Communicative and collaborative infrastructures are, and will continue to be, an integral part of initiating, installing and evaluating the steps and processes involved in our path towards a more intentional and sustainable future. These collaborate efforts must occur at all levels and transcend geopolitical boundaries to encourage cooperation between the general populous, the private sector institutions, governmental entities, academic institutions, in addition to non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
Technological advancements have been somewhat of a double-edged sword when it comes to communication and social interaction. On one hand it has increased our ability to communicate with one another limitlessly, essentially transcending time and space boundaries by allowing communication anywhere to anyone at anytime. On the other hand technological advancements (i.e. text messaging, emails, and social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, etc) have created new avenues for communication that severely lack actual physical interaction and face-to-face communication. This lack of in-person communication could diminish levels of trust and honesty in the information exchange and knowledge sharing process. While new social bonds are being formed via new communicative methods, old social communication methods are rapidly deteriorating.
Aside from the negative aspects of new communication methods, our advancements in communication technology have allowed the public discourse to be facilitated in a wide variety of mediums to allow for equal opportunity and access before, during and throughout the decision-making processes. Whether it is issues concerning future energy choices, social welfare programs, environmental preservation, economic policies and the like, those that are either directly involved or potentially affected by the decision must have the ability to engage in the discussion and decision-making progress.
However, as previously mentioned, it is up to one’s ability to filter through the, at times, overwhelming amount of content to determine what information is actually credible. The infrastructure is in place; it is just a matter of using effectively and appropriately for maximum gain. This becomes yet another major challenge.