Not a Drop to Drink

            In his book, “Free: The Future of Radical Price,” Chris Anderson personifies information, arguing that it wants to be free, just as “water wants to run downhill.” This view is correct; but the altruistic tonality of the piece lacks mention of capitalist realities and polarization of power versus collective human gain and ideal conditions.

            Information wants to be free because our species constantly, and perhaps inadvertently, shares ideas to the eventual benefit of everyone. Holding to the metaphor of H₂O, polarization from unevenly distributed power affects the grouping of information, hence disrupting a naturally free and steady trickle. Information is instead dammed by those with resources and immediate need, then efficiently delivered amongst consumers for a tax, fee or price. However, water rights assert that the first party on location retains use of that water, without undue constrictions from upstream. The fifty states uphold this law, but elsewhere water is less accessible.

            Most every household in America has running water, and the citizens see it as a right to life rather than an institutionalized membership benefit. In Somalia, on the contrary, OCHA reports less than 30 percent of the population had access to safe drinking water in 2007. People walk miles to drink from stagnant, infected or unsubstantial sources… Much like information. The United States is privileged with having an assurance of information because of domestic springs, resource allocation, bureaucratic distribution, cultural expectations and an open-handed environment. It is estimated by ITU that in 2009 only 1% of Somalians were Internet users, reflecting the harsh ecosystem and hostile infrastructure information must face outside the growing information bubble of developed countries.

            The future of free information then, will continue as it has for centuries. Those within the elite membership of bipolar power will receive information first, fast, facilitated and free*. The other pole will wait, until information happens to rain onto them, springs up from within or slowly leaks into their hands.