05.17.12
Technology and Politics
[Cartoon]
Technology has changed the political dialogue. No longer can a political candidate travel the country and pander to a particular group without everyone knowing. They can’t say they plan to cut something to one group and say they are going to increase it to another. There is simply more accountability and scrutiny given to the appearance and words of the candidates for office.
George Washington was the obvious choice to be our first president. He fought and led our army to victory over England. There was no one else that had shown his courage and leadership. He was the obvious choice. The fact that he was one of the elite and lorded over others at his Mount Vernon plantation was never an issue.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president because he was known as the commander that led the allies in Europe to defeat Adolf Hitler in World War II. Somehow the story of Eisenhower having an affair with the female driver of his jeep never became an issue.
Then there was John F. Kennedy that looked cool and comfortable during the first televised Presidential debate. Kennedy wore makeup and looked better than his rival Richard M. Nixon who refused to wear makeup. Nixon’s sweat under the heated lights was seen and misinterpreted as stress. Kennedy’s sweat was covered over.
Newspapers have lost their relevance, as TV, radio, and the internet have become the primary means for the average person to learn about the news. Videos go viral and Facebook and Twitter provide some understanding of what is in the minds of those that are popular. Talk radio and commentary reporting on TV help us shape our view of candidates.
In my opinion, the more information we gain, the better we will all be informed. We want to know about the character of those we elect to leadership roles and we want to know about their ability to lead. The more we can learn about their character and leadership the better.
A caution for all of us is to not be taken in by their appearances or just their words. George Washington showed his character and proved his leadership. Eisenhower showed his character and proved his leadership. Then, there is John Edwards that was portrayed by the media with the character of a family man while he had a secret girl friend and a very sick wife at home.
Great leaders’ actions are more powerful than words or the presentation of words. When we learn more about their actions, we can measure them against the standards of the office. Those that we select for these powerful offices can be held to the standard established by those that have come before. Technology is helping us to be more vigilant and aware.
Enterprise Architects are well-aware of the continuing evolution of technology. They creatively look for technology convergence that can provide breakthroughs in thinking. We are at one of those convergent junctions today. What is about to happen will give non-professional information technologists control of their use of automation in their business. No longer will they simply peer through windows and see only what applications let them see. They will be able to go inside, see how things work, and control their automation. – Enterprise Architects Masters of the Unseen City
Closing the Business / IT gap.
