The other side of IT

Information technology: to those who embrace neo-luddism it’s a behemoth that is progressively paving the way that will eventually lead to the fall of intelligent life that inhabit this mud ball at the hands of its own creation. To business opportunists it’s a conduit that has opened a world of infinite profit possibilities (excuse the hyperbole here). To social sloths and gluttons, it is redemption inscribed in an 8 syllabus word that, when it manifests to any of its many physical forms, can actually be bought with money. Maybe to some societies out there it’s a curse word that, when uttered, the perpetrator is swiftly dealt with by way of death without trial, who knows? The definitions could be as miscellaneous as moods of a teenage girl during “that time of the month”; different strokes to different folks. Nonetheless, whichever it is, information technology (or Management of Information Services to you, smart guy) has a colossal amount of benefits, rather like bacon. But unlike bacon, and like most things that are supposed to make our lives easier, it brings with it a gauntlet of threats. This brings me to the title of this post; let us briefly discuss the other side of IT... the grey side.

This article, laconic as it is, is neither about the positives (colour white) nor the negatives (colour black) of information technology, but it is closer to the latter. The catch is, I will ignore the obvious negatives of information technology (languor, lack of basic arithmetic skills, ignorance to the importance of security and protection of personal information, “doctor” handwriting, lack of imagination etc) but will rather touch on the “shades of grey”.

‘If the purpose of something is not known, abuse becomes inevitable’

The predicament I see with information technology in workplaces is that it sucks up the workforce in a quicksand of illusion that has them espouse the idea that they are “intelligent”. Every Suzy that owns an iPhone and a Mac Book and knows the terms Cloud Computing, email, HTML, RAM, and strings of other acronyms that a person who works with, and also carries, a smart device is supposed to be familiar with in the first place, fancies themselves a geek or knowledgeable enough for whatever position they hold and that isn’t always the case. It’s just an illusion.

Out in the real world, the privilege of having access to, and the power to manipulate, information within an arm’s reach is also the biggest culprit for the slow death of the proactive culture. Granted this privilege did give birth to a wealth of ideas, it is also true that we will never get to bear witness to most of those because the “proactive” element now is but a silhouette of what once was. It’s just like a cousin of mine said about a day ago; 'people die with great ideas. The graveyard has so much wealth'. Sand-dog humour as it may be, this quote has truth that is nothing south of “cold-blooded”. Literally. Fading away are the days of people going out and actually look for a job instead of applying online with the hope that Suzy will forfeit some of her “information technology” indulging time to have a look at your application and, possibly, send it through for higher-level evaluation. A lot of people are aware of this fact but, you know, the “information technology” has reengineered people into avoiding thinking at all cost and desire the comfort of blind convictions because it’s “easier” that way. After all information technology is supposed to make our lives “easier”, right? Yeah, the grey side.

One of my favoured apps for its ease of use. It was easier, more natural, using just a pen and exam pad still

Karma Chameleon

With a rather keen peripheral view one thing that I can’t seem to shake my attention off of, and perhaps the biggest shade of grey, is that most modern information technology doesn’t blend in with the natural order of normal evolution of man’s ability to employ tools of external origins and use them to his advantage. In simpler terms, if it doesn’t meet the yardstick of my self-proclaimed 30 second rule (if you can’t totally master it in 30 seconds) it isn’t REALLY ready yet. It means that your utilisation of it merely validates its existence. Your life wouldn’t be significantly harder without it. Au contraire, technologies that you can’t use while half asleep (let’s see you pair two Bluetooth devices or make flight quotes online while half asleep) like you’re able to use a comb or make a speed dial call, that technology is ahead of you. It’s ahead of its time.

Out of my head I can think of those integrated fingerprint authentication/access systems and M-PESA mobile money solution as being right on time. To make an argument for the former, it doesn’t happen every day that a person leaves their hands at home so they don't have access to their office or a security room does it? And for the latter, well, just try it.

And that, folks, is a little about the grey side of Information Technology. Can you guess more?