Opinion

Join the Tech Revolution

By SCOTT T. HARDS

OK, what's the most important invention in human history? When one ponders this question, things like the light bulb, computers, automobiles, the telephone, television and many medical breakthroughs come quickly to mind as candidates for the honor.

Way back when I was in junior high school, I had a teacher who put that question to us, and the answers that rained back were along these lines. When we were finished, he calmly announced that not one of us had named the single most important invention in history. His winner? The printing press.

When one considers just how much impact the printed word, that is, the ability to mass distribute knowledge and ideas, has had on human civilization, it is really quite hard to argue with this conclusion.

But now, 20 years later, I firmly believe that the printing press has surrendered its crown. Without a doubt, the Internet will ultimately do more to change the world than any other human innovation to date.

Like the printing press, the Internet's power focuses on the ability to distribute knowledge and ideas. But it takes the concept to levels of efficiency that even my teacher couldn't have dreamed of.

The Internet is not limited to the printed word or images. It can disseminate sound and motion pictures as well. And it is universal, not limited by the number of copies printed, or how they are distributed. With even an outdated personal computer, its vast store of information can be accessed from nearly any point on earth (literally anywhere if you use a satellite portable phone!).

And to top it all off, it's organized! Though far from perfect, the numerous "search engines" on the World Wide Web give you the ability to begin locating information on any subject you can imagine in just a few seconds.

Think about it: In the United States, in particular, the ways that people communicate with and meet each other, work, gather news, shop for merchandise, conduct financial transactions and carry out basic research have all been permanently transformed by the Internet. And these changes grow more pronounced every day.

So forgive me for being shocked, but why is it that in Ja pan I still meet people — almost daily — who have never experienced the Internet? I regularly give lectures to various groups around Japan, and when I ask the audience whether they have ever used the Net, I don't believe I've ever had more than half of the hands in the room go up.

Worse, I hear stories of people who are consciously avoiding it (or preventing their kids from experiencing it!) because they've heard about all the Internet-related scams out there, or of pornographic web sites.

I could write a hundred pages about why people with these attitudes are only harming themselves and their children. Let's just suffice it to say that not learning to use the Net because of harmful content is just as big a folly as not learning to read because there are dangerous books out there.

Would you ever hire a worker who couldn't read or use a telephone? The same will be true of the Internet-illiterate in the next five or 10 years, I think.

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a cheap computer and get in touch with the greatest invention in the history of the world!

Shukan ST: Feb. 26, 1999

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