The Evolution of Inequalities

While I was in front of the monitor trying to complete this blog, I was thinking of the different ways many people pictured the 21st century. For starters, I remember watching movies in which a radioactive war destroyed the earth and only a small group of people survived and moved to deserted places( this sound like the movie “Mad Max”). Other movies weren’t as fatalistic, they showed a world without contamination, automated cars, controlled population, robots everywhere and most of all there was peace on earth. Why am I talking about this when I am supposed to be talking about a “digital divide”?
First, the 21st century is far from the two descriptions below. This century is described as the age of communication. Needless to say, satellites rule space, people in developed countries are glued to cell phones and the World Wide Web makes possible mass information “around the world”. As result of these technological advancements many tend to believe that the world is more united than ever. Also, there is the belief that we may reach social equality through the world of communications and digitalization. According to many analysts, the digital era will break social and national barriers. Even though these statements are to be further investigated there is this big question in the air Why do we have a digital divide?
The answers are not new. Even though we live in a globalized world there are still racial, social and economical inequalities. Therefore, the same factors that cause people to remain at the bottom of the social and economical chain are also triggering the digital divide. According to different sources of research, rural areas and poor regions of the world lack digital access. Also in the United States some statics show that blacks and other minority groups don’t have total access to the internet. This is alarming but, we are only focusing on providing ideas on how technology can be used to improve education and other aspects of society instead of actually working to provide the proper conditions for what is supposed to be a “digital union”. Interesting facts and solutions are in the “boiling room” until then, the question is still in the air.

“The New Trend”


Indifference has become a trend. Everyday we see how people build this gigantic bubble around themselves and only worry about how things affect them in any possible way. For instance, these past couple of weeks I have been noticing the lack of interest and the apathy students show when they are in class. It is interesting to observe their body language in the classroom. For example, students are slouched in their sits hoping a car might run over the professor so they can go home ( I think I’m going to extremes , but I’m sure some students hope for such things). Others cross their arms, move their legs like they had a nervous twitch and put on their faces the most absurd bored look you could ever see. The worst scenario in a classroom is when a professor is trying to get feedback from students. Enthusiastically, he/she starts reviewing what ever was discussed the class before and then begins to question the students: What do you thing about…? Is it true that…? Why is this relevant for you as a …. ? [and] the questions can keep on going. It gets even worst when all you hear is a broken silence in the classroom.

The students at that point feels: the professor assigns too much homework, that is not the only class they take, the class is not related to their field, if the class is related to their field of study they may not even assimilate the relation. If we only put ourselves in the place of the professor (which most never do) the scenario is totally different. This professor also has a life. I’m pretty sure that he/she postpones his/her personal errands to fulfill his/her responsibilities as an educator. Most of them, go to bed very late correcting papers and doing research for their classes. The least we can do, if we want to call ourselves true professionals is to read the assigned work and give them feedback. True educators live to teach and their satisfaction asides their biweekly check is the progress and interaction they can get from their students. While you’re reading you may ask yourself : What if the professor is not that dedicated and only lives to ruin our ego and our aspirations of success? Well, in this particular case you owe it yourself to give the best of you. We all talk about making a difference from time to time. Showing apathy will not make us better human beings. Following the greater mass is extremely easy but being different takes courage and determination.

Headline of the Month


Puerto Ricans are very opinionated people. You can ask them a question about almost any topic and they will have an answer; even though is not the right answer. Where am I going with this argument? For the past two weeks or so we have been following the cases of children who were violently abused by their parents. The first child, who was a six month old baby died. The second case was of a baby girl who was sexually molested and abused physically and the one we all know about was the case of Jan Daniel. Jan Daniel is a toddler who was shot in the head by his father and left in an abandoned car. Let’s stop for a second… We all know the third case’s name but barely remember what happened with the two other cases. The answer is simple. Would everyone show concern or at least know details about Jan Daniel’s case if it wasn’t given full coverage by the media?

After these displays of cruel violence government agencies, social and religious groups are all of the sudden creating marches and programs against violence. The issue of crude violence is not a new event in Puerto Rico. If we go back as early as the year 2004 there was a massive campaign against violence in schools. Of course, this was propelled after a math teacher was killed by a student. The point is, the good results of the battle against violence won’t occur overnight. This social issue should not be considered as a fad. Fighting against violence takes more than signatures for “peace movements”, activist marches or ineffective political measures.

Sad to say, for such a small island we breath and exhale violence. Violence is seen from our main government branches, mass media, homes, schools, even while driving a car. Therefore how will the vicious rates of violence decrease? Where is the root of violent behavior and how can it be controlled? The answers are out there; it is up to us to mobilize, look for them and take real action.

-Lizely Lopez