Payal Arora’s From Pessimism to Promise explores how youth in developing nations embrace digital tech for empowerment, creativity, and connection—contrasting Western fears of AI and surveillance with optimism in the Global South.
Today there are basically two camps when it comes to assessing the spread of technology in our lives. At one end are those who are suspicious of technology, which can be seen in the West where citizens see the darker side of the phenomenon. Here the community believes that algorithm control and AI will destroy democracy and social fabric. They believe that it has been used for manipulating minds and spreading disinformation. The malaise is deep rooted with phenomenon such as social media becoming an addiction.
On the other side, in developing countries, there is reason to believe that a lot of value has been added by AI and technology to deliver superior results. A lot of socio-economic change has been fostered by the use of digital applications which have even made life better in these nations. This is the theme of Payal Arora’s book, titled From Pessimism to Promise.
The author’s view is that outside the West, there is significantly a different outlook to technology than has manifested in countries like Brazil, India and Bangladesh. The new generation, which we can call Gen Z, has embraced it, creating a contagion with deep beneficial effects not just in terms of the material world, but also general being.
To begin with, she outlines the pessimistic view of technology. There is a view that we are deep into something that we cannot get rid of, as most of us, especially the youth, are addicted to technology in some way or the other. The internet and social media have made us slaves to potential influence. The argument is that digital platforms are out to trap and depress us to the extent that we are mentally paralysed. Algorithms automatically take us to where the engine wants us to go, and not to what we would like to view, raising questions on the hidden agendas involved.
There has been a tendency for Google algorithms to be hard coded with white supremacy and misogyny. A similar sentiment is aired on Meta which intentionally boosts divisive content. Even for Instagram it is argued that US teens feel worse about themselves. This is the darker side of the technology revolution.
The author then turns the story to the developing world and explores how things have gotten better in a remarkable way on the back of these very platforms. She believes that there is near consensus that digital access and usage are the driving force for a better future in these countries.
She refers to the ‘digital leisure’ theme of 2021, which included a survey of refugees in Venezuela. The majority wanted to have access to the digital world and mobile devices. WhatsApp and Facebook uplifted the youth in a definite manner. Reading about other people’s achievements and stories tend to empower the youth, who feel motivated and confident. More importantly, these platforms offer space to offer opinion and know about others. Her conclusion is that the youth have come to terms with the idea that their future lies in their hands, which is important. The author focuses on several aspects of the digital age here. She looks at AI as being good for various projects, like something as basic as creating enabling anti-poaching systems in Africa. Second, she delves into how algorithms help digital creativity. More specifically, she shows how young creators across socio-economic groups use digital tools and platforms to create content and manage data, besides developing creative processes to build communities.
Third, she changes direction into a rather new area that is rarely spoken of when we discuss social media or the internet. This pertains to digital desire, which has helped society to reimagine pleasure-based perspectives. This, she explains, is more a response to growing loneliness and the need for intimacy, pleasure and play. She moves away from the traditional world here when it comes to patriarchal values that impose conservativeness in thinking. As an extension she shows that when youth access adult content, romance and intimacy through this media, they have procured psychological support. In fact, she highlights how certain adult sites have become an educator in countries like Egypt, Kenya and Mexico. Further, dating apps have made significant inroads into the psyche of youth and are used even in tier 2 and 3 towns in our own country.
Next she re-examines the culture of surveillance which is a concern in the West where it is felt that people lose their privacy. She turns the argument around and looks at it from the point of view of ‘care’. Surveillance care systems in the South have served as a positive force against infectious diseases and are used effectively for eldercare and self-care. An example given is the hesitancy of women to become Uber or Ola drivers as they were apprehensive of serious issues like security as well as rudimentary problems of finding toilets along the way. This has been overcome by the app which shows them the nearest facility. Similarly, digital tracking also ensures safety of both the passenger as well as driver which, in turn, eases work life.
The author believes that the rise of the next billion users from developing countries, which is termed as Global South, would radically diversify digital culture. Tech companies will move beyond commodification of mindsets. The government and aid agencies would work at shaping the nature of global datasets and algorithmic cultures. But the youth will not wait for policies or designs to change. They would be forging ahead and finding their own niches and search for cross-cultural emotive resonance that makes their content go viral. These would be ways in which technology would change thinking, as these societies view this tool with promise rather than pessimism or suspicion.
Madan Sabnavis is chief economist, Bank of Baroda
From Pessimism To Promise: Lessons from the Global South on Designing Inclusive Tech
Payal Arora
HarperCollins
Pp 240, Rs 699
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