Notes

Opening Forum

Dean Ernest J. Wilson III opened the event with a talk in the auditorium. He's excited to talk about 3 I's: International, Impact, and Innovation. We should be enthusiastic, optimistic, but also skeptical about new developments in social media. Interrogate relationship between social outcomes like equality, democracy, and the trends in technological change.

If we define democracy as some combination of "competition, participation, rights, and responsibilities," along with a sphere independent from government, then indicators are not good. 25% of our population elects the leaders. Putnam's thesis on the decline of civic life.