CYBERCATION
[Cyberspace, Economic and Human Development: The Analogy of]
By Phumelobala Masilela
INTRODUCTION
In the mid nineteen thirties just after the second World War the world especially the United States of America; experienced what was then the worst recession the world had ever experienced and it was coined the Great depression. Almost a century later the Global economy is again hit hard by another recession this time fuelled mainly by the breakdown in the Global financial systems, which started in Wall Street, once again affirming the cliché that when “Wall street sneezes the World catches a cold.” Government always has to play a pro-active role in these situations as they are delicate and also gives a rise to unregulated growth of private entities which in turn promote bubble industries and “too big to fall” companies. A classic case here would the real estate boom in the USA after the great depression; in essence people were extended mortgage or credit they could not really afford, meaning they were leaving beyond their means and this brought about the collaps of financial institutions like the Lehman Brothers; which on their own right were designed in such a way that they were “too big to fall”. This proved to be detrimental as it then ushered us into the second recession.
Well it is true that to revive the economy after an economic breakdown calls for innovative and creative cost cutting measures, increasing profitability, enhancing production, specialization of industries and improving service delivery; but on the same token it is important that economic development is in sync with the development of the people. Economic development should not only enhance the financial standing of the country but also eradicate poverty, develop rural and urban communities, in a nutshell improve the bottom line. This opens up new opportunities, stimulates industry growth and facilitates skill acquisition and development and social mobility. Therefore the approach to economic emancipation should not only be innovative, but also responsible and futuristic.
Swaziland has been one of the countries hard hit by the recession, living conditions worsening, people have less disposable income and the economy is on the threshold of breakdown, the world lament’s our situation; which ever way you look at it, it does not look good. Nonetheless it is encouraging to note that this time we as a nation are willing come out of our comfort zone and tackle the situation head on, so it would be safe to say we can rekindle the light at the end of our tunnel, like the knowledgeable would say “sometimes it needs to get very dark for one to see the stars.” One would actually be astonished by the mammoth opportunity situations like this hand us.
“CYBERCATION”
On that resounding note dear reader I would like us to discuss “CYBERCATION,” as an attempt to analyze the relationship between the cyberspace, economic and human development and the alternatives it avails for today and tomorrow. Cyber means amongst other things computer generated or virtual. Now over the past few decades a lot of computer generated products and services which have given birth to entirely new industries surfaced, but one that unanimously thumbs out from the rest is an invention dating back to 1956 the internet (a world wide system of linked computer networks; Bickerton: 1997) and specifically the world wide web (1992), affectionately known as the Web. Martin Heidegger says that “the web can be understood as a “techné”; that is as a technology that is simultaneously an instrument and an activity through which self and world are cast into sense, thereby transforming “being” in the world.” Part and parcel of the transformative nature of technologies is the manner in which they mythically reveal & frame being – in- the-world through poises or the poetic invocation and representation of self and world. The Web can also be defined as a unique “cultural technology” looking at how it’s different dimensions as a complex come together; with regards to the material mode of production of the Web and it’s content to; the circulation of it’s content in the form of hypertext, images or the streaming of audio and video down to it’s consumption by users in the places of everyday life. The Web revolutionized communication and the spill of effects have been startling. Almost certainly you are directly and indirectly a consumer of this invention in your everyday life, take for instance; social networking, e-commerce, or you are a web developer or just utilize the services of the web to carry through your office or academic work. Fact is you are testament of the benefits and most likely you have heard a lot of debates around this topic.
But I would like us to twitter at this topic once more and try to objectively scrutinize the materialization of the Web on our lives, but this time look at what it is we are not getting right, because in all honesty this is a multi billion dollar industry world wide and Swaziland seems to be missing out on this opportunity. Needless to say this is not only a problem in Swaziland but it seems to a continental problem, see the figure 1.1 below.
I say we are missing out because relatively speaking the infrastructure we have, well might not be up there with the best in the world but it is effective and it is under utilized. Over and above that Web based innovations have proven the ability to steer right through harsh economic conditions. One reason for this might be that there has been virtually no public debate over how it should develop; a consensus of “experts” simply decided that it should be turned over to the market. Indeed the antidemocratic nature of Web policy making is explained or defended on very simple grounds: the web is to be and should be regulated by the free market.
No debate is necessary to establish the market as the reigning regulatory mechanism because the market naturally assumes that role unless the government intervenes and prevents the market from working its magic. In logic as Robert McChenecy puts it “any public debate over web policy can only be counterproductive, because it could only lead us away from a profit driven system. Public meddling would only allow unproductive bureaucrats to interfere with productive market players. This is where it gets tricky because in the introduction we argued that we should not let innovations to grow unregulated and booming to humongous bubble enterprises which bring the whole economy with them when they burst. This leads to the point of the interdependency between the three main concepts under discussion: the cyberspace, economy and human development.
INTERDEPENDENCY
Whether our imaginings of the Web are optimistic or foreboding, the Web can be understood as a space of “Magic” in many ways, but most notably, perhaps, in that it forms a multimediated arena of performance in which identities are staged, negotiated and transformed. Magic for better or worse, pervades the Web- both as a material and symbolic practice of identity transformation, but also as the mythic representation of this transformative capacity. It is because of this reason that web based developments and innovations should have constant interplay with economic and human developments or initiatives.
What good would it bring for us to develop complex programs and software which at the end of the day does not rakes in the Emalangeni or eradicates poverty, bridges the digital divide, smooth out manpower imbalances, avail job opportunities or even improves education and acquisition of skill. This calls for the development of functional web content and also improving access to the much necessary infrastructure and diversification and specialization of existing industries to better position us to reap full benefits from this invention whilst consequently improving our social and economic standing.
Take for instance a certain retailer wants to sell his wares online, he would need a web or software developer to develop the content of the webpage and functionalize the page in such a way that it permits e-tailing services. Once the page ha been posted online the retailers customers who for whatever reason can from the comfort of their home buy whatever they need, cutting down on transport cost and the retailer gets plus points in customer satisfaction which may equate to better profitability prospects and he might just choose a worthy course in his community to give back to or develop.
Important to note is the chained benefit action the web puts in motion. It is true that there maybe flaws in the processes of the Web but they are out rightly ousted by the benefits, so really why should we let this one too just slip through our fingers.
IN CONCLUSION
It is believed that combining the market with the Web, will allow entrepreneurs to compete as never before, offering wonderful new products at even lower prices. It will provide a virtual cornucopia of choices for consumers and even empower people worldwide in a manner previously unimaginable.
How do we go about it in a way that will be beneficial, effective and sustainable? Over the next articles we will discuss in detail the local cyber industry, how government faces the digital divide, in depth analysis of the dependant concepts and also gather opinions from industry players and keep your eyes glued to this space for more interesting and relevant revelations and debate?
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Let’s put heads together again next week.
Thank you…
