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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>This was just sent to the Community Informatics elist by an old friend/colleague who has been working in the grassroots ICT trenches since there were such and probably before (currently mostly with US Amerindian folks in New Mexico…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It rather sums up my response to Andrew (and I’m looking forward to Andrew’s response to me… i.e. it is isn’t simply about substituting one inadequate system of governance for another one which seems to have its own (and potentially worse sets of inadequacies and limitations) but rather of finding ways forward to deepen and enrich what we already have with what we now have come into possession of…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>M<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Richard Lowenberg [mailto:rl@1st-mile.org] <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 05, 2014 9:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> ciresearchers@vancouvercommunity.net; Don Cameron<br><b>Cc:</b> jlfullsack@orange.fr; gurstein@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [ciresearchers] Global Access to the Internet for All (GAIA) is an IRTF initiative<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Don's good posting has provoked me to add a response that I think is appropriate to this list and its subscribers.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>I'll try to be brief. Language and our use and understanding of it is getting in the way of a fundamental concept.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If we are talking about broadband, and the Internet, and technologies, than I'd generally agree with Don.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>However, I think that something greater is going on. Our tools are merely helping us to extend our sensory minds and bodies.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If we even partially agree with the human/social evolutionary trajectory, that we are developing from agrarian, to industrial and manufacturing, to information and services based, to ecologically intelligent societies (or bust), than this is about more than just the tech. By whatever miraculous reason, humans are increasingly tuning in to the all-permeating and surrounding information ecosystem. The fundamental concept of the Internet is a beautiful evolutionary reality. For the first time in our developmentally complex history, we are growing the means for highly complex inter-personal, and local-global communications networking. We are early into it, and we've never done it before, so we're making many mistakes. We are also growing this technology-facilitated system, with our technical sensory aids, in a time of many other emergent eco-social mistakes, old contrivances, dangerous conflicts and plenty of corruption. We are on a path, a treacherous one, but also a potentially inspiring one. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Just as 'freedom of speech' has become a human right, our ability to be intelligent, open-minded, lifelong-learning, creative and healthily networked people and societies, should be a fundamental human right. The tools (the Internet, fiber-optic and wireless spectrum infrastructure, and the energy and resources saving systems) are our way of 'tuning in'. Amid the treachery and the daunting challenges we face, the potential of a more appropriately and intelligently grown networked society, is a shining light. That's why we are all on this list and doing what we are doing.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Participation in an 'open information and communications environment' ought to be a fundamental human right. We are far from it, and may not get there. Our right to be humane is a much greater eco-social challenge than simply the right to have open networks, and addressing who owns and who rents access to the tools. We have our work cut out for us.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Richard<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>