•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Globalization is largely hailed as a positive force throughout the world-it is responsible for new technologies, revolutionary medical breakthroughs, and, of course, vacationing and tourism. However, globalization is also linked to our current information deluge, which greatly complicates citizens' lives as well as the role of government. In this paper, I attempt to answer several questions: Does this informational deluge make governance better or worse? Does it improve how we are governed? Does this improved governance ultimately lead to an improved society as well, or does it simply complicate things and hinder progress? The democratization of information allows individuals unprecedented access to data and information, as well as the ability to generate information themselves. Figures like Julian Assange and his organization Wikileaks aim to eradicate govemment secrets in the hope of creating a better society, but their attempts to do so actually destabilize and complicate goverrrmental institutions. Even when individuals have access to this information, many choose to engage in "soma-like" activities instead of understanding the barrage of news and statistics they encounter. Many now theorize we live in a postmodern world, largely due in part to the democratization of information. Detraditionalisation and "manufactured risks" are products of postmodernity; they pose a specifically troubling threat to the stability of government-if life is rapidly changing and all information is imperfect at some level, what can individuals rely upon? Finally, the rise of dataveillance and issues of privacy lead to difficult ethical dilemmas governmental institutions must address. The democratization of information complicates the role of governance in our daily lives; ultimately, more information does not necessarily equate to better governance or a higher quality of life.

Share

COinS