David Kreps Blog

Reflections on the Olympics

Population of China :
=================
1,330,869,743

The West?
========
Population of EU:491,018,677
US-304,089,248
Canada-31,612,897
Austrasia-20,325,926+4,116,900
South Africa-46,586,607
Japan-127,756,815

TOTAL: 978,920,463

in short-hand:
China : 1.3bn
The West: 0.9bn

Stats from http://www.geohive.com/

So, China outnumbers us.

So... why should we expect them to do anything but live up to the style of personal one-to-one interaction that they understand? All they ask is that we respect their cultural 'thang' about FACE. We (especially Bush, have been blowing off in their FACE) and they are begging us, 'don't give us any more trouble - we are in China'.

But, on the other hand, the Last Great Police State, already economically conquered, is finally beginning to waver politically in the swirl of the information society. This is a phenomenon that knows no geographical limits - and perhaps needs only to complete its global ubiquitous-ness before it begins to expand its cloak of satellites beyond the orbit of the earth and out into the inky blackness, perhaps with a more culturally integrated voice... ..albeit that that cultural integration may hide many unique flavours behind its standard salt & vinegar...

It seems the choice for all of us has been made. Globally, we live in a transnational capitalist economy, and pray that the survival of the planet will be profitable. Global integrity sufficient to create a globally interoperable ubiquitous computing environment will require that we continue along cultural lines already in play for decades, centuries, even millenia of tradition, as the legs upon which new heads stand. On the other hand, large scale systems, after all, set parameters for cultural expression and identity. So the truly ubiquitous computing environment in which transnational capitalism can maximise eCommerce will be both globally immersive, leaving no virtual pioneering territory without flag or brand, and inclusive, ensuring soy and ginger flavoured crisps, too.....

The Olympics brought the eye of global infotainment to China, and 1.1billion people will never be the same.

 

 

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