How Culture and Technology Create One Another: Ramesh Srinivasan at TEDxUCLA

TEDx Talks

13 Dec 201213:48

Summary

TLDRThis talk explores the profound impact of technology on diverse cultures worldwide. With 5 billion people having mobile phones, we witness unique intersections of technology and tradition, from an Indian guru to a Papua New Guinean crocodile hunter using phones as flashlights. The speaker delves into how technology can inspire collective action in marginalized communities and the importance of rethinking the underlying codes of technology to incorporate diverse cultural perspectives. The discussion culminates in the potential for a digital revolution that empowers various cultural voices and knowledge systems to coexist and enrich our global technological landscape.

Takeaways

🌐 The world has approximately 7 billion people, with about 5 billion having mobile phones and 2-3 billion having some form of internet access.
📱 Mobile phones have become ubiquitous, even among groups like Indian Gurus and fisherman in Southern India, showing their utility in various contexts.
🌊 Technology, such as mobile phones, played a critical role in a fisherman's ability to warn his family about the 2004 tsunami, saving lives.
🐊 In Papua New Guinea, people from a shamanic cult use the light from their mobile phones to hunt crocodiles, demonstrating creative uses of technology.
🎥 In Andra Pradesh, India, marginalized communities use video cameras to document their lives, which inspires collective action and challenges fatalistic views.
🤔 The speaker explores the intersection of culture and technology, questioning how technology's codes and algorithms are influenced by Western knowledge structures.
🌱 The concept of 'Tribal Peace' technology was developed with Native American populations to empower their indigenous traditions and knowledge systems.
🏛 Museums are digitizing their collections, and there's a push to include indigenous perspectives, allowing for a more diverse understanding of cultural artifacts.
🌱 The speaker advocates for a rethinking of technology to allow for the coexistence of different knowledge systems, leading to a more inclusive digital landscape.
🌐 The potential for 'emergent' technologies arises when different forms of knowledge meet, as seen in the biological diversity of Papua New Guinea.

Q & A

What is the approximate number of mobile phone users in the world today?
-Approximately 5 billion out of the 7 billion people in the world have mobile phones.
How does the speaker describe the impact of mobile phones on diverse cultures?
-The speaker illustrates the impact by sharing stories such as an Indian Guru using a mobile phone and a fisherman in Southern India using his phone to warn his family about the tsunami, demonstrating the diverse and creative ways mobile phones are utilized across cultures.
What is the significance of the crocodile in the shamanic cult mentioned in the script?
-In the shamanic cult, the crocodile is worshipped as a spirit, and part of this worship involves hunting the crocodile at night, which is a significant cultural practice that the speaker explored during his time in Papua New Guinea.
How did the people in the remote region of Papua New Guinea use mobile phones for hunting crocodiles?
-They used the light emitted from their mobile phones to spot the eyes of crocodiles in the dark, as they could not afford flashlights due to the lack of battery supply in their remote area.
What was the speaker's goal when working with communities in Andra Pradesh, India?
-The speaker aimed to change the fatalistic perspectives of these communities and explore whether technology could facilitate collective action by documenting their traditions, stories, and issues through video cameras.
What is a 'filter bubble' as mentioned in the script?
-A 'filter bubble' refers to the personalized algorithmic selection of information based on one's online behavior, which can create a personalized echo chamber of information, as discussed by Eli Pariser in a TED Talk.
How does the speaker suggest rethinking technology from a non-Western perspective?
-The speaker suggests rethinking technology by considering alternative ways of knowing the world, such as Aboriginal maps that are based on stories, traditions, and performances, rather than the structured, separated concepts typical of Western knowledge.
What was the purpose of creating the 'Tribal Peace' system with Native American populations?
-The 'Tribal Peace' system was designed to empower sovereign indigenous local traditions by creating a technology that respects and is built around the knowledges, categories, and concepts important to these communities.
How does the speaker propose the integration of diverse cultural knowledge with technology in museums?
-The speaker proposes integrating diverse cultural knowledge with technology in museums by allowing different cultural perspectives to coexist and inform one another, leading to a new way of understanding and digitizing museum objects that respects both Western and indigenous interpretations.
What is the concept of 'emergence' as it relates to the speaker's discussion on technology and culture?
-The concept of 'emergence' refers to the creation of new and unique forms when different species or forms of knowledge meet and interact, as seen in the biological world and as the speaker suggests could also be possible in the digital world when diverse cultural knowledge systems inform technology.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Mobile Phones and Cultural Intersections

