In
Digital Diplomacy, Dizard discusses the prediction and desire for some to switch to a type of diplomacy increasingly dependent on technology. This would ultimately mean a diplomatic culture dominated by computers rather than people. With the progression of technology, most would argue that such a thing is inevitable as we as a people have become more reliant on computers. They run almost every sector of the general public's lives from online banking to self check-out registers in the grocery store to the mere necessity of a computer in every home or dorm room. This results in a social culture centered around computers. Dizard explains that the government has had a delayed reaction in the technological progress as they have not made the total push towards total technological domination. With that being said, there lies room for diplomacy to stay something where human attention is necessary. Sometimes computers should not be left to make all decisions as human intuition may not always be able to be calculated by a machine. I found this book to be an incredibly interesting addition to the class discourse as machines have significantly impacted the way we as humans communicate with each other. The way in which we interact can, as Dizard explains, have extreme consequences on the interaction between the actors of the international system.
Questions of the Week- What may be missing in diplomacy if we were to solely depend on technology?
- Why does information hold so much power?
Question Answered: Why does information hold so much power?
This reminds me of the famous quote "Knowledge is power" originally stated by Francis Bacon but also has its origins in the Bible (Proverbs 24:5). My grandfather often told me that knowledge is something that can never be taken away from you which is essentially the reason it has such power. The more I know, the more tools I have to combat whatever is presented in front of me. Knowledge also enables one to manipulate reality to your advantage. Thus, information is equally as powerful because of its ability to the be the unforeseen tool, the one that many may not see coming. With the dawn of the "Digital Age", information is able to be transmitted quicker than ever enabling many to get their own slice of the wisdom pie.
