I have been quiet on our blog for a week or so, obviously (the advert) do to the level of work that we have going on inside Trovus, so it is was something a bit eye chatting, even shocking, that got me to turn back to the blog...that little voice that goes off and says write this down to crystallise your thoughts and see what other make of it.

It's my New Scientist doing it again.  They carried a piece a few weeks ago entitled "Are We Doomed?"  The focus of the piece is that complex society built on increasing interaction and interdependency, opens itself up to vulnerabilities from even relatively minor things.  Of course the increased interconnectedness of today's society, with the web at its heart, is at the centre of this increasing fragility.  The article is compelling and our blog is not the place to debate apocryphal predictions.

No really it's not...

But in our world, it does lend some thought to the natural fears that many organisation face when they  debate the merits of embracing the increasingly networked nature of socially based technologies.  Many times people sight the exposure of proprietary company information, the potential for defamation of a third party or even the distraction from work that these platforms may present as reasons not to embrace them.

The only question I felt I could level against the article in New Scientist was that whilst the logic, taken from the work of a wider network of scientists,  in the confines of its argument was very strong,  is the counter logic that society should resist becoming complex for fear of potential annihilation.  Obviously not.  As the article states every society known has grown in complexity as its members strive to improve the environment in which they exist.  So the part technology plays in society's striving for improvement, is surely the same role it plays in enhancing the day to day interaction between us all in the work place.  The results are the tangible gains and benefits that technology has helped society achieve over time.  There is no technological advance that does not by its nature move us into unchartered waters and therefore holds fears for us all.   If we extend this metaphor then, how true it is that those Trovus engages with around increased openness and interaction through the web all share that gene that makes them want to innovate and explore the potential.  Culturally, it doesn't fit, don't try and force it, but as history has shown, whilst a number of those who have explored, find trouble, those that success find great reward.

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