The speaker begins by highlighting the prevalence of mobile phones, with approximately 5 billion out of 7 billion people owning them. This widespread access to technology has led to unique intersections between culture and technology. The speaker shares anecdotes, such as an Indian Guru using a mobile phone and a fisherman in Southern India who used his phone to warn his family about the incoming tsunami, saving lives. These stories illustrate how technology is being integrated into diverse cultural contexts, suggesting a profound impact on societal dynamics.

05:02

🌐 Technology and Cultural Codes

The speaker delves into the influence of technology on culture and vice versa. They discuss the Western, Enlightenment-based logic that underpins many databases and algorithms, which contrasts with the interconnected, story-based knowledge systems of some indigenous cultures. The speaker shares their work with Native American populations, focusing on the creation of 'Tribal Peace,' a technology designed to empower indigenous traditions. They emphasize the importance of rethinking technology to accommodate diverse cultural perspectives, advocating for a bottom-up approach that respects and integrates local knowledge and ways of knowing.

10:04

🌱 Emergence of New Knowledge Systems

In the final paragraph, the speaker explores the concept of 'emergence' in the context of technology and culture. They use the example of unique animals in Papua New Guinea, which exist due to the parallel existence and occasional mingling of different species. This serves as a metaphor for how different forms of knowledge can coexist and inform each other in the digital world. The speaker suggests that by allowing diverse cultural voices to exist in parallel and interact, we can create new, innovative systems that reflect a variety of perspectives. They conclude by emphasizing the need to rethink the underlying codes of technology to empower diverse global voices and fulfill the early, grassroots promises of the digital revolution.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are portable electronic devices that enable users to make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, and access the internet. In the video, the speaker highlights the ubiquity of mobile phones, noting that about 5 billion people out of 7 billion have access to them. This statistic underscores the transformative impact of mobile technology on global communication and its potential to bridge digital divides. The video uses the example of an Indian fisherman who used his mobile phone to warn his family about the incoming tsunami, demonstrating how mobile technology can be a lifeline in critical situations.

💡Internet Access

Internet access refers to the ability to connect to and use the internet. The video mentions that between 2 and 3 billion people have some form of internet access, indicating the growing digital inclusion worldwide. However, the speaker also acknowledges the diversity and disparity in the quality of access, suggesting that while connectivity is increasing, there are still significant challenges to achieving universal, equitable access. The video's discussion of internet access is tied to the broader theme of how technology can be leveraged to empower marginalized communities.

💡Cultural Intersections

Cultural intersections refer to the points where different cultures interact, influence, and shape each other. The video uses the term to describe the fascinating ways in which technology, such as mobile phones and the internet, intersects with diverse cultures around the world. Examples include an Indian Guru using a mobile phone and a fisherman in Southern India using his phone to warn others about the tsunami. These instances illustrate how technology can be adapted and integrated into various cultural contexts, potentially leading to new forms of cultural expression and social interaction.

💡Collective Action

Collective action is the process by which individuals come together to act in a coordinated manner to achieve a common goal. In the video, the speaker discusses how technology, specifically video cameras, can be used to inspire collective action among marginalized communities. In Andra Pradesh, India, people used video cameras to document their experiences and issues, which then served as a catalyst for collective mobilization and social change. This concept is central to the video's exploration of how technology can be harnessed to empower communities and facilitate social and political engagement.

💡Technology Codes

Technology codes refer to the underlying principles, algorithms, and structures that govern the functioning of technological systems. The video delves into the idea that many technologies are rooted in Western knowledge paradigms, which often separate and categorize information in a structured manner. The speaker suggests that as technology becomes more pervasive and diverse voices engage with it, there is a need to rethink these underlying codes to ensure that they are inclusive and reflective of different cultural perspectives and ways of knowing.

