This guy was brilliant...but I can't remember his name.

March 1, 2015 12:17 PM

A couple of years ago I read a talk that was posted online by a guy (maybe a professor or culture critic) who talked about how in the future everyone would have great tech gizmos (phones, iPads, etc.) but everyone would also be poor.

Does this ring bell? Anyone know who I'm referring to? (BTW, it's not Jaron Lanier or folks of his ilk, but someone more off the beaten path, from about 5 years ago or so).

Thanks

ZP

posted by zenpop to Society & Culture (3 answers total)

Can you narrow it down a little bit more? This kind of statement (eg '90+% of whatever third world population has cell phones but no drinking water') is pretty common.

Was there a picture of the speaker? Def not a TED talk? Remember any details of the site?
posted by stellathon at 2:08 PM on March 1, 2015

Response by poster: He was more of an obscure sort of renegade, not a conspiracy theory type, but def off the beaten path. Was just a web page that was up by someone who had been collection quotes and interviews with him. Def not a TED talk thing.

I seem to recall longish gray willy nilly hair, and glasses.

Thanks. Sorry so obscure.
posted by zenpop at 9:58 AM on March 2, 2015

Hans Rosling?
posted by Monochrome at 4:11 PM on March 2, 2015