Dear Editor,
When Virginia Woolf wrote that the world changed in 1910 she was alluding to the sudden arrival of what can be called ‘modernity.’ On February 4, 2003 the world changed again when Mark Zuckerberg, a second year student, launched Facebook from his Harvard University dorm. Today, ten years later, and with a membership of just over a billion and half, Zuckerberg has changed the way we interact. Some might say the earth has been made flat, given the ease with which we can communicate one-on-one with someone anywhere else in the world, or interact meaningfully as a nationally distinct group, which Guyana Gallery uniquely represents. News about important events, information and photographs of ourselves, families, and friends are shared so easily that technology is no longer perceived as an instrument of generational divide.
Also of significance to us Guyanese, given the social cleavages encouraged by colonialism, we have adequately demonstrated that, given a level playing field, we will opt for cohesion and stability rather than mayhem and discord, knowing that there is more to be derived thereby. We expect the next ten years will be just as exciting as the last given that Mark Zuckerberg intends to bring internet access to the billions who live in low-income countries. For Mr Zuckerberg, this is not about money. It is about connecting all people of our planet. We believe he can do it.
Yours faithfully,
Rishi Singh