💡Filter Bubble

A filter bubble is a phenomenon in which online content is personalized to the user's search history, interests, and behaviors, creating a personalized 'bubble' of information. The video mentions Eli Pariser's TED Talk on the filter bubble, highlighting the potential for technology to reinforce existing biases and limit exposure to diverse perspectives. The concept is used to critique the way algorithms shape our digital experiences and to call for a more inclusive and diverse approach to technology design.

💡Aboriginal Map

An Aboriginal map is a representation of the world that is rooted in the stories, traditions, and cultural knowledge of Aboriginal people. The video contrasts Western knowledge systems, which tend to separate and categorize information, with Aboriginal maps that integrate various aspects of knowledge through stories and visual metaphors. The speaker uses the Aboriginal map as an example of an alternative way of knowing and representing the world, suggesting that technology could be designed to incorporate such diverse epistemologies.

💡Tribal Peace

Tribal Peace is a system mentioned in the video that was designed to support and empower the sovereign indigenous traditions of Native American populations. The speaker describes how they worked with 19 Native American reservations to create a technology that would be rooted in their local traditions and knowledge systems. This system is an example of how technology can be designed to reflect and respect the diverse ways of knowing and being in the world, rather than imposing a single, dominant cultural perspective.

💡Zuni Knowledge System

The Zuni knowledge system refers to the unique cultural, historical, and epistemological framework of the Zuni people, a Native American tribe. The video discusses the importance of understanding and incorporating the Zuni way of knowing into digital representations of their cultural artifacts, such as pottery. The speaker highlights the stark differences between how museums describe these artifacts and how the Zuni people understand them, emphasizing the need for technology to support and amplify indigenous voices and perspectives.

💡Emergence

Emergence in the context of the video refers to the phenomenon where new and unexpected forms or patterns arise from the interaction of different elements. The speaker uses the example of unique animals in Papua New Guinea, such as a frog with fangs and a tree kangaroo, to illustrate how diverse species can coexist and interact to create new forms of life. This concept is extended to the digital world, suggesting that the intersection of different forms of knowledge and technology can lead to innovative and transformative outcomes, challenging the dominant structures and creating new possibilities for technology design and cultural expression.

Highlights

Approximately 5 billion out of 7 billion people have mobile phones, indicating a high level of mobile phone penetration worldwide.

Between 2 and 3 billion people have some form of internet access, showcasing the digital divide and its various contexts globally.

The Indian Guru's use of a mobile phone despite traditional practices illustrates the intersection of technology and culture.

A fisherman in Southern India used his mobile phone to warn his family about the tsunami, saving lives through technology.

In Papua New Guinea, a shamanic cult uses mobile phone lights for hunting crocodiles, demonstrating creative tech use in remote areas.

Technology can inspire collective action, as seen in rural Indian villages where video cameras document local issues and traditions.

The potential of technology to facilitate social change is explored through the empowerment of marginalized communities.

The codes and algorithms behind technology often reflect Western knowledge structures, which may not align with other cultures' ways of knowing.

The need to rethink technology's underlying codes to include diverse cultural perspectives is emphasized.

Aboriginal maps represent an alternative way of knowing the world, challenging the Western approach to cartography and technology.

Tribal Peace is a system designed to empower Native American traditions through technology, reflecting local knowledge and categories.

The project with Native American reservations aimed to create a technology that respects and reflects indigenous knowledge systems.

Museums' digitization of objects presents an opportunity to rethink how different cultural knowledge systems can coexist in the digital realm.

Zuni Elders' engagement with museum objects highlights the stark contrast between Western and indigenous interpretations of cultural artifacts.

The potential for technology to enable the coexistence of diverse knowledge systems, leading to new forms of innovation and understanding.

The speaker's vision for technology is one that allows for the empowerment of diverse cultural voices in the digital revolution.

The importance of rethinking the codes behind technology to hack new meanings and empower underrepresented groups in the digital age.

The speaker's call to action to consider the global and diverse engagement with technology, aligning with the early countercultural promises of the internet.