The Net makes it impossible to exercise scientific isolationism, even if governments want such a policy. We have no choice but to exercise the free trade of ideas … For example, newly industrialized nations can no longer pretend they are too poor to reciprocate with basic, bold, and new ideas … Now that ideas are shared almost instantly on the Net, it is even more important that Third World nations not be idea debtors – they should contribute to the scientific pool of human knowledge … To think you have nothing to offer is to reject the coming idea economy. In the new balance of trade of ideas, very small players can contribute very big ideas.
Predictor: Negroponte, Nicholas
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 column for Wired magazine, Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT’s Media Lab, writes: ”The Net makes it impossible to exercise scientific isolationism, even if governments want such a policy. We have no choice but to exercise the free trade of ideas … The Net has forced such open exchange, with or without government sanction, that the onus is on other governments, especially those in developing countries, to change their attitudes. For example, newly industrialized nations can no longer pretend they are too poor to reciprocate with basic, bold, and new ideas. Before the Net existed, scientists shared their knowledge through scholarly journals, which often published papers over a year after they were submitted. Now that ideas are shared almost instantly on the Net, it is even more important that Third World nations not be idea debtors – they should contribute to the scientific pool of human knowledge. It is too simple to excuse yourself from being an idea creditor because you lack industrial development. I have heard many people outside the United States tell me that they are too small, too young, or too poor to do ‘real’ and long-term research. Instead, I am told, a developing nation can only draw from the inventory of ideas that comes from wealthy countries. Rubbish. In the digital world, there should not be debtor nations. To think you have nothing to offer is to reject the coming idea economy. In the new balance of trade of ideas, very small players can contribute very big ideas.”
Biography:Nicholas Negroponte, a co-founder of MIT’s Media Lab and a popular speaker and writer about technologies of the future, wrote one of the 1990s’ best-selling books about the new future of communications, “Being Digital.” (Pioneer/Originator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: The Balance of Trade of Ideas
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.04/negroponte_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney