The power of today is based on info. This is my point or the point I`m trying to make! INFO is the key and we have lots of it. Actually, we have more than we can endure or, even, store, maybe?!? We have so much info nowadays we don't even find use for all of it. We can't process all info at the same speed it is produced. Furthermore, we don't know what to do with so much information. The more info we have the worse our understanding of it becomes. Actually, it becomes meaningless. There is so much info we can't address any meaning to it!
Well, that is not completely true, right? Because, I know and you know that some info, they're just different! It is to be guarded and preserved, NOT SHARED. It is a privilege of some, not because it is special but because these people know what to do with it! It has a meaning to them. It probably is not a great secret or a secret at all. But, still you need to know what it is for, so that you can truly understand its meaning. It's a hierarchy of meaning.
Sociologists often observe the cruel distortions in the division of power amongst societies and have pointed out the obvious paradigm of the involvement of all parts in the society constitution and maintenance.
In order to establish a suitable model of society we have to understand it and participate in it. That implies learning about it, getting involved, and so on. But most people don't want to know everything about all things. They actually feel relieved if somebody could take care of some things for them. That's when protagonism takes over! A few dedicated interested individuals take lead of the situation and, suddenly, power arises.
For centuries, we, humans, have circled around this paradigm, the info. Power has been guided by privileged info.
in times of war -strategic, tactical, military info;
in times of production: inovation, technology, industrial info;
in times of capitalism, consumers, market, trends, capital info; and
in times of globalization, info is lossing its meaning.
Humans have evolved to become intellectuals with LOTS OF INFO but LITTLE INTELLIGENTZIA. The more info humans produce the more they realize they're unable to consume it all and thus most of it is unnecessary. OVERSHARING! Specific info is relevant, but not all info. We need to learn how to filter, screening. Or not!
Just to cite an example, let's take the the social network boom of the 21st century. Orkut, blogs, photologs, myspace, facebook, youtube and so on. Many of these spaces have become virtual info triggering devices for human kind. In these frameworks, people are sharing more than just info. In fact, the info they're sharing is one the least important part of the network. That is why one may find the most absurd declarations, grammar errors, trivial and personal information in these social network websites. Most people that subscribe to this social networks have no commitment with quality of info, reliability of the info, grammar reviews or anything. So, what's the point?
The truth is, this info doesn't matter. It makes no difference. ONE, because they're meant to be like this, just pointless remarks on the virtual web, a twit. And TWO, because most info that makes a difference is not accessible by the internet anyhow, it's not free for download!
Sorry to break it down for you like this, but for a good researcher info is really hard to find, reliable info especially. Sometimes, you need to go back in terms of technology and search for papers and people.
Still, I find it truly interesting how the society of today has found in the internet an outlet to get into the virtual globalized world. Maybe that is why it doesn't have any meaning!
