Open CulÂture has been up and runÂning for less than a month, and we’ve been monÂiÂtorÂing trafÂfic for about two weeks, thanks to Google AnaÂlytÂics. So far, here’s what we’ve seen: RoughÂly 70% of readÂers come from withÂin the US, leavÂing 30% to an interÂnaÂtionÂal audiÂence, which is itself very diverse. The readÂerÂship repÂreÂsents almost 40 counÂtries (and every conÂtiÂnent, except AntarÂtiÂca), and it includes Brazil and ColomÂbia in South AmerÂiÂca; France, Poland, BulÂguria and Greece in Europe; MorocÂco Egypt, and Qatar in Africa and the MidÂdle East; and then India, Bangladesh, ChiÂna and Japan in Asia. AusÂtralia is part of the picÂture, too. Click here to see the full list.
The point of menÂtionÂing this is simÂply to illusÂtrate with hard facts just how thorÂoughÂly the interÂnet makes the world flat and borÂderÂless, and quickÂly lets inforÂmaÂtion flow to wherÂevÂer it wants to go. In some sense, we shouldÂn’t be surÂprised. For years, we’ve heard about how the Net is globÂalÂizÂing inforÂmaÂtion. HowÂevÂer, did we realÂly realÂize just how comÂplete the globÂalÂizÂing effects have been? Tracked in real time, the flow of inforÂmaÂtion is breathÂtakÂing. A lecÂture preÂsentÂed in an AmerÂiÂcan classÂroom gets turned into a podÂcast and, withÂin days, finds lisÂtenÂers in VietÂnam first, then IreÂland, and next Egypt. InstantÂly, the inforÂmaÂtion reachÂes its audiÂence, proÂvidÂed that — and this is a big caveat — users know where to find the inforÂmaÂtion they want and need.
Even in the era of Google, search engines still have a long way to go before they push the limÂits of artiÂfiÂcial intelÂliÂgence and truÂly underÂstand and answer our quesÂtions. Google is good, a big improveÂment upon what we had, but it still doesÂn’t make the disÂcovÂery of qualÂiÂty inforÂmaÂtion a seamÂless propoÂsiÂtion. Until it does, there’s still plenÂty of room for peoÂple to stay in the mix and orgaÂnize slices of the web for you. So, for now, Open CulÂture will keep bringÂing smart culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal media & resources your way. Thanks for visÂitÂing and come back often.
Resources:
Thomas FriedÂman is someÂone who has writÂten a great deal about techÂnolÂoÂgy (parÂticÂuÂlarÂly the interÂnet) and globÂalÂizaÂtion. The last half of this short, home-brewed interÂview gets sucÂcinctÂly at some of what we’re talkÂing about here.
I’d also strongÂly recÂomÂmend a serious/substantive 23-minute interÂview with FriedÂman, conÂductÂed by Nayan ChanÂda of YaleÂGlobÂal Online. He talks in interÂestÂing ways about who will sucÂceed in the new flat world.