“Why every Australian family needs the internet”

24 Jun 2006

I just had the misfortune of reading possibly the worst digital-divide article ever written. It’s a classic case of damned lies and statistics. Abounding in percentages, unsurprisingly devoid of actual figures, and omitting essential details wherever convenient to blow the problem out of proportion. Yes, there is a problem, yes, it’s bad, yes, it’s systemic and needs addressing at various levels (here’s a hint: throwing resources at people isn’t the solution), and yes, it does exist in Australia. Distill your sensationalist crap down to something as simple as that and I’ll be happy. Until then, go talk to someone who is susceptible to your utterly uninspired pseudo-journalism (presumably because they haven’t been using a computer since age 2, which apparently is crucially detrimental to basic essential numeracy skills).

And don’t start me on the subeditor’s blatant disregard for the Internet’s proper noun-status in that appalling headline.

I’d love to write a provocative, angry, right-wing, insensitive, realistic, statistically-sound, arrogant, and moderately concise book on the digital divide in Australia some time. But, strangely, I can’t be bothered and don’t think I ever will be. Mostly because I know that people are more likely to read articles like that one and do absolutely nothing about it, or carry on doing whatever futile things they were doing before. At some point in time (I ambitiously hope), I’ll be in a position to influence these things as an educator rather than an angry (but relatively well-informed) observer.

Ah, subversion, where would I be without thee?