Communication Technology and the Digital Divide

I thought it was really interesting when we began talking about the digital divide and how globalization is dependent on technology because it related perfectly to an assignment I recently did for my English class. For the assignment I had to give up all forms of E-media (Facebook, cellphone, TV, etc.) for 48 hours and then write a paper about my experience. Without the use of E-media I felt disconnected from my friends and what was going on in the world. There was no instant gratification, if I wanted to know what was going on my only source of information was the newspaper. Providing such a contrast from my normal daily routine I was able to see how much we really do depend on communication technology. Without access to E-media I missed out on several events on campus and had a lot of difficulty doing my French homework, which required me to research the French school system.

When an entire country or region (such as a developing country) experiences this separation from modern technology, I can understand why it becomes basically impossible for them to be a part of the global economy, which relies so heavily on communication technology. In this modern age, if a country wants to be part of this global sphere they must be able to instantaneously communicate with people around the world and keep themselves updated minute-by-minute with what is going on in the world.

We also discussed how some cultures are resistant to new communication technology because they believe it will negatively change their culture and way of life. In some ways this new technology does take away our personal connections to family and friends, culture and possibly religion. Rather than talking to a friend face to face, you might email them or post something on their Facebook wall. Although this communication technology does take some things away, I think what it gives outweighs these subtractions. With Facebook, email and text messaging I feel like I am more in touch with friends and what is going on around the world. Facebook allows me to see what is going on in the lives of my friends in France and Qatar who I otherwise would not be able to talk to on a regular basis. For example, last week when I was doing research on the French school system and I was having trouble finding good information, I quickly and conveniently sent my French friend a message on Facebook asking her about it. This way I was able to get the information from a direct source, rather than some article on Wikipedia. I never would have been able to do this if it weren't for communication technology. In this way, E-media brings people from across the world closer together.