http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/08/03/connected/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:43:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/08/03/connected/#comment-392445 ModAdmin » Archive » Another batch of out of context cites I like Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:40:09 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3765#comment-392445 [...] Jeff Jarvis: Connectivity is a platform for society. [...] [...] Jeff Jarvis: Connectivity is a platform for society. [...]

]]> http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/08/03/connected/#comment-380223 Carson Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:04:35 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/?p=3765#comment-380223 About ten years ago when the Thai government dredged and straightened the river downstream from Bangkok, the government offered various forms of compensating aid to the rice farmers impacted by this activity: roads, water service, school investments, clinics, etc. The farmers met and returned with the request that the government provide them with cell phones and the ability to get the spot price on rice. They knew they were being taken advantage of by the larger buyers but without information and the ability to communicate more broadly they couldn't get market information and they couldn't find alternative marketing options. Interestingly, they told the government, if they were provided with this service (essentially cell infrastructure), they felt they would be able to afford the other things the government had offered and more -- they wouldn't be nearly as dependent. I was in Thailand not long after this and found this story to be so moving -- and it was fun to hear of the government's surprise at the request: they were surprised the farmers were that 'savvy' that they would know enough of both the technology and economic benefit that it would be at the top of their "wish list." About ten years ago when the Thai government dredged and straightened the river downstream from Bangkok, the government offered various forms of compensating aid to the rice farmers impacted by this activity: roads, water service, school investments, clinics, etc. The farmers met and returned with the request that the government provide them with cell phones and the ability to get the spot price on rice. They knew they were being taken advantage of by the larger buyers but without information and the ability to communicate more broadly they couldn’t get market information and they couldn’t find alternative marketing options. Interestingly, they told the government, if they were provided with this service (essentially cell infrastructure), they felt they would be able to afford the other things the government had offered and more — they wouldn’t be nearly as dependent. I was in Thailand not long after this and found this story to be so moving — and it was fun to hear of the government’s surprise at the request: they were surprised the farmers were that ’savvy’ that they would know enough of both the technology and economic benefit that it would be at the top of their “wish list.”

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