I am no web utopian

David Weinberger does a great job of responding on his blog to Larry Lessig's Against Transparency article in The New Republic both of which are well worth a read.

While I share David's discomfort at some of what Larry says and agree with his wariness of net triumphalism I can take comfort in not actually being the "web utopian" that David suggests I am. Whenever I get the chance I make a point of saying that I don't believe that the web in itself necessarily makes the world a better place.

It's a bit like thinking that just because you've put in a wiki you've fixed your dysfunctional organisation. It takes much more work than that and while the technology does, I believe, help it just the start - not an end in itself.

Comments

[Erica Packington]

Completely agree - if you aren't having the right kind of conversations within your organisation, then taking that way of relating into different media isn't going to magically "fix" things. Even if the media explicitly encourages participation and engagement etc. If the culture is toxic/closed/repressive, then it will be so whether interactions take place on or offline.

What new "not the ends but the means" technologies might do, because of the nature of some of the new ways of relating that have opened up, is prompt a different type of interaction between people. I think the potential is especially high for interesting interactions between leaders and those they lead. And maybe, it is this difference which can start to bring about cultural and organisational change. So, of course, it isnt about the technology - but it can be through it.

[Alan Bell]

'...while the technology does, I believe, help it just the start - not an end in itself'.

Well put, and applicable wherever technology is used within organisations, not just web technologies etc.

All best,

Alan