The power of the well asked question

I remember with fondness the power of Marko Tusar's questions on our intranet forum at the BBC and it is nice to see from this post on the BBC Internet Blog that he hasn't lost the knack.

Comments

[Jon Husband]

Q: 6) "Digital technologies can't of themselves change the nature of engagement". Why do you think you put down the role of digital technology? Isn't it allowing this very act of communication that wouldn't be possible otherwise, and therefore significantly changing the nature of engagement?

A: Yes it is, but to elevate the role is to be technologically deterministic and this is a flawed argument - change occurs because of people, not technology.

I still struggle with this one a lot.

I often read something along the lines of the answer given above, but I can't seem to shake the notion that if there weren't the digital and interconnected infrastructure of the technology called the Internet, the technology known as a browser, and the many publishing and "pull" technologies, people everywhere would not be able to find and share information, give voice to their thoughts, feelings and points of view, connect with others and decide (or not) to try moving into some kind of action.

I do understand the point, and of course at an extreme all this technology could be available and people could just look at it and not use it, but that's not the case. There are by now too many examples of people connecting, conceiving and collaborating and using connected / connecting technologies in a wide range of ways to have this argument just accepted willy-nilly ... IMO.