialized countries can help the developing ones without spending a lot of money. But the quality cannot and should not be compromised. Because the people in the developing countries deserve better.
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