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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That makes sense, and I agree that e.g. commodity Android phones, where it took some time for scale effects to allow them, are more egalitarian tech
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Almost have to invent a new category to get best of both worlds: cheap tech for everyone that's also premium at launch. Otherwise, bifurcation in either time or quality
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I think inevitably is too strong - some do end up that way, but it depends. I think the segregationist aspect is more important than whether it's for poor people. Tech that doesn't end up that way tends to be adapted to local circumstances, and locally maintanable and extendable.
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The Critical Villager by Eric Dudley is a book that has some examples of technological culture clash, and what front-line international development workers face when attempting to spread technology. https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Villager-Beyond-Community-Participation-ebook/dp/B000OI11BA/ …
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