Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Happy Together*

Right before our eyes, and therefore practically invisible to us, the old assumptions governing our perceptions of reality have been dissolving.

Most of us, no doubt, hide our eyes and therefore continue to identify ourselves as members of certain ethnic or racial groups, affiliated with certain religions, supporters of some political party, citizens of a certain nation, steady of gender and sexual orientation, and proud of our various educational and professional pedigrees.

In plainer words, we think we know who we are.

But, excuse this cliche, we are what we consume, and few of us bother to check where the foods and tools and clothes and software that we rely on comes from.

Hint #1: China.
Hint #2: India, Korea, Vietnam, and places less known.

Over the past year, according to various reports, those using the Internet has been growing at the astonishing pace of 33% in India, and 20% in China. The Chinese Internet audience (86.8 million users) is now the second largest, behind the United States, in the world. Meanwhile, the U.S. audience grew only 2% over the past year to 153.4 million users.

In other words, the U.S. market is pretty much saturated. But the rest of the world is embracing this interactive, networked technology. As they go, so do we. But only if Americans recognize this opportunity for what it is, and embrace globalism, will we be truly part of the best possible future, which now beckons.

-30-

* Apologies, Turtles.

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