Historians of the future – provided good dreams prevail – will view this [development] as having been far more crucial to the survival of democracy in the United States than rural electrification or the space program … Access to cyberspace may well represent nothing less than this nation’s last and best hope of providing something like a level socio-economic playing field for a true majority of its citizens.
Predictor: Gibson, William
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for the journal Government Technology, Blake Harris takes a look at the future of the Internet, quoting author William Gibson. Harris writes: ”Newsgroups offer a kind of equalizing platform where voices can be heard regardless of qualifications and background. And they provide, on occasion, unfiltered, cutting-edge information and a unique platform for social interaction and education that many people consider not only valuable, but revolutionary in its broad social implications. William Gibson, the science fiction writer who first coined the term ‘cyberspace,’ said in a speech to the National Academy of Sciences’ Convocation on Technology and Education that, ‘Historians of the future – provided good dreams prevail – will view this [development] as having been far more crucial to the survival of democracy in the United States than rural electrification or the space program … Access to cyberspace may well represent nothing less than this nation’s last and best hope of providing something like a level socio-economic playing field for a true majority of its citizens.'”
Biography:William Gibson published the influential book “Neuromancer,” in which he coined the term “cyberspace,” in 1984. Through the early 1990s, he was asked to comment regularly on the coming age of the Internet despite the fact that he claimed to use it rarely, if ever. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Community/Culture
Subtopic: MOOs/MUDs/B-Boards/Newsgroups
Name of publication: Government Technology
Title, headline, chapter name: Cyberspace 2020
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
www.govtech.net/publications/gt/1995/oct/cyberspa.phtml
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Falcone, Peter P.