Tom Purves – Product Management, Fintech & AI

My good friend Fran has recently started a new blog called Global Village. In her words:

The cultural critic, international scholar and eminent futurist Marshall McLuhan once predicted that a form of technology such as the Internet would bring us closer together as society to create a “Global Village.” But he also voiced concern over what we as human beings might lose in the process of adopting new technologies. And as I am finding increasingly in my research the differences still do exist, with conflict perhaps being our keenest and most unfortunate reminder of that.

2006 marks the beginning of a research project I am leading on studying global demographic change – no small feat. I hope to use this blog as a host and as an extension of the discoveries, the conversations and the encounters I have along the way.

As I float through the continents and enlighten myself, here’s hoping I can bring something back to all of you in the global village.

Fran, if anyone, I think of as a global citizen. Somehow living in Montreal and working in London and what is it next week Johannesburg? I think of her more as residing in a multi-continental probability cloud rather than a fixed address. Which inevitably makes it hard to catch her for a pint. At least wherever she is, we can follow her blog. I recommend you subscribe.

Had the opportunity yesterday to attend the launch of ICT Toronto. where I snapped this picture of Mr Miller our Mayor. he was here to announce the launch of the strategy to make Toronto a global leader (well, top 5 globally to be exact) in, ahem, ICT. which, as far as anyone known stands for something like “Information and Communications Technology” (but correct me if I’m wrong). Generally, a lot of noble thoughts and good ambitions were offered to us although how exactly it was all to be achieved was left more than a little vague. Perhaps there’s more info in the report. You can find more detailed coverage of the even on Mark’s and Joey’s blog here.

Update: while the politico’s work on their own level, some us are this done on our own.

Have just been spending the week and japan and do you know what strikes me the most? How different it isn’t. From food to fashion, the western influence is strong in modern japanese culture just as global influences are common in the west. Sure there are infinite small and some large differences — but fewer than (I) expected.

I’d argue that you can find nearly as much cultural difference between Texas and Portland as generally between Tokyo and Toronto. Which draws into question this idea of a national culture. Another topic that was keenly on the agenda at iSummit last week. Despite the evidence on the ground, our government remains ardent to encourage (ok fine) and protect (questionable?) a unique “canadian” culture. Does a national culture really exist? What are the real policy motives here? How much of this is for the nobler benefit of producing Public Goods and how much of cultural policy motivated by political ends our outdated ideas of nationalism?

I can say this, the Canadian Dept of Heritage was quite generous (and sage i’d say) in their support of iSummit, but my friend Christina Bing let me in on a secret: The ministry is quite sensitive about anyone crediting them as “sponsors“…