A thought that’s been at the back of my mind: technology specifically designed with the poor in mind (as opposed to stuff just getting cheaper as it rides cost curves to commoditization) inevitably ends up being technology designed to keep them poor.
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Not saying it's necessarily an example of successful tech, but what about stuff like OLPC? Might break down along "people need this to live, so exploit their need & claim to benefit them" and "this is actually meant to benefit them" products
What examples do you have in mind?
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I can certainly see it as patronizing tech, but if it's also actively designed to keep its owner poor, it would arguably be worse to have it than not - not sure I see that angle (or if that's what you're hypothesizing), but could be convinced
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I’m not saying it’s actively designed that way but inevitably ends up that way. Kinda like Booker T. Washington vs WEB DuBois views on segregation in black education. Maybe “unintended segregationist tech” is better
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