***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
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   [Date]: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 09:51:21 +0530
   [From]: "Anjali Arora" <anjali@artbrush.net>
     [To]: "Cultural Exchange via Internet" <forum1@herz.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Re: The Shrinking Web and What to Do About it

I absolutely agree with Ami on this. Access to the Web will mean little to
the world's poorest until they first have the basics like electricity,
infrastructure and above all literacy. There are millions in my country
India as well in Partha's country  and a whole host of others , I am sure,
who do not get two square meals a day, even in this age of plenty.

I do not see the internet as an imperialist tool at all; on the contrary it
is one of the greatest levellers. It has been noted that on the Web, the
large multinational has no bigger advantage over the small business.
In fact, it is the mammoth organisations that are getting stuck in a lot of
procedures and red tape, whereas the small business takes action right away.

Personally too I have benefitted immeasurably from the info that is at my
fingertips. I am an emerging artist, and belong to no network within my
country. As a result, I am not privy to much of the information that is
passed around among the elite members of such groups. The art-world
(traditional) here still thrives on contacts and patrons . Much to my
relief, I find that I do not need to curry favour with any such group, and
am focussing exclusively on the opportunities I come across on the Net. I
can assure you I have not seen a more open and welcoming reception.

I strongly feel that the individual is today more powerful than ever before.
The transparency and democracy of information available, in fact, makes it
the perfect tool to break out of the old power-groups.

As far as the rural population is concerned, much will also depend on how
NGOs working in these places can creatively absorb and pass on these
benefits to the rural populace.
Best regards.
-Anjali Arora