Guardians of established institutions (educational, economic, governmental) were all on guard for threats to their stability, continuity and viability. They knew to watch out for powerful opponents that might gain notoriety in the public press, positions on boards or seats in legislatures. They remained vigilant against those that sought revolutionary changes, disruptive revisions and chaotic situations.
These guardians failed to watch out for powerless, under age citizens. They saw no harm in creating technology, products and sales to those insignificant members of society. They never imagined the revolution could infiltrate though picture phones, text messaging and broadband connections. They did not see the warning signs in the use of remote controls, email and P2P file sharing.This revolution went undetected for another reason. It's a transformation of the kind Marshall McLuhan characterized insightfully. A subtle revolution is a bias of the popular media or an effect of using a ubiquitous technology. It changes everything because the extension of human abilities created by the technology is so powerful, pervasive and easily taken for granted. These particular technologies are uncontrolled like sounds we hear and tribes that distribute power to each member.
The powerless, under age citizens do not feel powerless. They have learned how to learn in their world of cell phones, online resources and games. Their tools support them acting resourceful, adventurous and collaborative. Their need for delivery systems is minimal. Their potential use of discovery systems is phenomenal. They are being raised on self realizations and personal finds.Technorati tags: McLuhan, digital natives, transformational change, paradigm shift
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