The Central Penn Business Journal "Gadget Cube", posted a story today about the -stark- difference in the two candidates' understanding and use of consumer technology.
Rationally, the two candidate come out of two different generations and represent their respective generations with commonality. That is not to say that those in their 70's, like Senator John McCain, aren't online or keeping pace by using other consumer technologies. However, generally speaking - & with relatively no evidence older people do not adopt trends with the rate that younger people do.
This is a certain truism, if need be I suppose I could find documentation that supported my claims, but for now I'll just say its a truism. The shock factor that McCain doesn't use the Internet has caused many people scratch their heads in disbelief.
This in part is exmained in the scholarship of knowledge gap, a theory that information is distributed throughout societies in a predictable and potentially unfair manner. Essentially, the well-to-do enjoy the first fruits of information, being privy to sophisticated, technical, and potentially leverage giving information.
Some in the field of communication have asked questions about the Internet, in respect to the Knowledge Gap Theory because of its obvious ties to bringing information to the masses. Resulting in the phrase and theory known as the digital devide. Combined, these theories could be used to argue that the Internet is an enabler and that it flattens the heirarcal structure of societies.
Thomas Friedman is a good example of a prominent public figure, thought leader that espouses such claims, however Friedman would likely also suggest that the flattening of societies is causally related to the spread of capitalism to areas like the mid-east.
vote Obama tomorrow ya'll
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