Birth Before Conception
Sunday, December 17, 2006 Labels: Science And Society 2 comments
During screening of a Film on Chengiz Khan in our college's (IIT Delhi) open Air Theatre in 1969, the scene of the heroine giving birth to child was shown before the scene of her rape that resulted in the pregnancy - due to erroneous shuffling of film cartridge by a sozzled projectionist.
But film making is like that. First scene may actually be shot in the end. Or the scene in Vienna may actually be shot in a studio in Mumbai. Even the Hero fighting the villain may not actually be the Hero - but only his substitute. Thus film breaks down boundaries of time, geography and personalities.
So does Information Technology (IT).
Apart from the mere increased efficiency, the sociological effects of IT on an organization are also similar (in a subtle way). It breaks down the debilitating departmental and geographical divisions in the organization. Its tones down the hierarchical rigidities. It makes a mockery of office-hours and allows 24X7 support to the customer. It de-individualises the personality behind a job - your call may be answered by a Bangalorean with a false accent!
It shifts the power balance away from megalith organizations towards the customer. It thus makes the organization more cohesively oriented towards its customers.
All these effects are sorely required in government to shift focus to citizens. Hence thorough implementation of IT in all Govt processes are a must.
Perhaps some more research on this may be needed.
Bertrand Russel also discussed the impact of Science on Society - in particular shift of power balance between the individual and the society.
Please do come back again, I will blog about that later!!
With due apology to physics, isn't this new work schedule shifting our boyz/girlz from their normal biological clock -- from humans to owls? And as the physicians say, the results will begin to show a few years down the line. Stomach goes first and head comes next -- but the damage is inevitable. Thus, while using the materialist scale our global village is slowly coming to a plain, the cost on physiological ground remains to be assessed. I hope our GenNxt can manage it with all the pollution, adultrated food, and junk dealers. Sadly, so far they have found only one remedy -- to dunk all their woes in a pub. But I still hope they will realise it after they have had a glassful (must stop before I start sounding like a boring fart)
Thanks. Yes the social costs of BPO is very high.