Information Technologies and Social Transformation : Human Attitudes

The Penny Farthing is an appropriate representation of the benefits of Information Technology (IT) to corporate houses and the social development; respectively. 

 Realizing the returns on investments in IT, corporate houses became innovators. Appealing personal utilities and convenience made individuals, early adopters, while the

 Figure 1. A penny Farthing                                     Government, which is the only sector 

                                                                      to care for social development ended as late adopters and laggards.  Government adoption of idea/concept stems from either political considerations or recommendations of advisers. Whilst it is easy to reason the rationale behind politics induced decisions, the latter has to be sufficiently scientific and rational.

        

However, deficiency of intellect, particularly to harness the potentials of IT for societal development is prevalent and blatantly visible at key nodes of the Government. With counsel from such deficient nodes, the benefits of IT to the social sector trails like the farthing (the smaller wheel in figure 1). It is high time that the Government takes bold measures to correct this anomaly.   

             

Information Technologies and societal Transformation had gained attention as early by 1980s in the western world. Kerala, with its distinct social conditions, should lead the nation and set trend in leveraging the benefits of IT for societal development. Gandhiji’s Talisman, when applied in this context, renders any technology that is incapable to address the common mans need; useless.